OSHA Inspection: WALCO ELECTRIC COMPANY

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Abate by

Jul 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $9,297 · Current $5,578 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.107(b)(5)(i): The average air speed over the open face of the paint spray booth was less than 100 linear feet per minute.  (a) Facility at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the cross-section air velocity of the paint booth was measured and calculated to be 48.3 linear feet per minute, exposing employees to a flammable vapor hazard while spray painting  in the booth with paints including, but not limited to, modified acrylic alkyd enamel and Red Insulating Varnish.

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Abate by

Jul 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.107(b)(9): A clear space of not less than 3 feet on all sides was not kept free from storage or combustible construction.  (a) Facility at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the employer did not ensure that a clear space of 3 feet or more on all sides was kept free from storage or combustible construction to allow access for cleaning. A flammable storage locker was inches from the right exterior side of the paint booth and a plywood box was stored along the right interior side of the booth which prevented cleaning of the floor and filters. There was also a plastic kids pool on top of the paint booth.

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Abate by

Jul 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.107(f)(3): Sprinklers protecting spraying areas were not kept as free from deposits as practical by cleaning daily if necessary.  (a) Facility at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the employer did not ensure that sprinklers protecting spraying areas were kept as free from deposits as practical.

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Abate by

Jul 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.107(g)(2): All spraying areas were not kept as free from the accumulation of deposits of combustible residues as practical, with cleaning conducted daily if necessary.  (a) Facility at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the employer did not keep the walls, ceiling and floor of the paint booth free from the accumulation of deposits of combustible residues.

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Abate by

Jul 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $5,313 · Current $3,188 Reduced

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, and that the respirator was cleaned, stored, and maintained so that its use does not present a health hazard to the user.  (a) Facility at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the employer did not establish and implement an adequate written respiratory protection program to ensure that employees are medically able to voluntarily use elastomeric and filtering facepiece respirators while performing tasks, including but not limited to, spray painting with hazardous chemicals.

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Abate by

Jul 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(c)(3): The employer did not designate a program administrator who was qualified by appropriate training or experience to administer or oversee the respiratory protection program and to conduct the required evaluations of program effectiveness.  (a) Facility at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the employer did not designate a qualified program administrator to administer or oversee the respiratory protection program for employees that use elastomeric respirators and filtering facepieces (N95) in the workplace.

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Abate by

Jul 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

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) Facility at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use an elastomeric respirator while performing tasks, including but not limited to, spray painting using hazardous chemicals.

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Abate by

Jul 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

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) Facility at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employee's ability to use an elastomeric respirator while performing tasks, including but not limited to, spray painting with hazardous chemicals.

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Abate by

Jul 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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.  (a) Facility at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the employer did not present the basic advisory information in Appendix D of 29 CFR 1910.134, to employees who wear elastomeric and N95 respirators voluntarily.

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Abate by

Jul 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $7,969 · Current $4,781 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(e)(1)(i): The employer did not compile a list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present using a product identifier that was referenced on the appropriate safety data sheet.  (a) Facility at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the employer did not maintain a complete list of current hazardous chemicals used at the facility, including but not limited to, Aerochem Red Insulating Varnish, an extremely flammable aerosol and  Safety-Kleen Premium Solvent, a combustible liquid that causes skin irritation.

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Abate by

Sep 7, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(g)(1): The employer did not have a safety data sheet in the workplace for each hazardous chemical for which they use.  (a) Facility at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the employer did not have current safety data sheets for all hazardous chemicals in the workplace, including but not limited to, Aerochem Red Insulating Varnish, an extremely flammable aerosol and Safety-Kleen Premium Solvent, a combustible liquid that causes skin irritation.

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Abate by

Jul 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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.  (a) Facility at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the employer did not provide all employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment for chemicals including, but not limited to, Aerochem Red Insulating Varnish, an extremely flammable aerosol and Safety-Kleen Premium Solvent, a combustible liquid that causes skin irritation.

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Penalty

Initial $1,328 · Current $797 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1904.41(a)(2): For establishments with 20 or more employees but fewer than 250 employees at any time during the previous calendar year in designated industries and required to keep records by this part, the employer failed to electronically submit information from OSHA Form 300A Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses to OSHA or OSHA's designee no later than the date listed in paragraph (c) of this section of the year after the calendar year covered by the form.  (a) Walco Electric Company located at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the employer failed to electronically submit information from their OSHA Form 300A or equivalent by 03/02/2023. The establishment employed 73 employees and is classified with NAICS 811310 - Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance, during calendar year 2023.

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Abate by

Jul 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $746 · Current $448 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that all places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces are kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition.  (a) Facility at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the employer did not ensure that all places of employment, including but not limited to, the work area around the sand blasting cabinet, are kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition, in that there was excessive dust and debris around the floor of the blast cabinet that was not contained or captured by the dust collection system. A sample was taken and analyzed  by SLTC (sample number 416742) and found to have lead at 0.0071%.

Issued

Jun 12, 2023

Abate by

Sep 7, 2023

Penalty

Initial $746 · Current $448 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.132(d)(2): The employer did not verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification that identifies the workplace evaluated, the person certifying that the evaluation has been performed, the date(s) of the hazard assessment, and, which identifies the document as a certification of hazard assessment.  (a) Facility at 303 Allens Avenue in Providence, RI:  On or about March 8, 2023, the employer did not verify that the required workplace Personal Protective Equipment hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification.