OSHA Inspection: GRAY WELDING & FABRICATION SERVICES, INC.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

May 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,398 · Current $2,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0731

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of copper fume listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 0.1 mg/m3 (milligrams per cubic meter of air):    a)  Welding Area, on or about January 27, 2020 - An employee designated as a welder was exposed to copper fume at a time weighted average exposure of 0.25 mg/m3.  This level is 2.5 times the permissible exposure limit of 0.1 mg/m3 as a time weighted average concentration.  Sampling was performed by an OSHA compliance officer on January 27, 2020 for 237 minutes and zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled portion of the shift.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

May 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0731

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(e): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented to achieve compliance with the limits prescribed in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d):   a)  Welding Area, on or about January 27, 2020 - The employer did not implement feasible administrative or engineering controls when employees were exposed to copper fume above the permissible exposure limit.  (See description of employee exposure in Citation 1, Item 1a, Instance a).  Feasible engineering and administrative controls would include but not be limited to:  1.  The use of a mobile welding fume extractor during air arcing operations using carbon arc electrodes which contain copper.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

May 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0731

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(a)(2): A respirator was not provided by the employer to each employee when such equipment was necessary to protect the health of the employee:   a)  Welding Area, on or about January 27, 2020 - The employer did not provide a respirator to an employee designated as a welder who was exposed to copper fume at a time weighted average exposure of 0.25 mg/m3.  This level is 2.5 times the permissible exposure limit of 0.1 mg/m3 as a time weighted average concentration.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

May 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0731

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): In any workplace where respirators are necessary to protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators are required by the employer, the employer shall establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures:  a)  In the Facility, on or about January 14, 2020 - The employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program when respirators are required by the employer and when they are necessary to protect the health of the employees.  The employer requires the use of half mask respirators when employees weld on stainless steel.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

May 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0731

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)  In the Facility, on or about January 14, 2020 - The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator before the employee is required to use the respirator in the workplace.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

May 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0731

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(1): The employer did not ensure that employee(s) required to use a tight-fitting facepiece respirator passed the appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT):  a)  In the Facility, on or about January 14, 2020 - The employer did not provide a fit test for employees who are required to use a respirator in the workplace.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

May 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0731

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(3): Training was not provided prior to requiring employees to use a respirator in the workplace:  a)  In the Facility, on or about January 14, 2020 - The employer did not provide respirator training to employees who are required to use a respirator in the workplace.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

May 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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)  In the Facility, on or about January 14, 2020 - The employer did not provide the basic advisory information on respirators as presented in Appendix D of the respirator standard to employees who use dust masks voluntarily at the facility.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Penalty

Initial $4,048 · Current $1,696 Reduced

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):    a)  In the Facility, on or about January 14, 2020 - The employer did not determine the 8-hour time-weighted average exposure for each employee exposed to hexavalent chromium.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

Apr 30, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(l)(2)(ii): The employer did not make a copy of the Chromium (VI) standard, 29 CFR 1910.1026, readily available to all employees who were exposed to chromium (VI):   a)  In the Facility, on or about January 14, 2020 - The employer did not make a copy of the hexavalent chromium standard, 29 CFR 1910.1026,  readily available to employees who are exposed to hexavalent chromium during welding operations on stainless steel.

Issued

Mar 16, 2020

Abate by

Apr 20, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:  a)  In the Facility, on or about January 14, 2020 - The employer did not develop, implement and/or maintain a written hazard communication program at the facility.  Employees work with hazardous materials including but not limited to propane and carbon dioxide.