OSHA Inspection: CUMAR INC.

Issued

Sep 15, 2022

Abate by

Oct 12, 2022

Penalty

Initial $10,151 · Current $4,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(c): The employer did not develop and implement a written respiratory protection program with required worksite-specific procedures and elements for required respirator use:  Location: Fabrication Area 69 Norman Street Everett, MA  On or about 3/25/2022,  a written respiratory protection program was not developed or implemented for required usage of Moldex 7000 pre-assembled tight fitting half face respirators.

Issued

Sep 15, 2022

Abate by

Oct 12, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

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  Location: Fabrication Area 69 Norman Street Everett, MA  On or about 3/25/22, employees required to don Moldex 7000 pre-assembled tight fitting half face respirators with P100 filters were not provided medical evaluations before required use.

Issued

Sep 15, 2022

Abate by

Oct 20, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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).  Location Fabrication Area 69 Norman Street Everett, MA  On or about 3/25/22, employees required to don Moldex 7000 half face tight fitting respirators with P100 filters were not provided a qualitative or quantitative fit test.

Issued

Sep 15, 2022

Abate by

Oct 20, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(k): The employer did not provide comprehensive, understandable, and effective annual training to employees who were required to use respirators.  Location: Fabrication area  69 Norman Street Everett, MA  On or about 3/25/22, employees required to don the Moldex 7000 half face respirators were not provided comprehensive and work-specific respirator training.

Issued

Sep 15, 2022

Abate by

Mar 31, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,151 · Current $4,000 Reduced

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 micrograms per cubic meter, calculated as an 8-hour TWA:   Location: Fabrication area  69 Norman Street Everett, MA  On or about 4/19/22, the employer did not ensure that employees were not exposed to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) concentrations greater than fifty micrograms per cubic meter of air averaged over an eight-hour period.    A) An employee conducting handheld fabrication work was exposed to airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica at an 8-hour, time-weighted average of 491 micrograms per cubic meter of air, approximately 9.82 times the permissible exposure limit of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air.   B) An employee conducting handheld fabrication work was exposed to airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica at an 8-hour, time-weighted average of 85 micrograms per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.7 times the permissible exposure limit of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air.

Issued

Sep 15, 2022

Abate by

Nov 2, 2022

Penalty

Initial $10,151 · Current $3,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(d)(6)(i):Within 15 working days after completing an exposure assessment in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section, the employer did not individually notify each affected employee in writing of the results of that assessment or post the results in an appropriate location accessible to all affected employees:  Location: Handheld and Machine Fabrication areas 69 Norman Street Everett, MA   On or about 4/19/22, an affected employee included in a 2018 January exposure assessessment recorded an occupational overexposure to respirable crystalline silica of 120 micrograms per cubic meter of air, was not notified of the sampling results within 15 working days after completing the exposure assessment.

Issued

Sep 15, 2022

Abate by

Oct 12, 2022

Penalty

Initial $10,151 · Current $4,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(e)(1):The employer did not establish a regulated area wherever an employee's exposure to airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica was, or could have been reasonably expected to be, in excess of the PEL:  Location: Handheld fabrication area  69 Norman Street Everett, MA  On or about 4/19/22, a regulated respirable crystalline silica area was not established for the fabrication area where employees personal TWA respirable crystalline silica samples exceeded the PEL.

Issued

Sep 15, 2022

Abate by

Nov 2, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(h)(2)(i):The employer allowed compressed air to be used to clean clothing or surfaces where such activity could contribute to employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica without being used in conjunction with a ventillation system to capture blown dust:  Location: Fabrication area   A) On or about 3/25/22, employee(s) used compressed air to clean countertop surface holes and work clothes where such activity could contribute to employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica without being used in conjunction with ventilation system to capture blown dust.   Location: Fabrication area   B) On or about 4/19/22, employee(s) used compressed air to clean countertop surface holes and work clothes where such activity could contribute to employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica without being used in conjunction with ventilation system to capture blown dust.

Issued

Sep 15, 2022

Abate by

Nov 2, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(j)(2): The employer did not post signs at all entrances to regulated areas that bear the following legend:  DANGER  RESPIRABLE CRYSTALLINE SILICA  MAY CAUSE CANCER  CAUSES DAMAGE TO LUNGS  WEAR RESPIRATORY PROTECTION IN THIS AREA  AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY  Location: Fabrication area  69 Norman Street Everett, MA  On or about 4/19/2022, a respirable crystalline silica danger sign stating DANGER  RESPIRABLE CRYSTALLINE SILICA MAY CAUSE CANCER CAUSES DAMAGE TO LUNGS WEAR RESPIRATORY PROTECTION IN THIS AREA AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY was not posted at entrance to the handheld fabrication area.

Issued

Sep 15, 2022

Abate by

Jan 31, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,151 · Current $4,000 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:  Location: Handheld Fabrication Area  On or about 4/19, 2022, adequate engineering and work practice controls were not utilized to reduce and maintain employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica to or below the PEL.   A) The Airmax ventilation system was positioned along the surronding walls and away from the countertop surface fabrication point of operation.   Location: Handheld Fabrication Area  On or about 3/25/2022 and 4/19, 2022, work practice controls were not utilized to reduce and maintain employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica to or below the PEL.   B)  Employees utilized compressed air guns without engineering controls affixed to clean work clothing and countertop holes.

Issued

Sep 15, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(h)(1):The employer allowed dry sweeping or dry brushing where such activity could contribute to employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica unless wet sweeping, HEPA-filtered vacuuming or other methods that minimize the likelihood of exposure were feasible:  Location: Fabrication Area   On or about 4/19/2022, an employee dry swept respirable crystalline silica containing floor dust into a dust pan without wet sweeping, HEPA-filtered vacuum, or other methods that minimize the likelihood of airborne exposure.

Issued

Sep 15, 2022

Abate by

Nov 2, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(j)(3)(i)(A): The employer did not ensure that each employee covered by this section could demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the health hazards associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica:   Location: Fabrication area 69 Norman Street Everett, MA   On or about 4/19/2022, each employee working in the fabrication area could not demonstrate knowledge of the health hazards associated with airborne exposures to respirable crystalline silica.

Issued

Sep 15, 2022

Abate by

Oct 20, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  Location: 69 Norman Street Everett, MA  On 4/19/2022, components of the written respirable crystalline silica exposure control plan such as utilizing effective ventilation devices and wet cutting were not implemented for the handheld fabrication area.

Issued

Sep 15, 2022

Abate by

Nov 2, 2022

Penalty

Initial $10,151 · Current $3,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(i)(1)(i): The employer did not make medical surveillance available at no cost to each employee, and at a reasonable time and place, for each employee who has been occupationally exposed to respirable crystalline silica at or above the action level for 30 or more days per year:   Location: Fabrication area 69 Norman Street Everett, MA  On or about 4/19/2022, medical surveillance examinations were not made available to five (5) fabricating employees who had been occupationally exposed to respirable crystalline silica at or above the action level for 30 or more days per year.