OSHA Inspection: KHAIKA CONSTRUCTION

Issued

May 31, 2024

Abate by

Jul 19, 2024

Penalty

Initial $388 · Current $388

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1903.19(c)(1): The employer did not certify to OSHA, within 10 calendar days after the abatement date, that the cited violation had been abated:  As of 29 May 2024, the employer had not certified that the abatement was completed for citation 1, Items 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d. and 2a, 2b, and 2c, from inspection 1681290, issued on October 24, 2024, with a final order date of January 23, 2024.  The abatement certification was due by March 15, 2024.

Issued

Oct 24, 2023

Abate by

Mar 15, 2024

Penalty

Initial $3,349 · Current $3,000 Reduced

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 for required respirator use:  At 345 Dwight Street. Holyoke, MA:   On July 6, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not implement a required RPP to protect employees from the health effects of respirable crystalline silica.  A RPP must cover (c)(1)(i) - (c)(1)(ix).  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

Oct 24, 2023

Abate by

Mar 15, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

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:  At 345 Dwight Street. Holyoke, MA:   On July 6, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure employees were medical evaluated prior to using required-use respirators for tuckpointing grinding operations.

Issued

Oct 24, 2023

Abate by

Mar 15, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(1): The employer shall ensure that employees using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator pass an appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT) as stated in this paragraph.  At 345 Dwight Street. Holyoke, MA:   On July 6, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that employees where quantitatively or qualitatively fit-tested for respirators prior to usage for tuckpointing.

Issued

Oct 24, 2023

Abate by

Mar 15, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(e)(2): Where respirator use is required by this section, the employer did not institute a respiratory protection program (RPP) in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134:  At 345 Dwight Street. Holyoke, MA:   On July 6, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not implement a required RPP to protect employees from the health effects of respirable crystalline silica.  A RPP must cover 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1) - (c)(1)(ix).  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 workplace  -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

Oct 24, 2023

Abate by

Mar 15, 2024

Penalty

Initial $3,349 · Current $3,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(d)(2)(i): 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 in accordance with either the performance option in paragraph (d)(2)(ii) or the scheduled monitoring option in paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section:   At 345 Dwight Street. Holyoke, MA:   On July 6, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not assess the exposure of employees using handheld grinders for mortar removal (i.e., tuckpointing), who may be exposed to respirable silica at or above the action level.

Issued

Oct 24, 2023

Abate by

Mar 15, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(c)(1): For each employee engaged in a task identified on Table 1, the employer did not fully and properly implement the engineering controls, work practices, and respiratory protection specified for the task on Table 1, unless the employer assesses and limits the exposure of the employee to respirable crystalline silica in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section.  At 345 Dwight Street. Holyoke, MA:   On July 6, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not fully and properly implement engineering controls, work practices, and respiratory protection specified on Table 1.

Issued

Oct 24, 2023

Abate by

Mar 15, 2024

Penalty

Initial $3,349 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(g)(1): The employer did not establish and implement a written exposure control plan (ECP) tailored to what the company does, complying with the requirements of 1926.1153(g)(1) through (g)(4):   At 345 Dwight Street. Holyoke, MA:   On July 6, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not establish a written ECP that covers (g)(1) through (g)(4) as required for employees with exposure to respirable crystalline silica.