OSHA Inspection: TULIP MOLDED PLASTICS CORPORATION

Issued

Aug 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 5, 2019

Penalty

Initial $9,661 · Current $5,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1): Places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces were not kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition:  (a) On or about March 8, 2019, in the cafeteria, the vending machine food delivery chute was not kept in a clean and sanitary condition, exposing employees to lead dust.  A surface wipe sampling method was used to assess lead dust contamination in the cafeteria.  The bottom surface of the chips vending machine chute had over 900 micrograms of lead contamination.  This equates to a level of contamination at a rate of 3,250 micrograms of lead per square foot.  OSHA policy (adopted from the 1970's HUD and EPA regulations) allows up to 200 micrograms of lead contamination per square foot on working surfaces.  However, current HUD and EPA regulations (2019) allow up to 10 micrograms of lead contamination per square foot.  This is about 33 times greater than the current HUD and EPA allowances.

Issued

Aug 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 5, 2019

Penalty

Initial $6,440 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.141(b)(1)(i): Potable water was not provided in all places of employment, for drinking, washing of the person, cooking, washing of foods, washing of cooking or eating utensils, washing of food preparation or processing premises, and personal service rooms.  (a) The men's restroom in the lead extrusion department did not have operating water for hand sanitization and decontamination of lead.  (b) The water drinking fountain near the men's restroom was not operating.

Issued

Aug 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 5, 2019

Penalty

Initial $6,440 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(h)(2)(ii): Shoveling, sweeping or brushing methods were used to remove lead accumulations where vacuuming or other equally effective methods were available and feasible:  (a)  Employees used brooms to sweep around lead extruding machines.  Sweeping causes the re-entrainment in air and redistribution of lead dust exposing employees to lead dust inhalation.

Issued

Aug 16, 2019

Abate by

Sep 5, 2019

Penalty

Initial $6,440 · Current $2,500 Reduced

Hazardous substances 15912020

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:  (a) On or about March 8, 2019, employees were not provided effective hazard communication training on the hazards of the rosin paint being applied to the threaded portion of lead battery posts.  The rosin paint contains Perchloroethylene (Perc).  (b) On or about March 8, 2019, employees were not provided effective hazard communication training on the hazards of mold release aerosol spray. The mold release aerosol spray contains Perchloroethylene (Perc).  (c) On or about March 8, 2019, Temporary Workers were not provided effective hazard communication training on the hazards of lead.  They were not trained about the health hazards of lead, the importance of house keeping & personal hygiene practices, and the use of PPE to limit employee exposure.  Temporary Workers were assigned to paint the threads of lead battery posts, requiring manual handling of the lead objects. (Gloves used)  (d) Employees and Temporary Workers were not trained on the Globally Harmonized System of Chemical Classification (GHS), to include the use of pictograms and signal words, and warning statements found on container labels and Safety Data Sheets.  These warning methods are to inform employees of chemical hazards present.