OSHA Inspection: MIDDLE INLET WOOD PRODUCTS LLC

Issued

Mar 12, 2021

Abate by

Apr 30, 2021

Penalty

Initial $329 · Current $329

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1903.19(c)(1):Within 10 calendar days after the abatement date, the employer must certify to OSHA (the Agency) that each cited violation has been abated, except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.  a.  On or about November 13, 2020, the employer did not certify that citation 1-1-b had been abated.  The employer was required to establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided in this paragraph by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 85 decibels.  b.  On or about November 13, 2020, the employer did not certify that citation 1-1-c had been abated.  The employer was required to  train each employee who is exposed to noise at or above an 8-hour time weighted average of 85 decibels in accordance with the requirements of this section. The employer shall institute a training program and ensure employee participation in the program.  c.  On or about November 13, 2020, the employer did not certify that citation 1-2-c had been abated.  The employer was required to provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new chemical hazard the employees have not previously been trained about is introduced into their work area.

Issued

Mar 25, 2020

Abate by

Nov 2, 2020

Penalty

Initial $2,892 · Current $1,437 Reduced

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1):  The employer shall administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program, as described in paragraphs (c) through (o) of this section, whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level (TWA) of 85 decibels measured on the A scale (slow response) or, equivalently, a dose of fifty percent. For purposes of the hearing conservation program, employee noise exposures shall be computed in accordance with appendix A and Table G-16a, and without regard to any attenuation provided by the use of personal protective equipment:    a.  On or about December 10, 2019, the employer did not administer a hearing conservation program to protect an employee working in the area between the Big Cut-Off Saw and the first Brewco Resaw.  The employee was exposed to noise at 124.9% (noise dose) of the allowable noise dose of 50% during a sample period of 212 minutes during one shift.  124.9% is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA sound level of 91.6 dBA.    b.  On or about December 10, 2019, the employer did not administer a hearing conservation program to protect an employee working in the area between the Edger and the Grizzly 18" Jump Saw.  The employee was exposed to noise at 98.94% (noise dose) of the allowable noise dose of 50% during a sample period of 209 minutes during one shift.  98.4% is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA sound level of 89.9 dBA.    c.  On or about December 10, 2019  the employer did not administer a hearing conservation program to protect an employee working in the area between the Hella Headsaw and the Edger.  The employee was exposed to noise at 150.9% (noise dose) of the allowable noise dose of 50% during a sample period of 209 minutes during one shift. 150.9% is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA sound level of 93.0 dBA.    All provisions of 29 CFR 1910.95(c) through (n) must be covered in a hearing conservation program. Key elements include, but are not limited to the following:    1)  Noise level monitoring  2)  Audiometric testing  3)  Wearing of hearing protection  4)  Training program  5)  Providing copies of standard to employees  6)  Recordkeeping

Issued

Mar 25, 2020

Abate by

Nov 2, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1): The employer shall establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided in this paragraph by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 85 decibels.    a.  On or about December 10, 2019, the employer had not established an audiometric testing program for an employee who was exposed to an 8-hour TWA greater than 85 decibels.  The employee, working in the area between the Big Cut-Off Saw and the first Brewco Resaw, was exposed to noise at a calculated 8-hour TWA of 91.6 dBA during a sample period of 212 minutes of one shift.    b.  On or about December 10, 2019, the employer had not established an audiometric testing program for an employee who was exposed to an 8-hour TWA greater than 85 decibels.  The employee, working in the area between the Edger and the Grizzly 18" Jump Saw, was exposed to noise at a calculated 8-hour TWA of 89.9 dBA during a sample period of 209 minutes of one shift.     c.  On or about December 10, 2019, the employer had not established an audiometric testing program for an employee who was exposed to an 8-hour TWA greater than 85 decibels.  The employee, working in the area between the Hella Headsaw and the Edger was exposed to noise at a calculated 8-hour TWA of 93.0 dBA during a sample period of 209 minutes during one shift.

Issued

Mar 25, 2020

Abate by

Nov 2, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(k)(1):  The employer shall train each employee who is exposed to noise at or above an 8-hour time weighted average of 85 decibels in accordance with the requirements of this section. The employer shall institute a training program and ensure employee participation in the program:    a.  On or about December 10, 2019, the employer did not institute a training program and did not train an employee on the health effects of noise and the protective measures available detailed in the standard.  The employee, working in the area between the Big Cut-Off Saw and the first Brewco Resaw, was exposed to noise at a calculated 8-hour TWA of 91.6 dBA during a sample period of 212 minutes of one shift.    b.  On or about December 10, 2019, the employer did not institute a training program and did not train an employee on the health effects of noise and the protective measures available detailed in the standard.  The employee, working in the area between the Edger and the Grizzly 18" Jump Saw, was exposed to noise at a calculated 8-hour TWA of 89.9 dBA during a sample period of 209 minutes of one shift.     c.  On or about December 10, 2019, the employer did not institute a training program and did not train an employee on the health effects of noise and the protective measures available detailed in the standard.  The employee, working in the area between the Headsaw and the Edger was exposed to noise at a calculated 8-hour TWA of 93.0 dBA during a sample period of 209 minutes during one shift.     All training topics required by this section must be included in a training program. Key elements include, but are not limited to the following:    1)  The effects of noise on hearing  2)  The purpose of hearing protectors, the advantages, and disadvantages,   3)  The attenuations of various types of hearing protectors  4)  Instruction on selection, fitting, use and care of hearing protectors  5)  The purpose of audiometric testing, and an explanation of the test procedures

Issued

Mar 25, 2020

Abate by

Jul 31, 2020

Penalty

Initial $1,735 · Current $868 Reduced

Hazardous substances D150

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1):  Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning, safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met:    On or about December 10, 2019, the employer did not maintain a written hazard communication program and all of its elements when employees were working with diesel fuel as a lubricant and fuel for the loader.    All provisions of 29 CFR 1910.1200(e) through (h) must be covered in a written hazard communication program. Key elements include, but are not limited to the following:    1)  List of hazardous chemicals  2)  Labeling of containers  3)  Safety Data Sheet collection  4)  Employee information and training

Issued

Mar 25, 2020

Abate by

Jul 31, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances D150

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8): The employer shall maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical, and shall ensure that they are readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their work area(s). (Electronic access and other alternatives to maintaining paper copies of the safety data sheets are permitted as long as no barriers to immediate employee access in each workplace are created by such options.)    On or about December 10, 2019, the employer did not maintain data sheets for each hazardous chemical, and did not ensure that they are readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their work area.  Employees were working with diesel fuel as a lubricant for saw blades and fuel for the loader on a daily basis.

Issued

Mar 25, 2020

Abate by

Jul 31, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances D150

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new chemical hazard the employees have not previously been trained about is introduced into their work area. Information and training may be designed to cover categories of hazards (e.g., flammability, carcinogenicity) or specific chemicals. Chemical-specific information must always be available through labels and safety data sheets.    On or about December 10, 2019, the employer did not provide sawmill employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work areas at the time of their initial assignments. Employees were not trained on the hazards of the diesel fuel that they worked with on a daily basis when lubricating the saw blades nor where they trained on the availability or location of safety data sheets (SDS).    All provisions of the hazard communication standard's training paragraph 29 CFR 1910.1200(h) must be effectively trained to employees. Key elements include, but are not limited to the following:    1)  The requirement of the hazard communication standard  2)  Any work operations where hazard chemicals are present  3)  Location and availability of the:       -hazard communication program       -list of hazardous chemicals       -SDS collection

Issued

Mar 25, 2020

Abate by

Jul 31, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2): The employer shall verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification that identifies the workplace evaluated; the person certifying that the evaluation has been performed; the date(s) of the hazard assessment; and, which identifies the document as a certification of hazard assessment.    On or about December 10, 2019, the employer was unable to verify that a workplace hazard assessment had been performed for employees engaged in job tasks such as operating the Headsaw, Edger, and Big Cut-Off Saw.