OSHA Inspection: SIGN TECHNOLOGIES, LLC

Issued

2022-11-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-12-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3108.00 · Current $1865.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(c)(1): In any workplace where respirators are necessary to protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators are required by the employer, the employer shall establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures. The program shall be updated as necessary to reflect those changes in workplace conditions that affect respirator use. The employer shall include in the program the following provisions of this section, as applicable:  a.) On or about August 11, 2022, the employer did not develop and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures for respirator use that included all the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix).  The employer required employees to wear a Gerson 8300 half mask elastomeric respirator when entering the sandblasting booth (respirable crystalline silica).

Issued

2022-11-21 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(d)(1)(i): The employer shall select and provide an appropriate respirator based on the respiratory hazard(s) to which the worker is exposed and workplace and user factors that affect respirator performance and reliability.   a.) On or about August 11, 2022, the employer provided Gerson 8300 half mask elastomeric respirators that did not have a particulate pre-filter or particulate cartridge to protect employees exposed to respirable crystalline silica (silicosis).

Issued

2022-11-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-12-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(e)(1): General. The employer shall provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee is fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace. The employer may discontinue an employee's medical evaluations when the employee is no longer required to use a respirator.   a.) On or about August 11, 2022, the employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine each employee's ability to use a respirator before requiring the use of Gerson 8300 half mask elastomeric respirators.  The employer required employees to wear the respirator when entering the sandblasting booth (respirable crystalline silica).

Issued

2022-11-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-12-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(f)(2): The employer shall ensure that an employee using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator is fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator, whenever a different respirator facepiece (size, style, model or make) is used, and at least annually thereafter.   a.) On or about August 11, 2022, the employer did not provide a fit test to employees required to wear a Gerson 8300 half mask respirator.  The employer required employees to wear the respirator when entering the sandblasting booth.

Issued

2022-11-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-12-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(k)(1): The employer did not provide effective training that covered the required elements in 1910.134(k)(1(i) - (vii).   a.) On or about August 11, 2022, the employer did not provide employees with training on the limitations, maintenance and storage, medical signs and symptoms preventing effective use, and the general requirements of the respiratory protection standard.  The employer required employees to wear Gerson 8300 half mask elastomeric respirators when entering the sandblasting booth.

Issued

2022-11-21 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4351.00 · Current $2611.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(d)(1): Exposure assessment. General. The employer shall assess the exposure of each employee who is 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 August 18, 2022, the employer did not assess the exposure of employees to respirable crystalline silica while overseeing the automated sandblasting booth and setting up the headstones inside the booth.

Issued

2022-11-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-12-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4351.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(j)(1): Communication of respirable crystalline silica hazards to employees-(1) Hazard communication. The employer shall include respirable crystalline silica in the program established to comply with the hazard communication standard (HCS) (29 CFR 1910.1200). The employer shall ensure that each employee has access to labels on containers of crystalline silica and safety data sheets, and is trained in accordance with the provisions of HCS and paragraph (j)(3) of this section. The employer shall ensure that at least the following hazards are addressed: Cancer, lung effects, immune system effects, and kidney effects.   a.) On or about August 18, 2022, the employer did not include respirable crystalline silica as part of their hazard communication program and ensure that health hazards associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica were addressed with employees exposed to respirable crystalline silica (carcinogen) from sandblasting granite headstones.

Issued

2022-11-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-12-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(1): Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training 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 is introduced into their work area. Information and training may be designed to cover categories of hazards (e.g., flammability, carcinogenicity) or specific chemicals. Chemical-specific information must always be available through labels and safety data sheets.   a.) On or about August 11, 2022, employees exposed to hazardous chemicals including, but not limited to Miles Supply Stone Tone Black Noir and HiLite White (flammable, carcinogen) used to paint lettering on headstones and respirable crystalline silica (carcinogen) from sandblasting granite headstones did not receive training on the health hazards; and did not receive training on specific tasks in the workplace that could result in exposure to respirable crystalline silica.

Issued

2022-11-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-12-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(j)(3)(i):The employer shall ensure that each employee covered by this section can demonstrate knowledge and understanding of at least the following: 29 CFR 1910.1053(j)(3)(i)(B): Specific tasks in the workplace that could result in exposure to respirable crystalline silica;   a.) On or about August 18, 2022, the employer did not train employees on the specific tasks in the workplace associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica (carcinogen) from sandblasting granite headstones.

Issued

2022-11-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-12-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3108.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(e)(1): Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning, safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met, and which also includes the following:  a.) On or about August 11, 2022, the employer did not have a written hazard communication program for employees exposed to hazardous chemicals including, but not limited to Miles Supply Stone Tone Black Noir and HiLite White (flammable, carcinogen) used to paint lettering on headstones and respirable crystalline silica (carcinogen) from sandblasting granite headstones.

Issued

2022-11-21 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(g)(1): Chemical manufacturers and importers shall obtain or develop a safety data sheet for each hazardous chemical they produce or import. Employers shall have a safety data sheet in the workplace for each hazardous chemical which they use.  a.) On or about August 11, 2022, the employer did not ensure safety data sheets for chemicals such as, but not limited to Miles Supply Stone Tone Black Noir and HiLite White (flammable, carcinogen) for employees painting the lettering on granite headstones were available in the workplace .

Issued

2022-11-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-12-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(f)(2)(i): Written exposure control plan. (i) The employer shall establish and implement a written exposure control plan that contains at least the following elements  in 29 CFR 1910.1054(f)(2)(i)(A) - (C).   a.) On or about August 18, 2022, the employer did not develop and implement a written exposure control plan with worksite-specific procedures that included a description of tasks in the workplace that involve exposure to respirable crystalline silica and housekeeping measures used to limit exposure for employees exposed to respirable crystalline silica over the action level while overseeing  the automated sandblasting booth and setting up the headstones inside the booth.