OSHA Inspection: ALEXANDER TANK COMPANY

Issued

Apr 21, 2020

Abate by

Aug 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $7,422 · Current $3,711 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to respiratory hazards of carbon monoxide.    On or about November 1, 2019 and times prior thereto, for employees sandblasting in a confined space, the Clemco In-helmet carbon monoxide alarm was not being calibrated as required by the owner's manual, exposing employees to the hazard of carbon monoxide inhalation.

Issued

Apr 21, 2020

Abate by

Aug 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,937 · Current $2,969 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(6): At least annually after obtaining the baseline audiogram, the employer did not obtain a new audiogram for each employee exposed at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels :    On November 1, 2019 and times prior thereto, employees covered by the hearing conservation program in the  sandblasting area had not received the annual audiogram, exposing employees to the hazards of high noise and hearing loss.    a) Sandblasters were exposed to a 8 hour TWA of 91.1dbA  or 117.5% dose. The time sampled was 445 minutes with zero exposure assumed for the 35 minutes not sampled.

Issued

Apr 21, 2020

Abate by

Aug 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(i)(3): Employees were not given the opportunity to select their hearing protectors from a variety of suitable hearing protectors provided by the employer:    On or about November 1, 2019 and times prior thereto, the employer only provided one type of hearing protection to welders and sand blasters who were covered under the hearing conservation program, exposing employees to the hazard of high noise.    a) Sandblasters were exposed to a 8 hour TWA of 91.1dbA  or 117% dose. The time sampled was 445 minutes with zero exposure assumed for the 35 minutes not sampled.

Issued

Apr 21, 2020

Abate by

Aug 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,937 · Current $2,969 Reduced

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:    On or about November 1, 2019 and times prior thereto, the employer had not preformed medical evaluations for all employees required to wear a full face respirator while painting tanks and a supplied air respirator while coating and sandblasting tanks, exposing employees to respiratory hazards.

Issued

Apr 21, 2020

Abate by

Aug 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,937 · Current $2,969 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator were not annually fit tested:(a)     On November 01, 2019 and times prior thereto, employees in the painting department required to wear respirators were not fit tested annually, exposing employees to respiratory hazards.

Issued

Apr 21, 2020

Abate by

Aug 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,937 · Current $2,969 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A): Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees who had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interfered with valve function:    On November 01, 2019 and times prior thereto, employees required to wear respirators had facial hair that would have come between the sealing surface of the respirators, exposing employees to the hazard of inhalation of chemicals.

Issued

Apr 21, 2020

Abate by

Aug 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,937 · Current $2,969 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(h)(2)(i): Respirators were not stored to protect them from damage, contamination, dust, sunlight, extreme temperatures, excessive moisture, and damaging chemicals or  were not packed or stored to prevent deformation of the facepiece and exhalation valve:    On November 01, 2019 and times prior thereto, a full face respirator used by painter was stored on an outside table in the paint area, this condition exposed employees to respiratory hazards.

Issued

Apr 21, 2020

Abate by

Aug 22, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,937 · Current $2,969 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(i)(1)(ii): Compressed breathing air did not meet at least the requirements for Grade D breathing air described in ANSI/Compressed Gas Association Commodity Specification for Air, G-7.1-1989, to include:   (A): Oxygen content (v/v) of 19.5-23.5%;   (B): Hydrocarbon (condensed) content of 5 milligrams per cubic meter of air or less;   (C): Carbon monoxide (CO) content of 10 ppm or less;   (D): Carbon dioxide content of 1,000 ppm or less; and   (E): Lack of noticeable odor.    On or about November 1, 2019 and times prior thereto, employees used a supplied air respirator during sand blasting  operations. The supplied air is provided by one of two permanent stationary compressors. None of the supplied air has been testedare no other forms of carbon dioxide, or hydrocarbon monitoring. None of the systems filters are changed on a regular basis, exposing employees to respiratory hazards.

Issued

Apr 21, 2020

Abate by

Aug 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,937 · Current $2,958 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(i)(5)(iii): The compressor's sorbent bed and filters were not maintained and replaced or refurbished periodically as instructed by the manufacturer:      On or about November 1, 2019 and times prior thereto, the employer did not ensure that employees were changing the filters to the sorbent filters on a fixed schedule, exposing employees to respiratory hazards.

Issued

Apr 21, 2020

Abate by

Aug 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(i)(5)(iv): The employer did not ensure that the person authorized to perform the necessary sorbent bed and filter changes filled out a tag indicating by the signature and date that maintenance changes were performed:    On or about November 1, 2019 and times prior thereto, the employer did not ensure that employees authorized to change filters to the supplied air respirators where filling out a tag indicating the date of maintenance and a signature, exposing employees to respiratory hazards.