OSHA Inspection: OSCAR RENDA CONTRACTING INC.

Issued

Dec 3, 2019

Abate by

Jan 22, 2020

Penalty

Initial $13,260 · Current $6,630 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8330

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2):  The employer shall instruct each employee in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and the regulations applicable to his work environment to control or eliminate any hazards or other exposure to illness or injury.    a) On or about July 8, 2019, employees working on the Southside Interceptor Rehabilitation Project were   exposed to the hazard of excessive heat when conducting outdoor tasks.    Among other methods, feasible and acceptable methods to correct this hazard include the development   and implementation of a heat stress management program which incorporates guidelines from the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit values and biological exposure indices, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) document, NIOSH. 2016. Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Heat and Hot Environments," and OSHAs Safety and Health Topics page on Occupational Heat Exposure. Such a program, tailored to the  particulars of the employers work, may include, but is not limited to, the following:      1. Designate a program administrator responsible for implementing the heat stress management program at a specific indicator, for example a specific heat index temperature, wet bulb globe temperature or dry-bulb temperature. Ensure that managers are provided with effective training to operate these tools and interpret their data.  2. Provide mandatory training for all employees regarding the heat stress management program, the health effects associated with heat stress, recognizing symptoms of heat related illness, methods of preventing such illnesses, and the importance of employees reporting any symptoms of heat-related illnesses to their supervisors.  3. Provide mandatory training for all field managers and supervisors regarding how to effectively  recognize symptoms of heat related illnesses in others and the procedures to follow when an employee appears to be suffering from symptoms of heat related illness.  4. Establish a screening program to identify health conditions that could be aggravated by exposure to heat stress.  5. Acclimatize employees beginning work in hot environment or those returning from an absence period of three or more days. Permit only those workers acclimatized to heat to perform the more strenuous tasks. Rotate physically demanding job tasks among acclimatized workers.  6. Provide canopies or shaded areas where heat-affected employees may take their breaks and/or recover.  7. Provide cool water and encourage employees to drink 5 to 7 ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes rather than relying on thirst.  8. Implement, enforce, and ensure that employees follow a work/rest regimen in accordance with the American Conference of Industrial Hygienist (ACGIH) 2016 Permissible Heat Exposure Threshold Limit Values (TL Vs). Ensure that supervisors are effectively trained to implement and enforce this work/rest regimen.  9. Provide equipment, such as cooling vests, cooling bandanas, or other equipment that may help prevent overheating.  10. Supervisor are to monitor workers to better identify when workers need to be removed from the work area.  11. Providing specific procedures to be followed for heat-related emergency situations and procedures for first-aid to be administered immediately to employees displaying symptoms of heat-related illness.  12. Set up a Buddy System to enable workers to look out for signs and symptoms for heat-related illness in each other, since often a worker will not recognize his or her own signs and symptoms.