OSHA Inspection: MANSFIELD PLUMBING PRODUCTS, LLC

Issued

Feb 9, 2023

Abate by

Jun 22, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,625 · Current $7,813 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 g/m3, calculated as an 8-hour TWA:  Mansfield Plumbing Products, LLC.  located at 150 East First Street in Perrysville, Ohio: On or about November 3, 2022 the employer did not ensure employees were protected from exposures to respirable crystalline silica at concentrations above OSHA's recommended permissible exposure limits averaged over an eight hour period. Employees loading the kilns were exposed to hazards associated with exposure to crystalline silica above the permissible exposure limit such as, but not limited to, cough, fatigue, chest pain, and silicosis.  Instance A On or about November 3, 2022 an employee loading the kiln was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 129.5 ?g/m3 for respirable crystalline silica dust, approximately 2.5 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ?g/m3. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over 463-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of seventeen minutes.  Instance B On or about November 3, 2022 an employee loading the kiln was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 148.17 ?g/m3 for respirable crystalline silica dust, approximately three times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ?g/m3. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over 453-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of twenty-seven minutes.

Issued

Feb 9, 2023

Abate by

Jun 22, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  Mansfield Plumbing Products, LLC.  located at 150 East First Street in Perrysville, Ohio: On or about November 3, 2022 the employer did not implement adequate engineering or work practice controls to reduce and maintain employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica to or below the permissible exposure limit. Employees loading the kilns were exposed to hazards associated with exposure to crystalline silica dust above the permissible exposure limit such as, but not limited to, cough, fatigue, chest pain, and silicosis.  Instance A On or about November 3, 2022 an employee loading the kiln was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 129.5 ?g/m3 for respirable crystalline silica dust, approximately 2.5 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ?g/m3. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over 463-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of seventeen minutes.  Instance B On or about November 3, 2022 an employee loading the kiln was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 148.17 ?g/m3 for respirable crystalline silica dust, approximately three times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ?g/m3. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over 453-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of twenty-seven minutes.

Issued

Feb 9, 2023

Abate by

Apr 6, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,625 · Current $7,813 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

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:  Mansfield Plumbing Products, LLC.  located at 150 East First Street in Perrysville, Ohio:  On or about November 3, 2022 the employer did not conduct an assessment to determine employee exposures to respirable crystalline silica. Employees loading the kilns were exposed to hazards associated with exposure to crystalline silica above the permissible exposure limit such as, but not limited to, cough, fatigue, chest pain, and silicosis.

Issued

Feb 9, 2023

Abate by

Apr 6, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,625 · Current $7,813 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:  Mansfield Plumbing Products, LLC.  located at 150 East First Street in Perrysville, Ohio:  On or about November 3, 2022 the employer did not establish a regulated area where employees' exposures to airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica was in excess of the permissible exposure limit. Employees loading the kilns were exposed to hazards associated with exposure to crystalline silica dust above the permissible exposure limit such as, but not limited to, cough, fatigue, chest pain, and silicosis.

Issued

Feb 9, 2023

Abate by

Apr 6, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,625 · Current $7,813 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(f)(2)(ii):The employer did not review and evaluate the effectiveness of the written exposure control plan at least annually and update it as necessary:  Mansfield Plumbing Products, LLC.  located at 150 East First Street in Perrysville, Ohio:  On or about November 3, 2022, the employer did not conduct a review and evaluate the company's written silica exposure program annually. Multiple deficiencies in the company's implementation of their silica exposure control program which led to employees being exposed to hazards associated with exposure to crystalline silica above the permissible exposure limit such as, but not limited to, cough, fatigue, chest pain, and silicosis.

Issued

Feb 9, 2023

Abate by

Mar 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,625 · Current $7,813 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(g)(1)(iv): Respiratory protection was not provided during periods when the employee was in a regulated area:   Mansfield Plumbing Products, LLC.  located at 150 East First Street in Perrysville, Ohio:   On or about November 3, 2022 the employer did not ensure employees working in regulated areas, where exposures based on 8-hour time weights averages exceeded the permissible exposure limit for respirable crystalline silica dust, were required to wear respiratory protection. Employees loading the kilns were exposed to hazards associated with exposure to crystalline silica dust above the permissible exposure limit such as, but not limited to, cough, fatigue, chest pain, and silicosis.   Instance A  On or about November 3, 2022 an employee loading the kiln, without respiratory protection, was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 129.5 ?g/m3 for respirable crystalline silica dust, approximately 2.5 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ?g/m3. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over 463-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of seventeen minutes.   Instance B  On or about November 3, 2022 an employee loading the kiln, without respiratory protection, was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 148.17 ?g/m3 for respirable crystalline silica dust, approximately three times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ?g/m3. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over 453-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of twenty-seven minutes.

Issued

Feb 9, 2023

Abate by

Mar 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(d)(3)(i)(B):The employer did not select a respirator for employee use that maintained the employee's exposure to the hazardous substance, when measured outside the respirator, at or below the MUC (maximum use concentration):  Mansfield Plumbing Products, LLC.  located at 150 East First Street in Perrysville, Ohio: On or about November 3, 2022 the employer did not select and provide a respirator for employee use that maintained employees' exposures to crystalline silica dust at or below the maximum use concentration. Employees loading the kilns were exposed to hazards associated with exposure to crystalline silica dust above the permissible exposure limit such as, but not limited to, cough, fatigue, chest pain, and silicosis.  Instance A On or about November 3, 2022 an employee loading the kiln, without respiratory protection, was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 129.5 ?g/m3 for respirable crystalline silica dust, approximately 2.5 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ?g/m3. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over 463-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of seventeen minutes.  Instance B On or about November 3, 2022 an employee loading the kiln, without respiratory protection, was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 148.17 ?g/m3 for respirable crystalline silica dust, approximately three times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ?g/m3. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over 453-minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of twenty-seven minutes.

Issued

Feb 9, 2023

Abate by

Mar 6, 2023

Penalty

Initial $15,625 · Current $7,819 Reduced

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 and wet sweeping, HEPA-filtered vacuuming or other methods that minimize the likelihood of exposure were feasible:  Mansfield Plumbing Products, LLC.  located at 150 East First Street in Perrysville, Ohio:  On or about November 3, 2022, the employer did not prohibit employees from performing dry sweeping or dry brushing of dust which could contribute to exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust. Employees utilizing a dry sponge to brush settled dust off sanitary ware loaded onto the kiln trolley were exposed to hazards associated with exposure to crystalline silica dust such as, but not limited to, cough, fatigue, chest pain, and silicosis.