OSHA Inspection: IRVINE WOOD RECOVERY, INC.

Issued

Oct 24, 2019

Abate by

Dec 12, 2019

Penalty

Initial $9,282 · Current $2,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i):  Protection from fall hazards - Unprotected sides and edges.   Except as provided elsewhere in this section, the employer must ensure that each employee on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge that is 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above a lower level is protected from falling by one or more of the following:         (A)  Guardrail systems;     (B)  Safety net systems; or     (C)  Personal fall protection systems, such as personal fall arrest, travel restraint, or positioning systems.    (a)  On or about September 10, 2019, employees who were assigned to level out mulch that was loaded into the trailer by the auger at the outdoor grinder were not provided with appropriate fall protection to protect them from a 20 foot fall from the top of the load.     In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification.  This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence, or written records.

Issued

Oct 24, 2019

Abate by

Dec 12, 2019

Penalty

Initial $9,282 · Current $2,500 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.213(r)(4): The mention of specific machines in paragraphs (a) thru (q) and this paragraph (r) of this section, inclusive, is not intended to exclude other woodworking machines from the requirement that suitable guards and exhaust hoods be provided to reduce to a minimum the hazard due to the point of operation of such machines.    On or about September 12, 2019, the following bandsaw tables were not appropriately guarded to protect saw operators form exposure to operating saw blades when they were performing teardown of wood pallets in the workplace:      (a)  On Saw #2, the one man saw with the sharp side of the blade facing away from the operator, the distance from the end of table guard to the blade measured 42 inches.    (b)  On Saw #3, a two man saw, the push side measured 50.5 inches from the end of table guard to the blade and the pull side measured 42 inches from the end of table guard to the blade.    (c)   On Saw #4, the one man saw with the sharp side of the blade facing away from the operator, the distance from the end of table guard to the blade measured 41 inches.    (d)  On Saw #5, a two man saw, the push side measured 52 inches from the end of table guard to the blade and the pull side measured 49 inches from the end of table guard to the blade.    (e)  Saw #1 was locked out for repairs at the time of inspection, a two man saw, the push side measured 52 inches from the end of table guard to the blade and the pull side measured 45 inches from the end of table guard to the blade.    In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification.  This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence, or written records.

Issued

Oct 24, 2019

Abate by

Nov 13, 2019

Penalty

Initial $6,763 · Current $2,500 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(a)(2):  The employer did not ensure that respirators were used when such equipment was necessary to protect the health of the employee:    (a)  Employees were exposed to total dust above the permissible exposure limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter in the saw department and the employer did not require the use of respirators.    In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification.  This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence, or written records.

Issued

Oct 24, 2019

Abate by

Mar 11, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2):  Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of Total Dust (particulates not otherwise regulated) listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 15 milligrams of contaminant per cubic meter of air:    (a)  On September 12, 2019, the operator on saw 5 was exposed to total dust at an eight hour time weighted average (TWA) of 17.5 milligrams of contaminant per cubic meter of air (mg/m3) for the 429 minute sampling period with a value of zero added for the 51 minutes not sampled, or 116.7% of the permissible exposure limit of 15 mg/m3 in 480 minutes.    In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification.  This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence, or written records.

Issued

Oct 24, 2019

Abate by

Dec 12, 2019

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(e): To achieve compliance with paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section, administrative or engineering controls must first be determined and implemented whenever feasible. When such controls are not feasible to achieve full compliance, protective equipment or any other protective measures shall be used to keep the exposure of employees to air contaminants within the limits prescribed in this section. Any equipment and/or technical measures used for this purpose must be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person. Whenever respirators are used, their use shall comply with 1910.134.    (a)  Employees were exposed to total dust above the permissible exposure limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter in the saw department and the employer did not implement feasible administrative or engineering controls such as, but not limited to local exhaust ventilation at saw 5.    In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification.  This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence, or written records.

Issued

Oct 24, 2019

Abate by

Nov 13, 2019

Penalty

Initial $632 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(6): The employer did not provide the basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of 29 CFR 1910.134, in written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use was not required by the employer:      (a)  The employer provided 3M 8511 N95 particulate respirators for voluntary use where employees were exposed to dust from sawing wood pallets, but did not provide those employees with the information contained in Appendix D of the standard.    In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION WORKSHEET)