OSHA Inspection: TENNESSEE VALLEY FENCE, INC.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Nov 30, 2021

Penalty

Initial $4,642 · Current $3,000 Reduced

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) On or about April 07, 2021 - Facility, the employer did not ensure the written respiratory protection program included provisions, such as but not limited to, medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators, fit testing procedures for tight-fitting respirators, and procedures to ensure adequate air quality, quantity, and flow of breathing air for atmosphere-supplying respirators.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Nov 30, 2021

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) On or about April 07, 2021 - Facility, the employer did not ensure that medical evaluations were provided to employees required to wear respirators such as, but not limited to, Clemco Apollo 600 LP Supplied-Air Respirators, 3M 6898 Full-Facepiece Respirators, and LPR-100 Half-facepiece respirators.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Nov 30, 2021

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) On or about April 07, 2021 - Facility, the employer did not ensure that employees required to wear respirators such as, but not limited to, 3M 6898 Full-Facepiece Respirators and LPR-100 Series Half-Mask Respirators were fit tested.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Nov 30, 2021

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) On or about April 07, 2021 - Facility, the employer did not ensure that respirators such as, but not limited to, a Honeywell 5400 Full-Facepiece Respirator and 3M 6898 Full-Facepiece Respirators were stored to protect them from contamination, deformation, and dust.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Nov 30, 2021

Penalty

Initial $5,803 · Current $3,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(d)(1): The employer did not assess the exposure of each employee who was or may reasonably be expected to be exposed to respirable crystalline silica at or above the action level in accordance with either the performance option in paragraph (d)(2) or the scheduled monitoring option in paragraph (d)(3) of this section:  (a) On or about April 07, 2021 - Abrasive blasting area, the employer did not assess employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust when engaged in abrasive blasting of metal parts.  An employee was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average concentration of respirable crystalline silica at 82.2 micrograms per cubic meter of air (mcg/m), 1.6 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 mcg/m. The sampling was performed during one shift on April 21, 2021 for 387 minutes.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Jan 3, 2022

Penalty

Initial $5,803 · Current $3,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(f)(1): The employer did not use engineering and work practice controls to reduce and maintain employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica to or below the PEL, unless the employer can demonstrate that such controls are not feasible:   (a) On or about April 07, 2021 - Abrasive blasting, an employee was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average concentration of respirable crystalline silica at 82.2 micrograms per cubic meter of air (mcg/m), 1.6 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 mcg/m. The sampling was performed during one shift on April 21, 2021 for 387 minutes.  General methods of abatement include, but are not limited to:  1. Reducing the velocity of the blasting agent exiting the nozzle.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Jan 3, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(c): The employer did not ensure that no employee was exposed to an airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica in excess of 50 mcg/m3, calculated as an 8-hour TWA:  (a) On or about April 07, 2021 - Abrasive blasting, an employee was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average concentration of respirable crystalline silica at 82.2 micrograms per cubic meter of air (mcg/m), 1.6 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 mcg/m. The sampling was performed during one shift on April 21, 2021 for 387 minutes.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Nov 30, 2021

Penalty

Initial $5,803 · Current $3,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(f)(2)(i): The employer did not establish and implement a written exposure control plan:   (a) On or about April 7, 2021 - Abrasive blasting area, the employer did establish and implement an exposure control plan when an employee was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average concentrations of respirable crystalline silica at 82.2 micrograms per cubic meter of air (mcg/m), 1.6 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 mcg/m. The sampling was performed during one shift on April 20, 2021 for 387 minutes.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

Abate by

Nov 30, 2021

Penalty

Initial $5,803 · Current $3,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(j)(1): The employer did not include respirable crystalline silica in the program established to comply with the hazard communication standard (HCS) (29 CFR 1910.1200) and/or did not ensure that each employee had access to labels on containers of crystalline silica and safety sheets and was trained as required, and/or did not ensure that at least the following hazards were addressed: cancer, lung effects, immune system effects, and kidney effects:     (a) On or about April 07, 2021 -  Facility, the employer did not ensure the written Hazard Communication Program included information regarding respirable crystalline silica.   (b) On or about April 07, 2021 - Facility, the employer did not ensure that employees were provided training  regarding respirable crystalline silica and the health hazards of exposure where an employee was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average concentration of respirable crystalline silica at 82.2 micrograms per cubic meter of air (mcg/m), 1.6 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 mcg/m. The sampling was performed during one shift on April 20, 2021 for 387 minutes.

Issued

Sep 30, 2021

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) On or about April 07, 2021 - Facility, forklift operators were not provided formal and practical forklift training.