OSHA Inspection: POWERLAB, INC.

Issued

2023-03-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-04-03 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7813.00 · Current $4700.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit-tested prior to initial use of the respirator or annually refitted:  a)  Lead Reactor Area - On or about November 3, 2022, the employer did not ensure that all employees required to wear tight-fitting respirators, including MSA half-face negative pressure air-purifying respirators, were fit-tested thereby exposing employees to lead-related illnesses that may cause severe damage to blood-forming, nervous, urinary, and reproductive systems.  Abatement documentation is required of this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

2023-03-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-04-03 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $7813.00 · Current $4700.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A): Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees who had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interfered with valve function:  a) Lead Reactor Area - On or about November 3, 2022, the employer permitted the use of tight-fitting respirators, including MSA half-face negative pressure air-purifying respirators, for employees with facial hair that interfered with the sealing surface of the facepiece thereby exposing employees to lead-related illnesses that may cause severe damage to blood-forming, nervous, urinary, and reproductive systems.  Abatement documentation is required of this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

2023-03-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-04-03 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $10938.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(4)(i): When ventilation was used to control exposure to lead, measurements of the system's effectiveness were not conducted within five days of a change in production, process, or control which could result in a change in employee exposure:   a) HEPA Filtration area - On or about October 17, 2022, the employer did not monitor pressure across the exhaust system within five days of installation of new HEPA filters, thereby exposing employees to lead-related illnesses that may cause severe damage to blood-forming, nervous, urinary, and reproductive systems.  Abatement documentation is required of this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

2023-03-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-04-03 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $10938.00 · Current $6700.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(l)(1)(i): Employee(s) working in an area where there is potential exposure to airborne lead at any level were not informed of the content of Appendices A and B of 29 CFR 1910.1025:  a) Plantwide - On or about November 16, 2022, the employer failed to provide employees exposed to airborne lead during lead oxide reactor operation, maintenance, and laboratory analysis with information from Appendices A and B of 29 CFR 1910.1025 thereby exposing them to lead-related illnesses that may cause severe damage to blood-forming, nervous, urinary, and reproductive systems.  Abatement documentation is required of this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

2023-03-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-04-24 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(l)(1)(ii): The employer did not train each employee who is subject to exposure to lead at or above the action level, or for whom the possibility of skin or eye irritation exists, in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1025:  On or about November 16, 2022, the employer did not train the following employees in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.1025:  a) Lead Reactor Area - On or about November 16, 2022, an employee monitoring the lead oxide reaction process was exposed to 53 ug/m3 of airborne lead, approximately 1.7 times the OSHA Action Level of 30 ug/m3.  b) Lead Reactor Area - On or about November 16, 2022, an employee monitoring the lead oxide reaction process, beating uptakes and baghouses, and pulling samples was exposed to 48 ug/m3 of airborne lead, approximately 1.6 times the OSHA Action Level of 30 ug/m3.  c) Lead Reactor Area - On or about November 16, 2022, an employee monitoring the lead oxide reaction process; pulling samples, and analyzing samples was exposed to 47 ug/m3 of airborne lead, approximately 1.6 times the OSHA Action Level of 30 ug/m3.  Each affected employee must be informed, at a minimum, of the content of this standard and its appendices; the specific nature of the operations which could result in exposure to lead above the action level; the purpose, proper selection, fitting, use, and limitations of respirators; the purpose and a description of the medical surveillance program, and the medical removal protection program including information concerning the adverse health effects associated with excessive exposure to lead (with particular attention to the adverse reproductive effects on both males and females); the engineering controls and work practices associated with the employee's job assignment; the contents of any compliance plan in effect; and instructions to employees that chelating agents should not routinely be used to remove lead from their bodies and should not be used at all except under the direction of a licensed physician.  Abatement documentation is required of this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

2023-03-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-04-03 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $21875.00 · Current $13155.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(h)(1): All surfaces were not maintained as free as practicable of accumulations of lead:  On November 3, 2022, wipe samples were taken from various surfaces:   a)  A wipe sample taken from the left side of the tabletop located in the employee break room demonstrated a surface lead concentration level of 1106.94 micrograms per square foot (ug/ft2).   b)  A wipe sample taken from the right side of the tabletop located in the employee break room demonstrated a surface lead concentration level of 670.17 micrograms per square foot (ug/ft2).   c.) A wipe sample taken from the white cabinet pulls located in the employee break room demonstrated a surface lead concentration level of 984.12 micrograms per square foot (ug/ft2).   d)  A wipe sample taken from the refrigerator door panel located in the employee break room demonstrated a surface lead concentration level of 658.26 micrograms per square foot (ug/ft2).   Employees were exposed to these accumulations of lead while on break and while eating their lunch.    Powerlab, Inc. was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 1910.1025(h)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1292530, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on April 20, 2018, with respect to a workplace located at 9741 Powerlab Road, Savanna, IL 61074.  Abatement documentation is required of this item in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1903.19(d).

Issued

2023-03-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-04-24 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $877.00 · Current $877.00

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(n)(1)(i): Records of all monitoring for lead exposure as required in 29 CFR 1910.1025(d), were not established and/or accurately maintained:  a) Plantwide - On or about November 2, 2022, the employer was unable to provide complete records of air monitoring where required by this standard.  Records must include, at a minimum, the date(s), number, duration, location and results of each of the samples taken, including a description of the sampling procedure used to determine representative employee exposure where applicable; a description of the sampling and analytical methods used and evidence of their accuracy; the type of respiratory protective devices worn, if any; name and job classification of the employee monitored and of all other employees whose exposure the measurement is intended to represent; and the environmental variables that could affect the measurement of employee exposure.