OSHA Inspection: FAB-TEC INDUSTRIES

Issued

Jun 26, 2023

Abate by

Jul 31, 2023

Penalty

Initial $7,813 · Current $3,900 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1):   A continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.95(c) through (n) was not instituted when employee noise exposures equaled or exceeded an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level (TWA) of 85 dBA:   a)  In the Facility, on or about April 5, 2023 - The employer did not institute a continuing effective hearing conservation program when employee noise exposures exceeded an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 dBA.  An employee designated as a Welder was exposed to noise at a level of  87.3% of the allowable limit during a 426 minute sampling period on April 5, 2023.   This exposure is equivalent to a sound level of 89.0 dBA for the dose and time of employee exposure and is 1.75 times in excess of the 85 dBA action level (50%) at which the hearing conservation program is required.  b)  In the Facility, on or about April 5, 2023 -  An employee designated as a Welder was exposed to noise at a level of  88.0% of the allowable limit during a 420 minute sampling period on April 5, 2023.   This exposure is equivalent to a sound level of 89.1 dBA for the dose and time of employee exposure and is 1.76 times in excess of the 85 dBA action level (50%) at which the hearing conservation program is required.  c)  In the Facility, on or about April 5, 2023 - An employee designated as a Welder was exposed to noise at a level of  91.9% of the allowable limit during a 434 minute sampling period on April 5, 2023.   This exposure is equivalent to a sound level of 89.4 dBA for the dose and time of employee exposure and is 1.84 times in excess of the 85 dBA action level (50%) at which the hearing conservation program is required.  d)   In the Facility, on or about April 5, 2023 - An employee designated as a Welder was exposed to noise at a level of  110.6% of the allowable limit during a 430 minute sampling period on April 5, 2023.   This exposure is equivalent to a sound level of 90.7 dBA for the dose and time of employee exposure and is 2.21 times in excess of the 85 dBA action level (50%) at which the hearing conservation program is required.

Issued

Jun 26, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(d)(1): When information indicated that any employee's exposure equaled or exceed the 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels, the employer did not develop and implement a monitoring program:    a)  In the Facility, on or about April 5, 2023 - The employer did not develop and implement a noise monitoring program when employee noise exposures equaled or exceeded an 8-hour time-weighted average exposure of 85 decibels.  See descriptions of employee noise exposures in Citation 1, Item 1a, Instances a-d.

Issued

Jun 26, 2023

Abate by

Jul 31, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(g)(1): The employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided by 29 CFR 1910.95(g) by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels:   a)  In the Facility, on or about April 5, 2023 - The employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program for all employees whose noise exposures equaled or exceeded an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels.  See descriptions of employee noise exposures in Citation 1, Item 1a, Instances a-d.

Issued

Jun 26, 2023

Abate by

Aug 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(k)(1): The employer did not train each employee who is exposed to noise at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.95(k):   a)  In the Facility, on or about April 5, 2023 - The employer did not provide noise related training to all employees whose noise exposures equaled or exceeded an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels.  See descriptions of employee noise exposures in Citation 1, Item 1a, Instances a-d.  ABATEMENT NOTE:  The employer shall ensure that each employee is informed of the following:  a)  The effects of noise on hearing;  b)  The purpose of hearing protectors, the advantages, disadvantages, and attenuation of various types, and instructions on selection, fitting, use, and care; and  c)  The purpose of audiometric testing, and an explanation of the test procedures.

Issued

Jun 26, 2023

Abate by

Jul 31, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(l)(1): The employer did not post of copy of 29 CFR 1910.95 in the workplace:    a)  In the Facility, on or about April 5, 2023 - The employer did not post a copy of 29 CFR 1910.95, the Occupational Noise Standard in the workplace.

Issued

Jun 26, 2023

Abate by

Aug 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $10,938 · Current $5,600 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1026(c): The employer did not ensure that employees were not exposed to an airborne concentration of chromium (VI) in excess of 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air (ug/m3), calculated as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA):  a)    In the Facility, on or about April 5, 2023 - An employee designated as a welder was exposed to chromium (VI) at a time weighted average exposure of 5.9 micrograms per cubic meter of air (ug/m3).  This level is 1.18 times the permissible exposure limit of 5 ug/m3 as a time weighted average concentration.  Sampling was performed by an OSHA compliance officer on April 5, 2023 for 423 minutes and zero exposures was assumed for the unsampled portion of the shift.

Issued

Jun 26, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1026(d)(1):  Each employer who has a workplace or work operation covered by this section shall determine the 8-hour TWA exposure for each employee exposed to chromium (VI). This determination shall be made in accordance with either paragraph (d)(2) or paragraph (d)(3) of this section:   a)    In the Facility, on or about April 5, 2023 - The employer did not determine the 8-hour time-weighted average exposure for each employee exposed to chromium (VI).  See description of employee exposure to chromium (VI) in Citation 1, Item 2a, Instance a.

Issued

Jun 26, 2023

Abate by

Aug 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1026(g)(2): The employer required respirator use for protection against chromium (VI); however, the employer did not institute a respiratory protection program in accordance with the Respiratory Protection standard, 29 CFR 1910.134, which covers each employee required to use a respirator:  a)    In the Facility, on or about April 5, 2023 - The employer did not institute a respiratory protection program in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134  when employees were exposed to chromium (VI) above the permissible exposure limit.   Employees are exposed to chromium (VI) for fewer than 30 days per year.  See description of employee chromium (VI) exposure in Citation 1, Item 2a, Instance a.  ABATEMENT NOTE:  Elements of a respiratory protection program to comply with 29 CFR 1910.134 shall include:  a)  A written program in accordance with 29  CFR 1910.134(c)(1);  b) A medical evaluation in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1);  c)  Fit testing in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134(f)(1);  and  d)  Training in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134(k)(1).

Issued

Jun 26, 2023

Abate by

Aug 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(c)(1): The employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures in any workplace where respirators were necessary to protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators were required by the employer:  a)   In the Facility, on or about April 5, 2023 - The employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134  when employees were exposed to chromium (VI) above the permissible exposure limit.   Employees are exposed to chromium (VI) for fewer than 30 days per year.  See description of employee chromium (VI) exposure in Citation 1, Item 2a, Instance a.  b)  In the Facility, on or about April 5, 2023 - The employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures whenever respirators were required by the employer.  An employee designated as a painter was required to use a supplied air respirator during painting operations.  ABATEMENT NOTE:  Elements of a respiratory protection program to comply with 29 CFR 1910.134 shall include:  a)  A written program in accordance with 29  CFR 1910.134(c)(1);  b) A medical evaluation in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1);  c)  Fit testing in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134(f)(1);  and  d)  Training in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134(k)(1).

Issued

Jun 26, 2023

Abate by

Jul 31, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1026(e)(2): The employer did not ensure that a regulated area for chromium (VI) was demarcated from the rest of the workplace in a manner that adequately established and alerted employees of the boundaries of the regulated area:   a)    In the Facility, on or about April 5, 2023 - The employer did not ensure that a regulated area for chromium (VI) was demarcated from the rest of the workplace to alert employees of the boundaries of the regulated area.

Issued

Jun 26, 2023

Abate by

Aug 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $4,687 · Current $2,300 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(e)(1):The employer did not develop, implement and maintain at the workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g) and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning, material safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met:  a)  In the Facility, on or about March 29, 2023 - The employer did not develop, implement and/or maintain a written hazard communication program in the workplace.  Employees of the facility work with hazardous materials including but not limited to hexavalent chromium.

Issued

Jun 26, 2023

Abate by

Aug 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0689

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)  In the Facility, on or about March 29, 2023 - The employer did not provide training to employees on the hazardous materials in their work areas.  Employees of the facility work with hazardous materials including but not limited to hexavalent chromium.

Issued

Jun 26, 2023

Abate by

Aug 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1026(l)(2):   The employer did not ensure that each employee can demonstrate knowledge of the contents of the hexavalent chromium standard and the purpose and a description of the medical surveillance program required by paragraph (k) of this section:   a)  In the Facility, on or about March 29, 2023 - The employer did not ensure that each employee can demonstrate knowledge of the hexavalent chromium standard and the purpose and description of the medical surveillance program required by the standard.

Issued

Jun 26, 2023

Abate by

Aug 28, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1026(l)(2)(ii): The employer did not make a copy of the Chromium (VI) standard, 29 CFR 1910.1026, readily available to all employees who were exposed to chromium (VI):    a)  In the Facility, on or about March 29, 2023 - The employer did not make a copy of the Chromium (VI) standard available to employees who were exposed to chromium (VI).