OSHA Inspection: UTILITY CONCRETE PRODUCTS, L.L.C.

Issued

Feb 3, 2023

Penalty

Initial $6,026 · Current $4,218 Reduced

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.  On or about October 14, 2022, employees were exposed to respiratory stressors associated with being required to wear 3M full facepiece respirator 6900 series in the fabrication soundwall production, STD production and yard area of the Utility Concrete Products facility.  Employees are required to wear the respirator to protect from exposure to crystalline silica while grinding concrete.  The employees were not medically evaluated 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.  This item was corrected during the inspection.

Issued

Feb 3, 2023

Penalty

Initial $6,026 · Current $3,013 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:  On or about October 14, 2022,  employees were exposed to respiratory hazards such as crystalline silica when drilling onto stormtraps in preparation for the rebar steps in the production storm trap and formation department (door 2 and 3).  The employer did not include respirable crystalline silica in the hazard communication program.  The employer did not ensure that the following hazards were addressed:  cancer, lung effects, immune system effects, and kidney effects.  This item was corrected during the inspection.

Issued

Feb 3, 2023

Abate by

Mar 13, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(k)(6): The employer did not provide the basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of 29 CFR 1910.134, in written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use was not required by the employer:  On or about October 24, 2022, employees were exposed to respiratory stressors associated with being allowed to voluntarily wear the 3M Full Face Respirator 6900 series while drilling holes onto the storm traps for the rebar steps in the production- storm trap and formation department (Door 2 and Door 3).  Employees were not provided with the basic advisory information on respirators as presented in Appendix D of 29 CFR 1910.134, in written or oral format to to employees who wear respirators when such use was not required by the employer.   Abatement certification is required for this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(c).