OSHA Inspection: P.M. RECYCLING, INC.

Issued

Jul 15, 2019

Abate by

Aug 28, 2019

Penalty

Initial $7,293 · Current $4,376 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1): All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, and service rooms shall be kept clean and orderly, and in a sanitary condition:  Facility: The employer did not keep the Rip Saw and Chop Saw Areas free of accumulations of combustible dust and debris. Combustible wood dust had accumulated around stairwells, on overhead pipes, and on electrical equipment due to wood cutting operations.  The employer did not establish a regular program of cleaning to prevent these accumulations and reduce the potential for fire and/or explosions.

Issued

Jul 15, 2019

Abate by

Dec 31, 2019

Penalty

Initial $10,210 · Current $6,126 Reduced

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.95(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:  Facility: Employees conducting pallet dismantling and repair activities were exposed to noise in excess of OSHA's 85 dBA Time-Weighted Average (TWA) Action Level:  a. On or about 3/13/2019 an employee operating a rip saw was exposed to a TWA noise level of 92 dBA  which is equivalent to a does of 134.9 percent. The sampling period was 257 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;   b. On or about 3/13/2019  am employee operating a chop saw was exposed to a TWA noise level of 90.1 dBA which is equivalent to a dose of 101.6 percent  The sampling period was 250 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;  c. On or about 3/13/2019  am employee operating a chop saw was exposed to a TWA noise level of 87 dBA which is equivalent to a dose of 67.4 percent. The sampling period was 310 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;  d. On or about 3/13/2019  am employee operating a nail gun was exposed to a TWA noise level of 87 dBA which is equivalent to a dose of 68 percent. The sampling period was 309 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;

Issued

Jul 15, 2019

Abate by

Oct 1, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(d)(1): When information indicated that any employee's exposure equaled or exceed the 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels, the employer did not develop and implement a monitoring program:  Facility: When information indicated that any employee's exposure equaled or exceeded the 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels, or greater, the employer did not develop and implement a monitoring program to determine actual employee exposure:  a. On or about 3/13/2019 an employee operating a rip saw was exposed to a TWA noise level of 92 dBA  which is equivalent to a does of 134.9 percent. The sampling period was 257 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;   b. On or about 3/13/2019  am employee operating a chop saw was exposed to a TWA noise level of 90.1 dBA which is equivalent to a dose of 101.6 percent  The sampling period was 250 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;  c. On or about 3/13/2019  am employee operating a chop saw was exposed to a TWA noise level of 87 dBA which is equivalent to a dose of 67.4 percent. The sampling period was 310 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;  d. On or about 3/13/2019  am employee operating a nail gun was exposed to a TWA noise level of 87 dBA which is equivalent to a dose of 68 percent. The sampling period was 309 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;

Issued

Jul 15, 2019

Abate by

Oct 1, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1): The employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided by 29 CFR 1910.95(g) by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels:  Facility: When employees are conducting pallet reconditioning and rebuilding activities, employees were exposed to noise in excess of OSHA's 85 dBA and 90 dBA as an 8-hour Time-Weighted Average:  a. On or about 3/13/2019 an employee operating a rip saw was exposed to a TWA noise level of 92 dBA  which is equivalent to a does of 134.9 percent. The sampling period was 257 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;   b. On or about 3/13/2019  am employee operating a chop saw was exposed to a TWA noise level of 90.1 dBA which is equivalent to a dose of 101.6 percent  The sampling period was 250 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;  c. On or about 3/13/2019  am employee operating a chop saw was exposed to a TWA noise level of 87 dBA which is equivalent to a dose of 67.4 percent. The sampling period was 310 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;  d. On or about 3/13/2019  am employee operating a nail gun was exposed to a TWA noise level of 87 dBA which is equivalent to a dose of 68 percent. The sampling period was 309 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;

Issued

Jul 15, 2019

Abate by

Aug 28, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(i)(2)(ii)(A): The employer did not ensure that hearing protectors are worn by any employee who is exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels or greater and has not yet had a baseline audiogram established pursuant to 29 CFR 1910.95(g)(5)(ii):  Facility: The employer did not ensure hearing protector use by employees who had not had a baseline audiogram and were exposed to noise levels exceeding 85 dBA or greater during pallet reconditioning and rebuilding activities.

Issued

Jul 15, 2019

Abate by

Oct 1, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(k)(1): The employer did not train each employee who is exposed to noise at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.95(k):  Facility: When employees were conducting pallet reconditioning and rebuilding activities and exposed to noise in excess of OSHA's 85 dBA and 90 dBA as an 8-hour Time-Weighted Average, the employer did not institute a training program in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.95(k):  a. On or about 3/13/2019 an employee operating a rip saw was exposed to a TWA noise level of 92 dBA  which is equivalent to a does of 134.9 percent. The sampling period was 257 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;   b. On or about 3/13/2019  am employee operating a chop saw was exposed to a TWA noise level of 90.1 dBA which is equivalent to a dose of 101.6 percent  The sampling period was 250 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;  c. On or about 3/13/2019  am employee operating a chop saw was exposed to a TWA noise level of 87 dBA which is equivalent to a dose of 67.4 percent. The sampling period was 310 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;  d. On or about 3/13/2019  am employee operating a nail gun was exposed to a TWA noise level of 87 dBA which is equivalent to a dose of 68 percent. The sampling period was 309 minutes.  Zero exposure was assumed for any unsampled time;