OSHA Inspection: TRONAIR INC.

Issued

Jun 2, 2020

Abate by

Jun 11, 2020

Penalty

Initial $6,940 · Current $3,470 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.94(a)(5)(ii)(b): Abrasive-blasting respirators were not worn by all abrasive-blasting operators when using silica sand in manual blasting operations where the nozzle and blast were not physically separated from the operator in an exhaust ventilated enclosure.    On or about March 12, 2020, the employer did not ensure that employees using silica sand during abrasive blasting work on welds requiring mag particle inspection wore abrasive-blasting respirators which cover the employees head neck and shoulders. Employees were exposed to chemicals such as silica.

Issued

Jun 2, 2020

Abate by

Jul 23, 2020

Penalty

Initial $6,940 · Current $3,470 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(c): Personal protective equipment was not of safe design and construction for the work to be performed:    a) On or about March 12, 2020, in the wet paint spray booth, the employer did not ensure that the 3M TR-600 Versaflo powered air purifying respirator was designed and constructed to be used in flammable or explosive atmospheres. Employees were exposed to fire hazards when performing work such as spray painting using products such as, but not limited to PPG Epoxy Primers, Amerlock 2 VOC resin and Amerlock 2 cure which are category 2 and 3 flammable liquids.     b) On or about March 12, 2020, in the dry paint spray booth, the employer did not ensure that the 3M TR-600 Versaflo powered air purifying respirator was designed and constructed to be used in explosive atmospheres. Employees were exposed to fire hazards when performing work such as powder coating using POWDURA Urethane Polyester Powder Coating material which is classified as a combustible dust.

Issued

Jun 2, 2020

Abate by

Jul 17, 2020

Penalty

Initial $6,940 · Current $3,470 Reduced

Hazardous substances 00400442052710801385

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(iii): The employer did not identify and evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace; including a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazards and identification of the contaminant's chemical state and physical form:    On or about March 12, 2020, the employer did not evaluate the respiratory hazards for employees exposed to hazards associated with chemicals such as, but not limited to 4-methylpentan-2-one, acetone, toluene, titanium dioxide, carbon black, tert-butyl acetate, xylene, and ethylbenzene which are included in PPG CRE-121 white primer, PPG CRE-321 gray primer, PPG CRE-921 black primer, Amerlock 2 VOC white resin, and Amerlock 2 cure and are used by employee during spray painting activities.

Issued

Jun 2, 2020

Abate by

Jul 17, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 00400442052710801385

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 March 12, 2020, the employer did not provide medical evaluations to determine the employees' ability to use a respirator for employees required to wear tight fitting air purifying respirators, supplied air abrasive blasting respirators or loose fitting powered air purifying respirators for work such as, but not limited to spray painting, powder coating and abrasive blasting.   Note:  The employer may discontinue an employee's medical evaluations when the employee is no longer required to use a respirator.

Issued

Jun 2, 2020

Abate by

Jul 17, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 00400442052710801385

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 March 12, 2020, the employer did not ensure employees required to wear tight fitting air purifying respirators when spray painting, powder coating and abrasive blasting during equipment manufacturing work were fit tested prior to their initial use. Employees were exposed to chemicals such as, but not limited to 4-methylpentan-2-one, acetone, toluene, titanium dioxide, carbon black, tert-butyl acetate, xylene, ethylbenzene, crystalline silica, aluminum oxide and isophorone diisocyanate which are included in PPG CRE-121 white primer, PPG CRE-321 gray primer, PPG CRE-921 black primer, Amerlock 2 VOC white resin, Amerlock 2 cure, silica sand, and powdura urethane polyester powder coating.

Issued

Jun 2, 2020

Abate by

Jun 11, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1539244090009135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(ii): Corrective glasses, goggles or other personal protective equipment were worn in a manner that interfered with the seal of the respirator facepiece:  On or about March 12, 2020, the employer did not ensure that personal protective equipment such as face socks or balaclavas were worn in a manner that did not come between the sealing surface of full faced tight fitting respirators and the face of the employee when performing tasks such as powder coating, abrasive blasting, cleaning the powder coating booth and cleaning the blasting enclosure.

Issued

Jun 2, 2020

Abate by

Jun 11, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 244090009135

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 or about March 12, 2020, outside the blasting enclosure, the employer did not ensure that respirators were stored in a manner to protect them from dust and contamination in that a full-faced tight fitting respirator was stored unprotected on a tool box when not in use.

Issued

Jun 2, 2020

Abate by

Jun 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 244090009135

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.   On or about March 12, 2020, the employer did not provide initial respiratory protection training for employees prior to requiring them to wear tight fitting full-faced respirators and supplied air abrasive blasting respirators for work such as abrasive blasting and cleaning in the blasting enclosure. Employees were exposed to chemicals such as, but not limited to titanium dioxide, crystalline silica and aluminum oxide which are included in silica sand and brown fused aluminum oxide.

Issued

Jun 2, 2020

Abate by

Jun 25, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 00401080138515392440

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(5): Respiratory protection retraining was not conducted annually:  On or about March 12, 2020, the employer did not provide annual training and information on respiratory protection for employees required to use  tight-fitting air purifying respirators and supplied air abrasive blasting respirators for work such as, but not limited to spray painting, powder coating and abrasive blasting.

Issued

Jun 2, 2020

Abate by

Jun 18, 2020

Penalty

Initial $6,940 · Current $3,470 Reduced

Hazardous substances 00400442052710801385

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:    On or about March 12, 2020, the employer had not trained employees exposed to hazardous chemicals such as, but not limited to silica, titanium dioxide, 4-methylpentan-2-one, acetone, toluene, titanium dioxide, carbon black, tert-butyl acetate, xylene, and ethylbenzene which are included in PPG CRE-121 white primer, PPG CRE-321 gray primer, PPG CRE-921 black primer, Amerlock 2 VOC white resin, Amerlock 2 cure, silica sand, brown fused aluminum oxide and are used by employees during spray painting and abrasive blasting activities. Training should cover the written hazard communication program, health hazards associated with the chemicals, methods to detect the release of a hazardous chemical, measures employees can take to protect themselves from exposure to the chemicals and safety data sheets including where employees can access them.