OSHA Inspection: G.A.L. MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC

Issued

Feb 5, 2020

Abate by

Feb 20, 2020

Penalty

Initial $9,639 · Current $6,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances R290

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(a): Protective equipment was not used when necessary whenever hazards capable of causing injury and impairment were encountered:  a) Leksol PQ Pumping Area:  Two employees who pumped Leksol PQ (1-bromopropane) into an open 5-gallon pail wore personal street clothing and did not use appropriate personal protective equipment (e.g., fully-body chemical resistant clothing and boots or equivalent); on or about 11/18/19.  b) Dip Tank Operation:  An employee who carried an open 5-gallon pail of Leksol PQ (1-bromoproprane) from the pumping area to the dip tank and then poured it into the dip tank wore personal street clothing and did not use appropriate personal protective equipment (e.g.,  fully-body chemical resistant clothing and boots or equivalent); on or about 11/18/19.  c) Dip Tank Operation:  An employee who sprayed Leksol PQ (1-bromopropane) onto parts prior to removal and removed parts from the dip tank wore personal street clothing and did not use appropriate personal protective equipment (e.g., full-body chemical resistant clothing and boots or equivalent); on or about 11/18/19.  d) Spray Booth Area:  An employee performing spray painting using Krylon Specialty Metallic Paint (acetone, toluene, xylene) and Hartin Water Reducible Paint (ethylene glycol monobutyl ether); wore personal street clothing and did not use appropriate personal protective equipment (e.g.,  fully-body chemical resistant clothing or equivalent), on or about 11/18/19.

Issued

Feb 5, 2020

Abate by

Feb 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances R290

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.138(a): The employer did not select and require employee(s) to use appropriate hand protection when employees' hands were exposed to hazards such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances; severe cuts or lacerations; severe abrasion; punctures; chemical burns; thermal burns; and harmful temperature extremes:  a) Spray Painting Operation: An employee who performed spray painting using Hartin Water Reducible Paint (ethylene glycol monobutyl ether) and Krylon Metallic Spray Paint (toluene, xylene) wore fabric work gloves, with partially coated polyurethane gloves, but was not required to wear appropriate hand protection (e.g., chemical resistant gloves); on or about 11/18/19.    b) Dip Tank - Drum Pumping Area:  Two employees who pumped Leksol PQ (1-bromopropane) out of a 55-gallon drum and into an open 5-gallon pail wore fabric work gloves with partially coated polyurethane gloves, but were not required to wear appropriate hand protection (e.g., forearm length nitrile gloves or equivalent chemical resistant gloves); on or about 11/18/19.   c) Dip Tank Area:  An employee who carried an open 5-gallon pail of Leksol PQ (1-bromopropane), climbed steps and poured it into a dip tank wore fabric work gloves with partially coated polyurethane gloves underneath, but was not required to wear appropriate hand protection (e.g., forearm length nitrile or equivalent chemical resistant gloves); on or about 11/18/19.    d) Dip Tank Operation:  An employee who sprayed Leksol PQ (1-bromopropane) onto parts in the dip tank and removed parts from the dip tank wore wrist-length partially coated polyurethane gloves, but was not required to wear appropriate hand protection (e.g., forearm length nitrile or equivalent chemical resistant gloves); on or about 11/18/19.  e) Dip Tank Operations:  An employee who handled and sorted metal parts which had degreased metal parts using Leksol PQ(1-bromopropane) in a dip tank wore fabric work gloves with partially coated polyurethane gloves, but was not required to wear appropriate hand protection (e.g., nitrile gloves or equivalent chemical resistant gloves);  on or about 11/18/19.

Issued

Feb 5, 2020

Abate by

Feb 27, 2020

Penalty

Initial $7,711 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation:  a) Spray Booth Area:  An employee performing spray painting using Hartin Water Reducible Paint (ethylene glycol monobutyl ether) and Krylon Metallic Paint (toluene, xylene), was required to wear safety glasses and did not wear appropriate eye protection (e.g., chemical splash goggles or equivalent); on or about 11/18/19.  b) Drum Pumping Area:  Two employees who pumped Leksol PQ (1-Bromopropane) into an open 5-gallon pail were required to wear safety glasses and did not wear appropriate eye protection (e.g., chemical splash goggles or equivalent); on or about 11/18/19.   c) Dip Tank Operation:  An employee who carried an open 5-gallon pail of Leksol PQ (1-Bromoproprane) from the pumping area to the dip tank and then poured it into the dip tank was required to wear safety glasses and did not wear appropriate eye and face protection (e.g., chemical splash goggles and faceshield or equivalent); on or about 11/18/19.  d) Dip Tank Operation:  An employee who operated the dip tank containing Leksol PQ (1-bromopropane), sprayed Leksol PQ (1-bromopropane) and removed degreased parts from the dip tank prior wore safety glasses and did not wear appropriate eye protection (e.g., chemical splash goggles or equivalent); on or about 11/18/19.  e) Tool Room:  An employee poured G-25 Synthetic Cutting Fluid (ethanolamine) and Triadine 20 Industrial Microbiostat (sodium pyrithione) into the wet grinder was required to wear safety glasses and did not wear appropriate eye protection (e.g., chemical splash goggles or equivalent); on or about 8/7/19.

Issued

Feb 5, 2020

Penalty

Initial $9,639 · Current $2,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.151(c): Where employees were exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body were not provided within the work area for immediate emergency use:  a) Tool Room:  An employee poured corrosive materials such as G-25 Synthetic Cutting Fluid (ethanolamine) and Triadine 20 Industrial Microbiostat (sodium pyrithione) into the wet grinder and the employer did not provide suitable facilities (e.g., an emergency eyewash or equivalent) for quick flushing of the eyes in the work area for immediate emergency use; or about 8/7/19.

Issued

Feb 5, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,783 · Current $3,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1001(k)(1): All surfaces were not maintained as free as practicable of ACM waste and debris and accompanying dust:  a)  Fabrication Department - Drilling Station:   Asbestos-containing insulation on the condensate return line was damaged, resulting in asbestos debris on the floor; on or about 8/7/19.

Issued

Feb 5, 2020

Abate by

Mar 19, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.107(b)(5)(i): Spraying operations were not designed, installed, and maintained so that the average air velocity over the open face of the paint spray booth was more than 99 linear feet per minute and there were no visible gauges, audible alarms or pressure-activated devices installed to indicate or ensure that the required air speed was maintained and filter rolls were not inspected to ensure proper replacement of filter media:  a)  Spray Painting Operation:  An employee sprayed Hartin Water Reducible Paint (solvent-based paint) and Krylon Paint (solvent-based paint) inside two spray booths that did not have visible gauges, audible alarms or pressure-activated devices installed on them; on or on or about 11/18/19.           b) Spray Painting Operation:  An employee sprayed Hartin Water Reducible Paint (solvent-based paint) and Krylon Paint (solvent-based paint) in the left spray booth which had filters covered in a thick layer of paint that were not properly inspected; on or about 11/18/19.     c) Spray Painting Operation:  An employee sprayed Hartin Water Reducible Paint in the center spray booth which had an average air speed of 66 feet per minute; on or about 11/26/19.

Issued

Feb 5, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use:  a) Dip Tank Operation:  The employer required two employees performing dip tank degreasing operations to wear N95 filtering facepiece respirators for protection against Leksol PQ (1-bromopropane) and did not implement a written respiratory protection program that included all the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix); on or about 8/7/19.  b) Spray Painting Operation:  The employer required two employees performing spray painting to wear N95 filtering facepiece respirators for protection against Hartin Water Reducible Paint (solvent-based paint) and Krylon Paint (solvent-based paint) and did not implement a written respiratory protection program that included all the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix); on or about 8/7/19.

Issued

Feb 5, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances R290

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(i): Selection of appropriate respirators was not based on the respiratory hazard(s) to which the worker was exposed and user factors that affect respirator performance and reliability:  a) Dip Tank Operation:  The employer did not select an appropriate respirator for protection against organic vapors as it required two employees performing dip tank degreasing operations to wear N95 filtering facepiece respirators for protection against Leksol PQ (1-bromopropane); on or about 8/7/19.  b) Spray Painting Operation:  The employer did not select an appropriate for protection against organic vapors as it required two employees performing spray painting to wear N95 filtering facepiece respirators for protection against Hartin Water Reducible Paint (solvent-based paint) and Krylon Paint (solvent-based paint); on or about 8/7/19.

Issued

Feb 5, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1): The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:  a) Dip Tank Operation:  The employer did not provide a medical evaluation for each of two employees who were required to wear N95 filtering facepiece respirators for protection against Leksol PQ (1-bromopropane) when they perform dip tank degreasing operations; on or about 8/7/19.  b) Spray Painting Operation:  The employer did not provide a medical evaluation for each of two employees who were required to wear N95 filtering facepiece respirators for protection against Hartin Water Reducible Paint (solvent-based paint) and Krylon Paint (solvent-based paint) when they perform spray painting operations; on or about 8/7/19.