OSHA Inspection: ATLANTIC POWDER COATING, LLC

Issued

Jul 19, 2023

Abate by

Sep 29, 2023

Penalty

Initial $4,911 · Current $2,554 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(c)(1):The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing  conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.9(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:  a.  A detail sander in the prep area was exposed to a noise dose of 210.6%, or an equivalent dBA of 95.4 dBA, which was capable of causing permanent hearing loss. The sampling was performed for 399 minutes during one shift on May 3, 2023. The employer did not have a continuing, effective hearing conservation program.  b.  A detail sander in the prep area was exposed to a noise dose of 153.4%, or an equivalent dBA of 93.1 dBA, which was capable of causing permanent hearing loss. The sampling was performed for 220 minutes during one shift on May 3, 2023. The employer did not have a continuing, effective hearing conservation program.  c.  A detail sander in the prep area was exposed to a noise dose of 77.1%, or an equivalent dBA of 88.1 dBA, which was capable of causing permanent hearing loss. The sampling was performed for 304 minutes during one shift on February 1, 2023. The employer did not have a continuing, effective hearing conservation program.  d.  A powder coating operator in the spray booth was exposed to a noise dose of 129.5%, or an equivalent dBA of 91.9 dBA, which was capable of causing permanent hearing loss. The sampling was performed for 533 minutes during one shift on February 1, 2023. The employer did not have a continuing, effective hearing conservation program.  e.  A sandblaster in the sandblasting area was exposed to a noise dose of 795.7%, or an equivalent dBA of 105.0 dBA, which was capable of causing permanent hearing loss. The sampling was performed for 222 minutes during one shift on February 1, 2023. The employer did not have a continuing, effective hearing conservation program.  f.  A small blaster operator in the prep area was exposed to a noise dose of 123.7%, or an equivalent dBA of 91.5 dBA, which was capable of causing permanent hearing loss. The sampling was performed for 304 minutes during one shift on February 1, 2023. The employer did not have a continuing, effective hearing conservation program.

Issued

Jul 19, 2023

Abate by

Sep 29, 2023

Penalty

Initial $4,911 · Current $2,554 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:  a.  Sandblasting area: On May 3, 2023, the employer exposed employees to an 8-hour calculated Time Weighted Average (TWA) of 61.1 micrograms per cubic meter of air which is 1.2 times the calculated 8-hour time weighted average Permissible Exposure Level (PEL) of 50.0 micrograms per cubic meter of air while prepping metal materials to be powder coated. Results were calculated based on the 269 minute sampling period.

Issued

Jul 19, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  a.  Sandblasting Area: On or about May 3, 2023, the employer exposed employees to hazards associated with respirable crystalline silica in that the employer did not conduct initial exposure monitoring while employees performed abrasive blasting on metal material.

Issued

Jul 19, 2023

Abate by

Sep 29, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  a.  Sandblasting area: On or about May 3, 2023, the employer exposed employees to hazards associated with respirable crystalline silica in that the employer did not establish a regulated area at the entrances of the sandblasting area where respirable crystalline silica was present to warn of the hazards present.

Issued

Jul 19, 2023

Abate by

Sep 29, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(f)(2)(i):The employer did not establish and implement a written exposure control plan:  a.  Sandblasting area: On or about May 3, 2023, the employer exposed employees to hazards associated with respirable crystalline silica in that the employer did not develop or implement a written exposure control plan to limit employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica.

Issued

Jul 19, 2023

Abate by

Sep 29, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(g)(2):Respiratory protection program. Where respirator use is required by this section, the employer shall institute a respiratory protection program in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134.  29 CFR  1910.134(c)(1):A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use:  a.  Sandblasting area: On or about May 3, 2023, the employer exposed employees to respiratory hazards in that the employer required employees sandblasting to use a Bullard NOVA 2000 respirator with supplied air without first developing and implementing a written respirator program specific to sandblasting operations.

Issued

Jul 19, 2023

Abate by

Sep 29, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(i)(1)(i):The employer did not make medical surveillance available at no cost to the employee, and at a reasonable time and place, for each employee who was occupationally exposed to respirable crystalline silica at or above the action level for 30 or more days per year:  a.  Sandblasting area: On or about May 3, 2023, the employer exposed employees to hazards associated with respirable crystalline silica in that the employer did not make available medical examinations to determine baseline exposure to employees that would be potentially exposed to respirable crystalline silica.

Issued

Jul 19, 2023

Abate by

Sep 29, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(j)(1):Communication of respirable crystalline silica hazards to employees-(1) Hazard communication. The employer shall include respirable crystalline silica in the program established to comply with the hazard communication standard (HCS) (29 CFR 1910.1200).   a.  Sandblasting area: On or about May 3, 2023, the employer exposed employees to hazards associated with respirable crystalline silica in that the employer's hazard communication program did not include a section on respirable crystalline silica.

Issued

Jul 19, 2023

Abate by

Sep 29, 2023

Penalty

Initial $5,892 · Current $3,064 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(f)(1):The employer did not ensure that employee(s) required to use a tight-fitting facepiece respirator passed the appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT):  a.  Powder coating area: On or about January 24, 2023, the employer exposed employees to respiratory hazards in that the employer required the use of tight-fitting elastomeric respirators when powder coating employees were not required to pass a qualitative or quantitative fit test to ensure they are provided appropriate level of protection.  Atlantic Powder Coating, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR  1910.134(f)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1429468, citation number 1, item number 3/c and was affirmed as a final order on March 27, 2020, with respect to a workplace located at 8805 Arlington Expressway, Jacksonville, Florida 32211.

Issued

Jul 19, 2023

Abate by

Sep 29, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(g)(2):Respiratory protection program. Where respirator use is required by this section, the employer shall institute a respiratory protection program in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134.  29 CFR  1910.134(e)(1):The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use a respirator, before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:  a.  Powder coating area: On or about January 24, 2023, the employer exposed employees to respiratory hazards in that the employer required the use of tight fitting elastomeric respirators by powder coating employees without first providing a medical evaluation to determine if an employee was able to wear a respirator or not.  b.  Sandblasting area: On or about May 3, 2023, the employer exposed employees to respiratory hazards in that the employer required the use of Bullard NOVA 2000 supplied air respirator by sandblasting employees without first providing a medical evaluation to determine if employees were able to wear a respirator or not.  Atlantic Powder Coating, LLC was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR  1910.134(e)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1429468, citation number 1, item number 3/b and was affirmed as a final order on March 27, 2020, with respect to a workplace located at 8805 Arlington Expressway, Jacksonville, Florida 32211.