OSHA Inspection: EVEREST COUNTERTOPS COLORADO INC

Issued

Feb 16, 2023

Abate by

Mar 24, 2023

Penalty

Initial $376 · Current $376

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1903.19(c)(1):The employer did not certify to OSHA, within 10 calendar days after the abatement date, that the cited violation had been abated:  Abatement certification for Citation 001, Item 001a, Citation 001, Item 001b, Citation 001, Item 002a, Citation 001, Item 002b, Citation 001, Item 003, Citation 001, Item 004, Citation 001, Item 005a, and Citation 001, Item 005b, with a final order date of 10/21/2022 was not received within 10 calendar days (by 11/10/2022) following the abetment due date (10/27/2022).

Issued

Sep 22, 2022

Abate by

Oct 27, 2022

Penalty

Initial $3,108 · Current $3,108

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:  (a) Everest Countertops Colorado Inc at 13799 East Smith Drive in Aurora, CO 80011: On or about April 20, 2022, and at times prior, the employer required that employees use respirators when grinding stone slabs and when using compressed air to clean dust from the work area, but had not developed a written respiratory protection program. This condition exposed employees to physiological and respiratory hazards.

Issued

Sep 22, 2022

Abate by

Oct 27, 2022

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) Everest Countertops Colorado Inc at 13799 East Smith Drive in Aurora, CO 80011: On or about April 20, 2022, and at times prior, the employer required that employees use respirators when grinding stone slabs and when using compressed air to clean dust from the work area, but employees had not been trained on respirator use. This condition exposed employees to respiratory hazards.

Issued

Sep 22, 2022

Abate by

Oct 27, 2022

Penalty

Initial $4,351 · Current $4,351

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) Everest Countertops Colorado Inc at 13799 East Smith Drive in Aurora, CO 80011: On or about April 20, 2022, and at times prior, the employer required that employees use respirators when grinding stone slabs and when using compressed air to clean dust from the work area, but did not provide medical evaluations to employees to ensure they were medically able to wear respirators. This condition exposed employees to physiological and  respiratory hazards.

Issued

Sep 22, 2022

Abate by

Oct 27, 2022

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) Everest Countertops Colorado Inc at 13799 East Smith Drive in Aurora, CO 80011: On or about April 20, 2022, and at times prior, the employer required that employees use respirators when grinding stone slabs and when using compressed air to clean dust from the work area, but employees were not fit tested prior to wearing respirators. This condition exposed employees to respiratory hazards.

Issued

Sep 22, 2022

Abate by

Oct 27, 2022

Penalty

Initial $3,108 · Current $3,108

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) Everest Countertops Colorado Inc at 13799 East Smith Drive in Aurora, CO 80011: On or about April 20, 2022, a respirator used by the saw operator was stored on the equipment and not protected from silica dust contamination. This condition exposed employees to respiratory hazards.

Issued

Sep 22, 2022

Abate by

Oct 27, 2022

Penalty

Initial $4,351 · Current $4,351

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) Everest Countertops Colorado Inc at 13799 East Smith Drive in Aurora, CO 80011: On or about April 20, 2022, and at times prior, employees performed tasks that could expose them to respirable crystalline silica at or above the action level, such as grinding and polishing granite, but the employer had not performed an exposure assessment. This exposed employees to health hazards, including lung cancer, silicosis, and kidney disease.

Issued

Sep 22, 2022

Abate by

Oct 27, 2022

Penalty

Initial $4,351 · Current $4,351

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(f)(2)(i): The employer did not establish and implement a written exposure control plan:  (a) Everest Countertops Colorado Inc at 13799 East Smith Drive in Aurora, CO 80011: On or about April 20, 2022, and at times prior, employees performed tasks that exposed them to respirable crystalline silica, such as grinding and polishing granite, but the employer did not develop an exposure control plan. This exposed employees to health hazards.

Issued

Sep 22, 2022

Abate by

Oct 27, 2022

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(j)(3)(i): 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; specific tasks in the workplace that could result in exposure to respirable crystalline silica; specific measures the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to respirable crystalline silica; the contents of this section; and the purpose and a description of the medical surveillance program required by paragraph (i) of this section:  (a) Everest Countertops Colorado Inc at 13799 East Smith Drive in Aurora, CO 80011: On or about April 20, 2022, and at times prior, employees performed tasks that exposed them to respirable crystalline silica, such as grinding and polishing granite, but the employer did not provide respirable crystalline silica training to employees.