OSHA Inspection: NORTHERN GRANITE & MARBLE LLC

Issued

2023-06-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-07-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3349.00 · Current $3349.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program (RPP) that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented where respirators were necessary to protect the health of employees:  At 380 Union Street. West Springfield, MA:   On March 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not implement a RPP for employees wearing half-face elastomeric and filtering facepiece device respirators while cutting and grinding stone stock containing respirable crystalline silica.   Personal air sampling results revealed that employees are exposed to airborne respirable crystalline silica at 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of 84.56 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) and 140.85 ug/m3, respectively, during stone grinding and cutting operations.  The permissible exposure level (PEL) for respirable silica is 50 ug/m3 as an 8-hour TWA.   ABATEMENT NOTE:  A respirator program shall include the following elements:    -Procedures for selecting respirators  -Medical evaluations for employees required to use respirators  -Procedures for fit testing tight fitting respirators  -Procedures for proper use of respirators  -Procedures and schedules for cleaning, storing, inspecting, and maintaining respirators  -Training of employees about respiratory hazards in the work place  -Training on proper use of respirators  -Procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the program  *Abatement notes are intended only to provide clarity regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies. Abatement notes do not create (or diminish) legal obligations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Issued

2023-06-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-07-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(c)(2)(ii): The employer did not establish and implement those elements of a written program necessary to ensure that any employee using a respirator voluntarily was medically able to use that respirator:   At 380 Union St.  West Springfield MA:  On February 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure employees were medical evaluated prior to using voluntary-use half-face elastomeric respirators for grinding operations.

Issued

2023-06-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(d)(1)(iii): The employer did not identify and evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace; including a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazards and identification of the contaminant's chemical state and physical form:   At 380 Union St. West Springfield MA:  On February 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not assess, or identify, respirable silica quartz and perform an evaluation for respiratory protection, for stone cutting or stone grinding operators.  Two bulk samples taken of residual dust from stone cutting and grinding demonstrated the presence of 10% - 20% silica.  Personal air sampling results revealed that employees are exposed to airborne respirable crystalline silica at 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of 84.56 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) and 140.85 ug/m3, respectively, during stone grinding and cutting operations.   The permissible exposure limit is 50 ug/m3 as an 8-hour TWA.

Issued

2023-06-06 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

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 (AL) in accordance with either the performance option in paragraph (d)(2) or the scheduled monitoring option in paragraph (d)(3) of this section:  At 380 Union St. West Springfield MA:  On February 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not assess the exposure of employees, who perform stone cutting and/or grinding and polishing, who may be exposed to respirable silica at or above the action level.  Personal air sampling results revealed that employees are exposed to airborne respirable crystalline silica at 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of 84.56 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) and 140.85 ug/m3, respectively, during stone grinding and cutting operations.   The permissible exposure limit is 50 ug/m3 as an 8-hour TWA.

Issued

2023-06-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2024-01-18 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4688.00 · Current $4688.00

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 micrograms per cubic meter (50 ug/m3), calculated as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA):  At 380 Union St.  West Springfield MA:  On February 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that employees are not exposed to an airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica in excess  of 50 ug/m3 as an 8-hour TWA.  Personal air sampling results revealed that employees are exposed to airborne respirable crystalline silica at 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of 84.56 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) and 140.85 ug/m3, respectively, during stone grinding and cutting operations.

Issued

2023-06-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2024-01-18 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

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 permissible exposure limit (PEL), unless the employer can demonstrate that such controls are not feasible:  At 380 Union Street. West Springfield, MA:   On March 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that engineering controls were sufficiently used in order to maintain exposure to respirable crystalline silica below the action level (AL) of 25 ug/m3.  Personal air sampling results revealed that employees are exposed to airborne respirable crystalline silica at 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of 84.56 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) and 140.85 ug/m3, respectively, during stone grinding and cutting operations.   The permissible exposure limit is 50 ug/m3 as an 8-hour TWA.  The two employees worked in close proximity and the water injection system for the cutting process was not integrated into the saw for more than half the time of the process due to an equipment failure of the integrated water injection system.

Issued

2023-06-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-07-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4688.00 · Current $0.00 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 permissible exposure limit (PEL):  At 380 Union St.  West Springfield MA:  On February 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure a regulated area was established to identify the area(s) where employees are exposed to respirable crystalline silica above the PEL of 50 micrograms per cubic meter (50 ug/m3)

Issued

2023-06-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-07-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(e)(2)(i): The employer did not demarcate regulated areas from the rest of the workplace in a manner that minimized the number of employees exposed to respirable crystalline silica within the regulated area:  At 380 Union St.  West Springfield MA:  On February 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not demarcate the regulated area where there is a known overexposure to respirable crystalline silica.  Without demarcation, administration and installation employees are potentially exposed to respirable silica without being aware of its presence.

Issued

2023-06-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-07-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(j)(2): Signs. The employer did not post signs, as required, at all entrances to regulated areas that bear the following legend:  DANGER RESPIRABLE CRYSTALLINE SILICA MAY CAUSE CANCER CAUSES DAMAGE TO LUNGS WEAR RESPIRATORY PROTECTION IN THIS AREA AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY  At 380 Union St.  West Springfield MA:  On February 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not post signage at all entrances to the production area alerting employees of the presence of respirable silica.

Issued

2023-06-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-07-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4688.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(f)(2)(i): The employer did not establish a written exposure control plan (ECP) that covers the requirements in (f)(2)(i)(A), (B), and (C):   At 380 Union St. West Springfield MA:  On February 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not establish and implement a written ECP including the description of the tasks in the workplace involving exposure to respirable crystalline silica; a description of the engineering controls, work practices, respiratory protection used to limit employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica; and a description of the housekeeping measures used to limit employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica.

Issued

2023-06-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-07-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(c)(1): Portable fire extinguishers were not mounted, located and identified so that they were readily accessible without subjecting the employees to injuries.  At 380 Union St.  West Springfield MA:  On February 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that five fire extinguishers throughout the warehouse were free of obstructions and easily accessible to employees.

Issued

2023-06-06 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-07-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.304(f)(1)(iv): Overcurrent devices were not readily accessible to each employee or authorized building management personnel. These overcurrent devices may not be located where they will be exposed to physical damage or in the vicinity of easily ignitable material:  At 380 Union St.  West Springfield MA:  On February 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that two circuit breaker panels were clear of obstruction and readily accessible to employees.  Along the northern and eastern walls, two circuit breaker panels were not readily accessible due to blockage by stone stock, boxes, and a cabinet.