OSHA Inspection: THE SOUTHWESTERN OHIO WATER COMPANY

Issued

2022-11-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-12-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.454(a):  The employer shall have each employee who performs work while on a scaffold trained by a person qualified in the subject matter to recognize the hazards associated with the type of scaffold being used and to understand the procedures to control or minimize those hazards. The training shall include the following areas, as applicable:  the nature of any electrical hazards, fall hazards and falling object hazards in the work area; the correct procedures for dealing with electrical hazards and for erecting, maintaining, and disassembling the fall protection systems and falling object protection systems being used; the proper use of the scaffold, and the proper handling of materials on the scaffold; the maximum intended load and the load-carrying capacities of the scaffolds used; and any other pertinent requirements of this subpart.  (a)  On or about August 23, 2022, employees who performed work on scaffolds had not been trained by a qualified person.

Issued

2022-11-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-12-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.30(a)(2): (2) The employer must ensure that each employee is trained by a qualified person.   (a)  The employer did not ensure that employees were trained by a qualified person in the use of  a Miller Aircore harness and a Miller Sofstop lanyard  that was required as fall protection while employees were working on a scaffold performing the tasks of grinding to remove old paint and applying new paint to the walls, ceilings, stairways, and pipes of the pump stations.

Issued

2022-11-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-12-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4144.00 · Current $1833.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.132(d)(1): The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).    (a)  On or about August 23, 2022, the employer did not adequately identify all hazards in the workplace and provide the appropriate personal protective equipment to protect employees from those hazards.

Issued

2022-11-07 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  1910.132(d)(2): The employer shall verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification that identifies the workplace evaluated; the person certifying that the evaluation has been performed; the date(s) of the hazard assessment; and, which identifies the document as a certification of hazard assessment.   (a) On or about August 23, 2022, the employer had not completed a certification that a workplace hazard assessment had been performed.

Issued

2022-11-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-12-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4144.00 · Current $1833.00 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:  procedures for selecting respirators for use in the workplace;  medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators;  fit testing procedures for tight-fitting respirators;  procedures for proper use of respirators in routine and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations; procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators; training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed during routine and emergency situations; training of employees in the proper use of respirators, including putting on and removing them, any limitations on their use, and their maintenance; and procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the program.  (a)  On or about August 23, 2022, the employer had not established and implemented a written respiratory protection program  for employees who were required to wear Auwod 8000 series full face respirators with NIOSH 6001 CN organic vapor cartridges while grinding to remove old paint from  poured concrete and cinderblock walls and floors in water pumping stations 1 and 2.

Issued

2022-11-07 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(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 23, 2022, the employer had not established and implemented a written respiratory protection program with procedures for selecting an appropriate respirator for employees who were  grinding to remove old  paint off of cinderblock and concrete while wearing Auwod 8000 series full face respirators with NIOSH 6001 CN organic vapor cartridges for possible lead and silica exposure.

Issued

2022-11-07 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 23, 2022, the employer did not provide medical evaluations for employees who were required to wear Auwod 8000 series full face respirators with NIOSH 6001 CN organic vapor cartridges.

Issued

2022-11-07 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 23, 2022, the employer did not provide fit testing for employees who were required to wear Auwod 8000 series full face respirators with NIOSH 6001 CN organic vapor cartridges.

Issued

2022-11-07 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): Training and information. This paragraph requires the employer to provide effective training to employees who are required to use respirators. The training must be comprehensive, understandable, and recur annually, and more often if necessary. This paragraph also requires the employer to provide the basic information on respirators in Appendix D of this section to employees who wear respirators when not required by this section or by the employer to do so.   (a)  On or about August 23, 2022, the employer did not provide effective, comprehensive training for employees who were required to wear Auwod 8000 series full face respirators with NIOSH 6001 CN organic vapor cartridges.

Issued

2022-11-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-12-27 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3315.00 · Current $1833.00 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.   (a)  On or about August 23, 2022, the employer had not established and implemented a written hazard communication program for employees who were exposed to chemicals, such as but not limited to floor cleaner (irritation), hydraulic oils (irritation), paint (irritation), welding fumes (irritation) and silica (silicosis) from grinding on poured concrete and cinderblock to remove paint.

Issued

2022-11-07 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 23, 2022, the employer had not established and implemented a written hazard communication program for employees who were exposed to chemicals, such as but not limited to floor cleaner (irritation), hydraulic oils (irritation), paint (irritation), welding fumes (irritation) and silica (silicosis) from grinding on poured concrete and cinderblock to remove paint.