OSHA Inspection: KUSEL EQUIPMENT CO.

Issued

Jun 30, 2023

Abate by

Jul 1, 2024

Penalty

Initial $4,687 · Current $3,515 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.94(a)(2)(ii): The concentration of respirable dust or fume in the breathing zone of the abrasive-blasting operator or any other worker was not kept below the levels specified in 1910.1000.  On March 14, 2023, an employee engaged in abrasive blasting activities was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of  10.71 mg/m3 for particulates not otherwise regulated respirable dust, approximately 2.14 times the permissible exposure limit of 5.0 mg/m3. The exposure level was derived from four samples collected over 457 minutes; the remaining 23 minutes was calculated as zero (0) exposure time.

Issued

Jun 30, 2023

Abate by

Jul 1, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1000(a)(2):  Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of particulates not otherwise regulated respirable fraction listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 5.0 mg/m3.  On March 14, 2023, an employee engaged in abrasive blasting activities was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of  10.71 mg/m3 for particulates not otherwise regulated respirable dust, approximately 2.14 times the permissible exposure limit of 5.0 mg/m3. The exposure level was derived from four samples collected over 457 minutes; the remaining 23 minutes was calculated as zero (0) exposure time.

Issued

Jun 30, 2023

Abate by

Jul 1, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1000(e):Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented to achieve compliance with the limits prescribed in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d):  On or about March 14, 2023, employees abrasive blasting with  bead glass/MF mixture inside an abrasive blasting booth was exposed to particles not otherwise regulated respirable fraction exposure that exceeded the OSHA 8 hour time weighed average permissible exposure limit of 5.0 mg/m3. Feasible engineering controls were not implemented to reduce employees exposure below particles not otherwise regulated respirable fraction permissible exposure limit of 5.0 mg/m3     Abatement normally will be multistep as follows:   STEP 1: Effective respiratory protection shall be provide and used by exposed employees as an interim protective measure until feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be implemented, or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within exposure limits.   Abatement due 30 days from issuance date:    STEP 2: Submit to the Area Director a written detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and /or administrative measures to control employee exposure to hazardous substance as referenced in this Citation. This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the abatement dates required by this Citation:  1.	Evaluation of engineering/administrative control options; 2.	Selection of optimum control methods and completion of design; 3.	Procurement, installation, and operation of selected control measures; and 4.	Testing and acceptable or modification/redesign of controls. All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person. Abatement due 60 days from issuance date:  Step 3: Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance. Abatement due 90 days from issuance date:

Issued

Jun 30, 2023

Abate by

Jul 31, 2023

Penalty

Initial $7,813 · Current $4,980 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0560

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(i)(1)(ii)(C): Breathing air contained carbon monoxide at greater than 10 parts per million:  On or about March 14, 2023, an employee wearing a supplied air respirator was exposed to carbon monoxide of up to 22ppm.

Issued

Jun 30, 2023

Abate by

Jul 31, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(d)(3)(i): The employer did not perform initial monitoring to assess the 8-hour TWA exposure for each employee on the basis of one or more personal breathing zone air samples that reflect the exposures of employees on each shift, for each job classification, in each work area:  On or about March 14, 2023, employee silica exposure was not evaluated when abrasive blasting inside a abrasive blast booth with a glass oxide/bead material.

Issued

Jun 30, 2023

Abate by

Jul 31, 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:  On or about March 14, 2023, the employer did not establish a written silica exposure control plan established to address employee exposures to silica, including to maintain employee silica exposure below the permissible exposure limit under foreseeable conditions when abrasive blasting.

Issued

Jun 30, 2023

Abate by

Jul 31, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(3)(ii):  Employee training did not include the physical and health hazards of the chemicals in the work area:  On or about March 14, 2023, employee abrasive blasting with glass media was not trained on the health hazards of glass media.