OSHA Inspection: SPRINGFIELD WELDING AND MFG. CO., INC.

Issued

Nov 7, 2022

Abate by

Jun 20, 2023

Penalty

Initial $7,252 · Current $5,439 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.94(a)(2)(ii):The concentration of respirable dust or fume in the breathing zone of the abrasive-blasting operator or any other worker shall be kept below the levels specified in 1910.1000.  On June 13, 2022, employees' abrasive blasting respirable dust exposures exceeded 5.0 mg/3, as an 8-hour time weighted average.  a. An employee  engaged in abrasive blasting activities  on June 13, 2022, and was exposed to particles not otherwise regulated respriable fraction as an 8 hour time weighted average of 9.47 mg/m3, approximately 1.9 times the permissible exposure limit of 5.0 mg/m3; this limit was established to prevent adverse health effects.  The abrasive blaster used coal slag/glass mixture to abrasive blast media to blast various pieces of metal.  The exposure level was derived from three samples collected over 269 minutes, the remaining 211 minutes was calculated as zero (0) exposure time.  b.  An employee  engaged in abrasive blasting activities  on June 13, 2022, and was exposed to particles not otherwise regulated respriable fraction as an 8 hour time weighted average of 551.05 mg/m3, approximately 110 times the permissible exposure limit of 5.0 mg/m3; this limit was established to prevent adverse health effects.  The abrasive blaster used coal slag/glass mixture to abrasive blast media to blast various pieces of metal.  The exposure level was derived from three samples collected over 345 minutes, the remaining 135 minutes was calculated as zero (0) exposure time.

Issued

Nov 7, 2022

Abate by

Jun 20, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1000(a)(2):Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of particles not otherwise regulated respriable fraction listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 5.0 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3):  On June 13, 2022, employees' abrasive blasting respirable dust exposures exceeded 5.0 mg/3, as an 8-hour time weighted average. a. An employee  engaged in abrasive blasting activities  on June 13, 2022, and was exposed to particles not otherwise regulated respriable fraction as an 8 hour time weighted average of 9.47 mg/m3, approximately 1.9 times the permissible exposure limit of 5.0 mg/m3; this limit was established to prevent adverse health effects.  The abrasive blaster used coal slag/glass mixture to abrasive blast media to blast various pieces of metal.  The exposure level was derived from three samples collected over 269 minutes, the remaining 211 minutes was calculated as zero (0) exposure time.  b.  An employee  engaged in abrasive blasting activities  on June 13, 2022, and was exposed to particles not otherwise regulated respriable fraction as an 8 hour time weighted average of 551.05 mg/m3, approximately 110 times the permissible exposure limit of 5.0 mg/m3; this limit was established to prevent adverse health effects.  The abrasive blaster used coal slag/glass mixture to abrasive blast media to blast various pieces of metal.  The exposure level was derived from three samples collected over 345 minutes, the remaining 135 minutes was calculated as zero (0) exposure time.

Issued

Nov 7, 2022

Abate by

Jun 20, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1000(e):Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented to achieve compliance with the limits prescribed in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d):  On or about June 13, 2022, employees abrasive blasting with coal slag/glass mixture inside the Abrasive Blast Building were exposed to particles not otherwise regulated respirable fraction exposure that exceeded the OSHA 8 hour time weighed average permissible exposure limit of 5.0 mg/m3.  Feasible engineering controls were not implemented to reduce employees exposure below particles not otherwise regulated respirable fraction permissible exposure limit of 5.0mg/m3    Abatement normally will be multistep as follows:  STEP 1:  Effective respiratory protection shall be provide and used by exposed employees as an interim protective measure until feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be implemented, or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within exposure limits.  Abatement due 30 days from issuance date:  STEP 2:  Submit to the Area Director a written detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and /or administrative measures to control employee exposure to hazardous substance as referenced in this Citation.  This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the abatement dates required by this Citation:  1.  Evaluation of engineering/administrative control options;  2.  Selection of optimum control methods and completion of design;  3.  Procurement, installation, and operation of selected control measures; and  4.  Testing and acceptable or modification/redesign of controls.  All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.  Abatement due 60 days from issuance date:  Step 3:  Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.  Abatement due 90 days from issuance date:

Issued

Nov 7, 2022

Abate by

Jun 20, 2023

Penalty

Initial $7,252 · Current $5,439 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.94(a)(3)(i): Blast cleaning enclosures were not exhaust ventilated in such a way continuous inward flow of air will be maintained at all openings during the blasting operation:  On or about June 13, 2022, the Abrasive Blast Building did not have a continuous inward flow of air.

Issued

Nov 7, 2022

Penalty

Initial $10,151 · Current $6,471 Reduced

Hazardous substances 81108111

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:  On or about June 13, 2022, employees abrasive blasting were exposed to noise that exceeded 85 dBA, as an 8 hour time weighted average. a.  Employee was abrasive blasting and blowing off metal structure with compressed air was exposed to 105.28 dBA, as an 8 hour time weighed average.  Employee was sampled on June 13, 2022, and was sampled for 284 minutes, the remaining 196 minutes was calculated as 0 (zero) exposure time. b.  Employee was abrasive blasting and blowing off metal structure with compressed air was exposed to 101.13 dBA, as an 8  hour time weighted average.  Employee was sampled on June 13, 2022, and was sampled for 328 minutes, the remaining 152 minutes was calculated as 0 (zero) exposure time.

Issued

Nov 7, 2022

Abate by

Feb 17, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,151 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8110

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(i)(2)(i):The employer did not ensure that hearing protectors are worn by an employee who is required by 29 CFR 1910.95(b)(1) to wear personal protective equipment: On or about June 13, 2022, employees abrasive blasting were exposed to noise that exceeded 90 dBA, as an 8 hour time weighted average, and wasn't wearing hearing protection to reduce the employees noise exposure to the ear below 90 dBA.  Employee was abrasive blasting and blowing off metal structure with compressed air was exposed to 101.13 dBA, as an 8  hour time weighted average.  Employee was sampled on June 13, 2022, and was sampled for 328 minutes, the remaining 152 minutes was calculated as 0 (zero) exposure time.

Issued

Nov 7, 2022

Abate by

Feb 17, 2023

Penalty

Initial $7,252 · Current $5,439 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9130

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:  On or about June 13, 2022, employees' abrasive blasting  particles not otherwise regulated respriable fraction exceeded 5.0 mg/3, as an 8-hour time weighted average and a written respiratory protection program was not implemented for abrasive blasters wearing respiratory protection.

Issued

Nov 7, 2022

Abate by

Feb 17, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9130

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 June 13, 2022, employees wearing supplied air respirator and elastomeric half mask respiratory protection  did not have a medical evaluation prior to performing abrasive blasting activities.

Issued

Nov 7, 2022

Abate by

Feb 17, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9130

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):  On or about June 13, 2022, employees wore a elastomeric half mask respiratory protection to blowing off dust  from abrasive blasting activities and did not have a medical evaluation prior.

Issued

Nov 7, 2022

Penalty

Initial $7,252 · Current $4,623 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9130

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 June 13, 2022, employees' abrasive blasting  particles not otherwise regulated respriable fraction exposure was not evaluated.  On or about June 13, 2022, employees' abrasive blasting  particles not otherwise regulated respriable fraction exceeded 5.0 mg/3, as an 8-hour time weighted average.

Issued

Nov 7, 2022

Penalty

Initial $4,351 · Current $2,175 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.242(b):Compressed air used for cleaning purposes was not reduced to less than 30 p.s.i.:  On June 13, 2022, employees' abrasive blasting used compressed air without dead end pressure relief.

Issued

Nov 7, 2022

Abate by

Feb 17, 2023

Penalty

Initial $7,252 · Current $5,439 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(e)(1):Employer had not developed or implemented a written hazard communication program included the requirements outlined in 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1)(i) and (e)(1)(ii):  On or about June 13, 2022, a written hazard communication program was not developed or implemented to convey the occupational hazards of abrasive blasting respirable dust.

Issued

Nov 7, 2022

Abate by

Feb 17, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(2):The employer did not provide employees with effective information on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new chemical hazard the employees have not previously been trained about was introduced into their work area. Employees were not informed of the following the requirements of this section; any operations in their work area where hazardous chemicals are present; and, the location and availability of the written hazard communication program, including the required list(s) of hazardous chemicals, and safety data sheets as required by this section.  On or about June 13, 2022, employees were not provided information on the occupational hazards associated with abrasive blasting media.

Issued

Nov 7, 2022

Abate by

Feb 17, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(3):The employee training did not include the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(i) through (h)(3)(iv):  On or about June 13, 2022, employees were not trained on the occupational hazards of abrasive blasting respirable dust.