OSHA Inspection: WIREGRASS BLOCK AND PRECAST, LLC

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 19, 2020

Penalty

Initial $2,892 · Current $1,592 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.9(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:  a) Concrete block making machine: On or about August 4, 2020 and times prior the employer exposed employees to noise at levels of 74.9% (equivalent to an 8 hour time weighted average TWA of 87.9dBA) which is approximately 1.498 times the action level of 50% (equivalent to an 8 hour TWA of 85dBA). Results are based on a 351 minutes sampling period conducted. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 129 minutes period not sampled. The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 19, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(d)(1): When information indicated that any employee's exposure equaled or exceed the 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels, the employer did not develop and implement a monitoring program:   a) Concrete block making machine: On or about August 4, 2020 and times prior the employer exposed employees to noise at levels of 74.9% (equivalent to an 8 hour time weighted average TWA of 87.9dBA) which is approximately 1.498 times the action level of 50% (equivalent to an 8 hour TWA of 85dBA). Results are based on a 351 minutes sampling period conducted. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 129 minutes period not sampled. The employer had not developed a monitoring program to ensure employees were adequately protected from noise.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 19, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1): The employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided by 29 CFR 1910.95(g) by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels:  a) Concrete block making machine: On or about August 4, 2020 and times prior the employer exposed employees to noise at levels of 74.9% (equivalent to an 8 hour time weighted average TWA of 87.9dBA) which is approximately 1.498 times the action level of 50% (equivalent to an 8 hour TWA of 85dBA). Results are based on a 351 minutes sampling period conducted. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 129 minutes period not sampled. The employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 19, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(k)(1): The employer did not 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 29 CFR 1910.95(k):  a) Concrete block making machine: On or about August 4, 2020 and times prior the employer exposed employees to noise at levels of 74.9% (equivalent to an 8 hour time weighted average TWA of 87.9dBA) which is approximately 1.498 times the action level of 50% (equivalent to an 8 hour TWA of 85dBA). Results are based on a 351 minutes sampling period conducted. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 129 minutes period not sampled. The employer did not train each employee who was exposed to noise at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels in accordance with the requirements of the standard.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $2,313 · Current $1,273 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(d)(1): Pulley(s) with part(s) seven feet or less from the floor or work platform were not guarded in accordance with the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):  a) Concrete block conveyor line: On or about August 4, 2020 and at times prior thereto the employer exposed employees to struck-by, caught-by and amputation hazards from pulley with parts seven feet or less from the work platform was not guarded in accordance with the requirements specified in  29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o).

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.219(e)(3)(i): Vertical or inclined belt(s) were not enclosed by guard(s) conforming to the requirements specified at 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o)(a)  a)Concrete block conveyor line: On or about August 4, 2020 and at times prior thereto the employer exposed employees to struck-by, caught-by and amputation hazards from a vertical belt that transmitted mechanical power from a motor to a concrete blocks brush. The employer did not install a guard to enclose the belt.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(l)(1): The employer did not make available to affected employees or their representatives copies of 29 CFR 1910.95 and did not post a copy in the workplace:  a) Concrete block making machine: On or about August 4, 2020 and times prior the employer exposed employees to noise at levels of 74.9% (equivalent to an 8 hour time weighted average TWA of 87.9dBA) which is approximately 1.498 times the action level of 50% (equivalent to an 8 hour TWA of 85dBA). Results are based on a 351 minutes sampling period conducted. Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 129 minutes period not sampled. The employer did not make available to affected employees or their representatives copies of the noise standard and did not post a copy in the workplace.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 19, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use:  a) Mixer area: On or about August 4, 2020 and at times prior thereto the employer failed to establish and implement a written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures for employees required to wear half face piece negative pressure respirators when cleaning the hopper.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 19, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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)Mixer area: On or about August 4, 2020 and at times prior thereto, the employer exposed employees to respiratory hazards by providing and requiring employees to wear tight fitting negative pressure respirators without providing the employees with medical evaluation to determine their ability to use a respirator.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 19, 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:  a)Mixer area: On or about August 4, 2020 and at times prior thereto, the employer exposed employees to respiratory hazards by providing and requiring employees to wear half face negative pressure respirators when cleaning the hopper without fit testing employees prior to initial use of the respirators.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  a)Mixer area: On or about August 4, 2020 and at times prior thereto the employer exposed employees to inhalation hazards in that a respirator the employees wore when cleaning the hopper to the mixer was not stored appropriately to prevent contamination.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 15, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k): The employer did not provide comprehensive, understandable training which did not occur annually and/or more often if necessary:  a) Mixing area: On or about August 4, 2020 and at times prior thereto, the employer did not provide employees with comprehensive, understandable respiratory protection training.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 19, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1): The employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedure, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performed any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative:  a) Concrete block elevator machine: On or about August 4, 2020 and at times prior thereto the employer exposed employees to struck-by, caught-by and amputation hazards from conveyor chain used to move concrete blocks into drying racks. The employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedure, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performed any servicing or maintenance on concrete block elevator machine where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the concrete block conveyor chain could be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative.   b) Concrete mixer: On or about August 4, 2020 and at times prior thereto the employer exposed employees to struck-by, caught-by and amputation hazards when cleaning the concrete mixer. The employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedure, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performed any cleaning on concrete mixer where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the concrete mixer could be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 19, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(5)(i): Locks, tags, chains, wedges, key blocks, adapter pins, self-locking fasteners, or other hardware were not provided by the employer for isolating, securing, or blocking of machines or equipment from energy sources:  (a)Concrete block elevator machine: On or about August 4, 2020 and at times prior thereto the employer exposed employees to struck-by, caught-by and amputation hazards from conveyor chain used to move concrete blocks into drying racks. The employer did not provide employees with Locks, tags, chains, wedges, key blocks, adapter pins, self-locking fasteners, or other hardware for isolating, securing, or blocking of machines or equipment from energy sources.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 19, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(i): The employer did not ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (l):  a)Production area:Hyundai 30l- 7A forklift:  On August 4, 2020 and at times prior thereto the employer exposed employees to struck-by hazards in that employees were allowed to operate powered industrial trucks without the employer first ensuring that the employees were competent to operate the equipment as demonstrated by the completion of the required training and evaluation specified in the standard.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 19, 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)Production area: On or about August 4, 2020 and at times prior thereto the employer exposed employees to chemical hazards by requiring employees to use products that contain hazardous chemicals such as but not limited to: Industrial grease, compressed oxygen gas and compressed acetylene gas without developing, implementing and maintaining at the workplace a written hazard communications program.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 19, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8):   The employer did not maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical, and did not ensure that they were readily accessible during each work  shift to employees when they were in their work area(s)  a)Production area: On or about August 4, 2020 and at times prior thereto the employer exposed employees to hazardous chemicals such as but not limited to; Industrial grease, compressed oxygen gas and compressed acetylene gas without maintaining safety data sheets for these chemicals in the workplace.

Issued

Oct 6, 2020

Abate by

Oct 19, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  a)Production area: On and about August 4, 2020 and at times prior thereto; the employer did not provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment. Employees used compressed acetylene gas and compressed oxygen gas, which are highly flammable gases for gas welding and industrial grease for greasing machinery.