OSHA Inspection: ACME SURFACE DYNAMICS, INC.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

May 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,398 · Current $2,600 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 December 5, 2019, where employees are required to wear half mask air purifying respirators when adding chromic acid to dip tanks, the employer had not provided medical evaluations to employees prior to their being required to wear a respirator.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

May 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator:     On or about December 5, 2019, where employees are required to wear half mask air purifying respirators when adding chromic acid to dip tanks, the employer had not ensured that employees were fit tested prior to wearing respirators in the workplace.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

May 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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 or about December 5, 2019, where employees are required to wear half mask air purifying respirators when adding chromic acid to dip tanks, the employer failed to ensure that those wearing respiratory protection did not have facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the respirator and the face.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

May 29, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(1): The employer did not provide respirator training that ensured that each employee could demonstrate knowledge of at least the following elements: Why the respirator is necessary and how improper fit, usage, or maintenance can compromise the protective effect of the respirator; What the limitations and capabilities of the respirator are; How to use the respirator effectively in emergency situations, including situations in which the respirator malfunctions; How to inspect, put on and remove, use, and check the seals of the respirator; What the procedures are for maintenance and storage of the respirator, and How to recognize medical signs and symptoms that may limit or prevent the effective use of respirators:     On or about December 5, 2019, where employees are required to wear half mask air purifying respirators when adding chromic acid to tanks, the employer failed to conduct respirator training which explained the contents of the standard including, but not limited to the purpose of medical evaluations and fit testing procedures.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,398 · Current $2,600 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(2): The employer did not inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces:    On or about December 5, 2019, the employer had not labeled a permit required confined space below tanks 9 and 10, which employees are required to access for cleaning.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

Mar 31, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d): Under the permit space program required by paragraph (c)(4) of this section the employer did not ensure that the requirements of (d)(1) through (d)(14) were met:  On or about December 5, 2019, where employees were required to enter a permit required confined space below tanks 9 and 10, confined space entry procedures including testing the atmosphere prior to entry and permitting were not followed.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

Mar 31, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(g)(1): The employer did not provide training so that all employees whose work was regulated by 29 CFR 1910.146 (permit required confined spaces) acquired the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned under 29 CFR 1910.146:   On or about December 5, 2019, where employees were required to enter a permit required confined space below tanks 9 and 10, training had not been conducted with employees on duties required by the confined space standard.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

Mar 31, 2020

Penalty

Initial $3,856 · Current $1,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(5)(ii)(B): When an entrance cover was removed, the opening was not promptly guarded by a railing, temporary cover, or other temporary barrier that would prevent an accidental fall through the opening and that would protect each employee from foreign objects entering the space.    On or about December 5, 2019, the employer did not provide a temporary railing or barrier for employees to utilize when the cover is removed to access the 12 foot pit area beneath tanks 9 and 10.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

Mar 31, 2020

Penalty

Initial $3,856 · Current $1,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): One or more methods of machine guarding was not provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks:    a. On or about December 5, 2019, employees were exposed to rotating parts when operating the facilitys Tarnow 8 foot lathe, which was lacking a chuck guard.     b. On or about December 5, 2019, employees were exposed to rotating parts when operating the facilitys Broadbent 27 foot lathe, which was lacking a chuck guard.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

Sep 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,398 · Current $3,200 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(c): Employees were exposed to an airborne concentration of chromium (VI) which exceeded 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air, as an 8-hour time-weighted average:    On January 21, 2020, an employee wiping parts and working in the area of tanks 9 and 10 was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 11.575 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) for chromium (VI), approximately 2.315 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 5 µg/m3. The exposure level was derived from one sample collected over a 463 minute sampling period with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 17 minutes.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

Sep 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(d)(1): The employer with a workplace or work operation covered by this standard did not determine the 8-hour time-weighted average exposure for each employee exposed to chromium (VI):    On or about January 21, 2020, the employer had not determined what levels of chromium (VI) that its workers are exposed to.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

Sep 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(e)(1): The employer did not establish a regulated area wherever an employee's exposure to airborne concentrations of chromium (VI) was, or could reasonably be expected to be, in excess of the permissible exposure limit:        On or about January 21, 2020, where employees were exposed to chromium (VI) above the permissible exposure limit of 5 µg/m3, the employer had not established a regulated area.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

Sep 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(f)(1)(i): Feasible engineering controls and work practices were not instituted to reduce and maintain employee exposures to chromium (VI) at or below the permissible exposure limit:     On January 21, 2020, an employee wiping parts and working in the area of tanks 9 and 10 was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 11.575 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) for chromium (VI), approximately 2.315 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 5 µg/m3. The exposure level was derived from one sample collected over a 463 minute sampling period with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 17 minutes.      On or about January 21, 2020, the employer did not ensure that engineering controls were in place in the area of tanks 9 and 10 that were sufficient to reduce employee exposure to chromium (VI) below the permissible exposure limit.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

Sep 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(k)(2)(i): The employer did not provide a medical examination within 30 days after initial assignment:     On or about January 21, 2020, where employees working in the area of tanks 9 and 10 were exposed to chromium (VI) above the permissible exposure limit, the employer had not provided medical examinations in accordance with the hexavalent chromium standard.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

Sep 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $3,856 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(h)(2)(iv): The employer did not ensure that bags or containers of contaminated protective clothing or equipment that were removed from change rooms for laundering, cleaning, maintenance, or disposal were labeled in accordance with the requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200:     On or about January 21, 2020, the container for dirty uniforms, which may be contaminated with chromium (VI), was not properly labeled.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

Sep 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(l)(2)(i): 29 CFR 1910.1026(l)(2)(i):  the employer did not provide training and information to ensure that employees could demonstrate knowledge of 29 CFR 1910.1026, and the purpose and a description of the medical surveillance program:    On or about January 21, 2020, where employees are exposed to chromium (VI) in the workplace, the employer did not conduct training on the contents of the chromium (VI) standard including the purpose of and description of a medical surveillance program.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

Sep 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(i)(3)(ii): The employer did not ensure that employees who had skin contact with  chromium (VI) wash their hands and faces at the end of the work shift and/or prior to eating, drinking, smoking, chewing tobacco or gum, applying cosmetics, or using the toilet:  On or about January 21, 2020, where employees are exposed to chromium (VI) in the workplace, the employer did not ensure that employees washed their face and hands at the end of their work shift.