OSHA Inspection: DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, CRANE ARMY AMMUNITION ACTIVITY, CRANE, IN

Issued

Sep 19, 2023

Abate by

Nov 6, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(k): Training Program.  (2)The training program shall be repeated annually for each employee included in the hearing conservation program. Information provided in the training program shall be updated to be consistent with changes in protective equipment and work processes.  a) On or about June 16, 2023,  in building 2735 in drill and tap (90.5dBA at an 8 hour time weighted average) and in concrete mixing (87.7dBA at an 8 hour time weighted average), the employer did not provide annual hearing conservation training for employees whose exposure equaled or exceeded the action level of 85dBA at an 8 hour time weighted average to noise.

Issued

Sep 19, 2023

Abate by

Nov 6, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

1910.132(f)(3)(iii)  Inadequacies in an affected employee's knowledge or use of assigned PPE indicate that the employee has not retained the requisite understanding or skill. 29 CFR 1910.132(f): Training. (1) The employer shall provide training to each employee who is required by this section to use PPE. Each such employee shall be trained to know at least the following: (iii) How to properly don, doff, adjust, and wear PPE; (v) The proper care, maintenance, useful life and disposal of the PPE.  a) On or about May 24, 2023 in 2734 TNT building, the employer had not trained employees who are working in the kettle, pour, oven, and drill area making TNT on the proper donning, doffing, and maintenance of PPE in that employees were putting on dirty personal protective equipment, were not cleaning their personal protective equipment, and storing their personal protective equipment in the dirty room which included outer gloves and boots, exposing the employees to inhaled and absorbed TNT.

Issued

Sep 19, 2023

Abate by

Nov 6, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(c)(1):In any workplace where respirators are necessary to protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators are required by the employer, the employer shall establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures. The program shall be updated as necessary to reflect those changes in workplace conditions that affect respirator use. The employer shall include in the program the following provisions of this section, as applicable: (i) Procedures for selecting respirators for use in the workplace; (ii) Medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators; (iii) Fit testing procedures for tight-fitting respirators; (iv) Procedures for proper use of respirators in routine and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations; (v) Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators; (vii) Training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed during routine and emergency situations; (viii) Training of employees in the proper use of respirators, including putting on and removing them, any limitations on their use, and their maintenance; and (ix) Procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the program.  a) On or about May 24, 2023 building 2734 TNT, the employer did not establish a written respirator program for employees required to wear a PAPR 3M Motor Blower GVP-100, 3M Power Cord GVP-110 and 3M Battery Pack GVP-111 combination with a hood and GVP-441 filters for exposure to TNT (cyanosis, aplastic anemia inhalation hazard).  b) On or about June 15, 2023 building 2504 magnesium flares, the employer did not establish a written respirator program for employees required to wear a 3M 7800 full face respirator and 3M 7500 half face respirator with OV/P100 cartridges for exposure to isohexane (inhalation hazard) and acetone (inhalation hazard).   c) On or about April 15, 2023 building 3637 electroplating, the employer did not establish a written respirator program for employees required to wear a 3M 7500 half face respirator with acid/gas cartridges for exposure to magnesium bisulfite (inhalation hazard) and concentrated nitric acid (inhalation hazard).  d) On or about May 25, 2023 building 2167 and 3295 QSAS labs, the employer did not establish a written respirator program for employees required to wear a 3M 7500 half face respirator with multi-cartridges for exposure to Teflon and magnesium powder (inhalation hazards) when getting samples from bulk material.  e) On or about May 23, 2023 in building 2735, the employer did not establish a written respirator program for employees required to wear 3M 7800 full face respirators with P100 cartridges for exposures to silica (inhalation hazard).

Issued

Sep 19, 2023

Abate by

Nov 6, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(c)(3): Respiratory protection program. The employer shall designate a program administrator who is qualified by appropriate training or experience that is commensurate with the complexity of the program to administer or oversee the respiratory protection program and conduct the required evaluations of program effectiveness.   a) On or about June 15, 2023, the employer did not designate a program administrator for the respiratory protection program.

Issued

Sep 19, 2023

Abate by

Dec 18, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(d) Selection of respirators. This paragraph requires the employer to evaluate respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace, identify relevant workplace and user factors, and base respirator selection on these factors. The paragraph also specifies appropriately protective respirators for use in IDLH atmospheres, and limits the selection and use of air-purifying respirators. (1) General requirements. (iii): The employer shall identify and evaluate the respiratory hazard(s) in the workplace; this evaluation shall include a reasonable estimate of employee exposures to respiratory hazard(s) and an identification of the contaminant's chemical state and physical form. Where the employer cannot identify or reasonably estimate the employee exposure, the employer shall consider the atmosphere to be IDLH.  a) On or about April 15, 2023, the employer did not evaluate employee's airborne exposure to sulfur dioxide and magnesium bisulfite in building 3637 electroplating, in that employees were wearing 3M 7500 half face respirator and were working with magnesium bisulfite (a corrosive inhalation hazard that creates sulfur dioxide in the presence of acids).

Issued

Sep 19, 2023

Abate by

Dec 18, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(d)(3) Respirators for atmospheres that are not IDLH. (iii) For protection against gases and vapors, the employer shall provide: (B) An air-purifying respirator, provided that: (2): If there is no ESLI appropriate for conditions in the employer's workplace, the employer implements a change schedule for canisters and cartridges that is based on objective information or data that will ensure that canisters and cartridges are changed before the end of their service life. The employer shall describe in the respirator program the information and data relied upon and the basis for the canister and cartridge change schedule and the basis for reliance on the data.  a) On or about May 24, 2023, in building 2734 TNT, the employer did not provide a change schedule for the GVP-441 filters based on objective information or data to ensure filters were changed before the end of service life for employees required to wear a PAPR 3M Motor Blower GVP-100, 3M Power Cord GVP-110 and 3M Battery Pack GVP-111 combination with a hood and GVP-441 filters. As a result employees have a potential for exposure to TNT (cyanosis, aplastic anemia inhalation hazard), and the information was not placed in the respirator program.  b) On or about June 15, 2023, in building 2504 magnesium flares, the employer did not provide a change schedule for the OV/P100 cartridges based on objective information or data to ensure filters were changed before the end of service life for employees required to wear a 3M 7800 full face respirator and 3M 7500 half face respirator with OV/P100 cartridges. As a result employees have a potential for exposure to isohexane (inhalation hazard) and acetone (inhalation hazard), and the information was not placed in the respirator program.

Issued

Sep 19, 2023

Abate by

Nov 6, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(h) Maintenance and care of respirators. This paragraph requires the employer to provide for the cleaning and disinfecting, storage, inspection, and repair of respirators used by employees. (1) Cleaning and disinfecting. The employer shall provide each respirator user with a respirator that is clean, sanitary, and in good working order. The employer shall ensure that respirators are cleaned and disinfected using the procedures in Appendix B-2 of this section, or procedures recommended by the respirator manufacturer, provided that such procedures are of equivalent effectiveness. The respirators shall be cleaned and disinfected at the following intervals: (i): Respirators issued for the exclusive use of an employee shall be cleaned and disinfected as often as necessary to be maintained in a sanitary condition;   a) On or about May 24, 2023 in building 2734 TNT building, the employer did not ensure that employees were cleaning and disinfecting their respirators. As a result, employees were exposed to TNT while donning their PAPR 3M Motor Blower GVP-100, 3M Power Cord GVP-110 and 3M Battery Pack GVP-111 combination with a hood, which had been stored in the dirty side of their decontamination zone.

Issued

Sep 19, 2023

Abate by

Nov 6, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(h) Maintenance and care of respirators. This paragraph requires the employer to provide for the cleaning and disinfecting, storage, inspection, and repair of respirators used by employees. (2) Storage. The employer shall ensure that respirators are stored as follows: (i): All respirators shall be stored to protect them from damage, contamination, dust, sunlight, extreme temperatures, excessive moisture, and damaging chemicals, and they shall be packed or stored to prevent deformation of the facepiece and exhalation valve.  a) On or about May 24, 2023 in building 2734 TNT building, the employer did not ensure that employees stored their respirators to protect them from contamination and damage.  As a result, employees were storing respirators in a manner which allowed contamination with TNT while wearing PAPR 3M Motor Blower GVP-100, 3M Power Cord GVP-110 and 3M Battery Pack GVP-111 combination with a hood.

Issued

Sep 19, 2023

Abate by

Nov 6, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(k): Training and information. This paragraph requires the employer to provide effective training to employees who are required to use respirators. The training must be comprehensive, understandable, and recur annually, and more often if necessary. This paragraph also requires the employer to provide the basic information on respirators in Appendix D of this section to employees who wear respirators when not required by this section or by the employer to do so. (5): Retraining shall be administered annually, and when the following situations occur: (ii) Inadequacies in the employee's knowledge or use of the respirator indicate that the employee has not retained the requisite understanding or skill;   a) On or about May 24, 2023 in building 2734 TNT building, the employer did not ensure that employees who wore PAPR 3M Motor Blower GVP-100, 3M Power Cord GVP-110 and 3M Battery Pack GVP-111 combination with a hood were effectively trained to clean, store and when to change the filters and cartridges. As a result, employees were exposed to TNT.

Issued

Sep 19, 2023

Abate by

Dec 18, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h) Employee information and training. (3): Training. Employee training shall include at least: (ii) The physical, health, simple asphyxiation, combustible dust, and pyrophoric gas hazards, as well as hazards not otherwise classified, of the chemicals in the work area; (iii) The measures employees can take to protect themselves from these hazards, including specific procedures the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures, and personal protective equipment to be used;   a) On or about June 14, 2023 in building 3637, the employees working in the electroplating area had not been trained on the hazards of specific chemicals in their work area, including but not limited to magnesium bisulfite (corrosive, inhalation hazard), which creates sulfur dioxide in the presence of the electroplating acids such as nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and hydrochloric acid..  b) On or about June 15, 2023 in building 2504, the employees working to mix and extrude magnesium flares had not been trained on the hazards of specific chemicals in their work area, including but not limited to magnesium powder (flammable solid), polytetrafluoroethylene AKA Teflon (explosion/fire hazard), isohexane (flammable, inhalant hazard) and acetone (flammable, inhalant hazard).  Employees had also not been trained on the measures to protect themselves from the hazards including but not limited to checking the LEL/UEL monitor for acetone and isohexane.  c) On or about July 5, 2023 in building 2734, the employer had not adequately trained employees on the hazards of exposure to TNT (inhalation and skin absorption toxic hazard) and the measures to protect themselves in that employees had not been trained on cardiac effects, aplastic anemia, shortness of breath, and were not removing contaminated PPE and washing their hands and face prior to drinking.

Issued

Sep 19, 2023

Abate by

Dec 18, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1450(e)(1)(i): Where hazardous chemicals as defined by this standard are used in the workplace, the employer shall develop and carry out the provisions of a written Chemical Hygiene Plan which is: Capable of protecting employees from health hazards associated with hazardous chemicals in that laboratory and (ii) Capable of keeping exposures below the limits specified in paragraph (c) of this section.  a) On or about May 24, 2023, in buildings 2167 and 3295 within the QSAS chemical laboratories, the Chemical Hygiene Plan provided by the employer lacked specific procedures to address 1910.1450(e)(3)(i)-(viii), which requires specific safety and health procedures , criteria for controlling chemical exposure , verification of functioning protective equipment , comprehensive employee training , protocols for high-risk activities, provisions for medical consultations, designation of responsible personnel , and additional safeguards for particularly hazardous substances, such as designated areas, containment devices, waste removal procedures, and decontamination protocols.   b) On or about May 24, 2023 in building 3637 electroplating lab, the employer did not have a Chemical Hygiene Plan.

Issued

Sep 19, 2023

Abate by

Dec 18, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1450(f)(4): Employee information and training (i): Employee training shall include: (A) Methods and observations that may be used to detect the presence or release of a hazardous chemical (such as monitoring conducted by the employer, continuous monitoring devices, visual appearance or odor of hazardous chemicals when being released, etc.); (B) The physical and health hazards of chemicals in the work area; and (C) The measures employees can take to protect themselves from these hazards, including specific procedures the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures, and personal protective equipment to be used. (ii) The employee shall be trained on the applicable details of the employer's written Chemical Hygiene Plan.  a) On or about May 24, 2023 in buildings 2167 and 3295 in the QSAS chemical laboratories, the employer did not ensure that employees were trained on how to detect the presence of a chemical, physical and health hazards of chemicals, procedures to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, and training on the Chemical Hygiene Plan.  As a result employees have the potential for exposures to hydrofluoric acid, TNT, Teflon,  and magnesium powder.  b) On or about May 24, 2023 in building 3637 electroplating lab in the electroplating lab, the employer did not ensure that employees were trained on how to detect the presence of a chemical, physical and health hazards of chemicals, procedures to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals.   As a result employees have the potential for exposures to phenolphthalein, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, and sulfuric acid.