OSHA Inspection: CEMSTONE READY MIX

Issued

Mar 31, 2023

Abate by

Apr 21, 2023

Penalty

Initial $14,063 · Current $9,844 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i):  Except as provided elsewhere in this section 29 CFR 1910.28, the employer did not ensure that each employee on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge that is 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above a lower level is protected from falling by one or more of the systems described in 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i):  (a) Wet batch plant 23; Edge protection was not provided for an elevated work surface (frame rail/platform) before employees stood on the horizontal frame member to scrape built-up sand and concrete mix from behind the mixing drum.

Issued

Mar 31, 2023

Abate by

May 12, 2023

Penalty

Initial $8,036 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(c)(2)(i): Respirator users were not provided with the information contained in Appendix D to 29 CFR 1910.134 when the employer determined that any voluntary respirator use was permissible:  (a) Wet plant mixer (plant 23); Appendix-D information was not provided prior to allowing employees to use N-95 respirators on a voluntary basis to protect against silica dust when sweeping or chipping dried concrete out of the mixer drum with an air hammer and chisel attachment.

Issued

Mar 31, 2023

Abate by

Jun 12, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $5,624

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:  (a) Wet plant mixer (plant 23); On and before October 17, 2022, exposure levels to crystalline silica were not evaluated for the task of chipping dried concrete out of the mixer drum with an air hammer and chisel attachment.

Issued

Mar 31, 2023

Abate by

Apr 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,046 · Current $7,032 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(2): The employer did not inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces:  (a) Wet plant mixer (plant 23); Danger signs or other equivalent means were not posted to notify employees of permit-required confined spaces including, the wet plant mixing drum.

Issued

Mar 31, 2023

Abate by

Apr 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(d): Under the permit space program required by paragraph (c)(4) of this section, the employer did not ensure that the requirements of (d)(1) through (d)(14) were met:   (a) Wet plant mixer (plant 23); On or about October 17, 2022, entry was made into the mixing drum with an air hammer to chip dried concrete out.  The employer's permit space program was not implemented with respect to this space prior to and during entry.

Issued

Mar 31, 2023

Abate by

Apr 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(g)(3): The employer did not provide training that established employee proficiency in the duties required by 29 CFR 1910.146, Permit-required confined spaces, and did not introduce new or revised procedures, as necessary, for compliance:  (a) Wet plant mixer (plant 23); Confined space entry information contained in the Cemstone Safety Manual was not adequate to ensure employees understood requirements that applied to them before entering confined spaces such as the mixing drum to perform the task of chipping out dry concrete.

Issued

Mar 31, 2023

Abate by

Apr 21, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,046 · Current $7,032 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(7)(iii)(A): Retraining was not provided for authorized and affected employees when there was a change in their job assignments, a change in machines, equipment or processes that presented a new hazard, or when there was a change in the energy control procedures:   (a) Wet batch plant 23; Authorized level lockout retraining was not provided to each employee when their job assignments changed from being ready-mix truck drivers to becoming mixer plant operators.

Issued

Mar 31, 2023

Abate by

Apr 21, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(d)(4)(i): Lockout or tagout devices were not affixed to each energy isolating device by authorized employees:   (a) Wet batch plant 23; The employer did not ensure that lockout locks were affixed to each energy isolation device before employees performed  servicing and maintenance activities of cleaning behind the mixer and cleaning dried concrete out of the mixer.

Issued

Mar 31, 2023

Abate by

Apr 21, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,046 · Current $7,032 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.303(g)(2)(i): Except as elsewhere required or permitted by Subpart S of Part 1910, live parts of electric equipment operating  at 50 volts or more were not guarded against accidental contact by use of approved cabinets or other forms of approved enclosures or by any of the means identified in paragraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D) of 29 CFR 1910.303(g)(2)(i):   (a) Wet batch plant 23; Employees were exposed to electrical hazards from exposed 3-phase 480 volt conductors and terminals that were energized while reaching into an electrical panel to turn circuit breakers on/off to perform cleaning operations behind and in the mixer.

Issued

Mar 31, 2023

Abate by

Apr 21, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.332(b)(2): Employees, who were not qualified persons, were not trained in and familiar with any electrically related safety practices not specifically addressed by 29 CFR 1910.331 through 29 CFR 1910.335, but which were necessary for their safety:  (a) Wet batch plant 23; The employer did not provide electrical safety practices training for unqualified employees to inform them of the electrical hazards, avoidance of electrical hazards, and methods of protection required before they were exposed to electrical hazards from exposed 3-phase 480 volt conductors and terminals that were energized.  Employees reach into a 3-phase 480 volt electrical panel to turn circuit breakers off before performing cleaning operations behind and in the mixer and on again after completion of those tasks.

Issued

Mar 31, 2023

Abate by

Apr 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(C): The energy control procedure did not clearly and specifically outline the steps for placement, removal and transfer of lockout devices or tagout devices and the responsibility for them:  (a) Throughout the facility; The employers energy isolation procedures did not address methods for transferring or removing energy isolation devices.

Issued

Mar 31, 2023

Abate by

Apr 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(6)(ii): The employer did not certify that periodic inspections of the energy control procedures had been performed:  (a) Throughout the facility; The employer did not certify that periodic inspections of energy isolation (lockout) procedures were conducted.

Issued

Mar 31, 2023

Abate by

Apr 21, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.178(l)(6): The employer did not certify that each operator has been trained and evaluated as required by this paragraph (l):  (a) Throughout the facility; Certification of forklift operator training was not maintained and/or provided to OSHA for each employee who operated forklifts.