OSHA Inspection: CONMED CORPORATION

Issued

Sep 25, 2019

Abate by

Oct 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $13,260 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1047(c)(1): "8-hour time-weighted average (TWA)." The employer shall ensure that no employee is exposed to an airborne concentration of EtO in excess of one (1) part EtO per million parts of air (1 ppm) as an (8)-hour time-weighted average (8-hour TWA).  a) Receiving Department - on or about 3/26/2019, the employer exposed employees to eye, skin and respiratory tract injuries, in that employees were exposed to airborne concentrations of ethylene oxide levels above 1 ppm in an 8-hour TWA, when employees were required to open boxes, containing medical equipment sterilized with ethylene oxide and while operating forklifts to unload boxes.

Issued

Sep 25, 2019

Abate by

Oct 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1047(e)(1): A regulated area was not established where occupational exposures to airborne concentrations of ethylene oxide may exceed the time-weighted average:  a) Receiving Department - On or about 3/26/2019, the employer exposed employees to eyes, skin and respiratory tract injuries in that no regulated area was established in the workplace for employees exposure to airborne concentrations of ethylene oxide levels above 1 ppm in 8-hour TWA when employees were required to open the boxes containing medical equipment, sterilized with ethylene oxide and while operating forklifts to unload boxes.

Issued

Sep 25, 2019

Abate by

Oct 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1047(f)(2)(i): Where the time-weighted average (TWA) for ethylene oxide was exceeded, a written program has not been established and implemented to reduce employee exposure to or below the TWA and/or to or below the excursion limit by means of engineering and work practice controls and by the use of respiratory protection where required or permitted under 29 CFR 1910.1047:  a) Receiving Department - On or about 3/26/2019, the employer exposed employees to respiratory tract injuries in that no written program was established for employees exposed to airborne concentrations of ethylene oxide in levels above 1 ppm of an 8-hour TWA, to reduce employees exposure to or below the TWA and to or below the excursion limit by providing engineering controls and by use of respiratory protection when employees were required to open the boxes containing medical equipment, sterilized with ethylene oxide and while operating forklifts to unload boxes.

Issued

Sep 25, 2019

Abate by

Oct 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1047(f)(1)(i): Feasible engineering controls and work practices were not instituted to reduce and maintain employee exposure to ethylene oxide to or below the excursion limit:   a) Receiving Department - On or about 3/26/2019, the employer exposed employees to respiratory tract injuries in that, the employer did not provide engineering controls and work practices to reduce employees' exposure to or below the TWA and to or below the excursion limit when the airborne concentrations of ethylene oxide were in levels above 1 ppm of an 8-hour TWA while employees were required to open the boxes containing medical equipment, sterilized with ethylene oxide and while operating forklifts to unload boxes.

Issued

Sep 25, 2019

Abate by

Oct 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1047(g)(3)(i): The employer did not select and provide to employees, the appropriate respirators specified in 29 CFR 1910.134(d)(3)(i)(A):  a) Receiving Department - On or about 3/26/2019, the employer exposed employees to respiratory tract injuries in that no respirators were provided to employees exposed to airborne concentrations of ethylene oxide in levels above 1 ppm of an 8-hour TWA when employees were required to open the boxes containing medical equipment, sterilized with ethylene oxide and while operating forklifts to unload boxes.

Issued

Sep 25, 2019

Abate by

Oct 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1047(i)(2)(i)(A): Medical examinations and consultations were not made available to each employee prior to assignment to an area where exposure to ethylene oxide may be at or above the action level for at least 30 days a year:  a) Receiving Department - On or about 3/26/2019, the employer exposed employees to eyes, skin and respiratory tract injuries in that no medical examinations and consultations were provided to employees prior to assignment of the employees working in the area with exposure to airborne concentrations of ethylene oxide in levels above 1 ppm of an 8-hour TWA when employees were exposed at or above action level while required to open boxes containing medical equipment, sterilized with ethylene oxide and while operating forklifts to unload boxes.

Issued

Sep 25, 2019

Abate by

Oct 15, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1047(d)(7)(i): Employees were not notified within 15 working days after receipt of ethylene oxide monitoring results, and in writing either individually, or by posting results in an appropriate location accessible to the affected employees:  a) Receiving Department - On or about 3/26/2019, the employer failed to notify employees within 15 days after employees' exposure to airborne concentrations of ethylene oxide in level above 1 ppm in 8-hour TWA when employees were required to open the boxes containing medical equipment that were sterilized with ethylene oxide.