OSHA Inspection: MEES DISTRIBUTORS, INC.

Issued

Nov 20, 2023

Abate by

Dec 11, 2023

Penalty

Initial $4,465 · Current $3,126 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(e)(1): Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each 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, safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met, and which also includes the following:  a.) On or about July 26, 2023, the employer had not developed a written hazard communication program for employees working in the small and large shop that were exposed to hazardous chemicals such as, but not limited to respirable crystalline silica (carcinogenic) and Omicron acetone (flammable).

Issued

Nov 20, 2023

Abate by

Dec 11, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(1): Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new chemical hazard the employees have not previously been trained about is introduced into their work area. Information and training may be designed to cover categories of hazards (e.g., flammability, carcinogenicity) or specific chemicals. Chemical-specific information must always be available through labels and safety data sheets.  a.) On or about July 26, 2023, the employer did not ensure that employees working in the small and large shop, who worked with hazardous chemicals such as, but not limited to respirable crystalline silica (carcinogenic) were provided with hazard communication training prior to their initial assignment.

Issued

Nov 20, 2023

Abate by

Dec 11, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(c)(2)(ii): In addition, the employer must establish and implement those elements of a written respiratory protection program necessary to ensure that any employee using a respirator voluntarily is medically able to use that respirator, and that the respirator is cleaned, stored, and maintained so that its use does not present a health hazard to the user. Exception: Employers are not required to include in a written respiratory protection program those employees whose only use of respirators involves the voluntary use of filtering facepieces (dust masks).   a.) On or about August 14, 2023, the employer did not establish the elements of a written respiratory protection program to ensure that employees working in the small and large shop polishing and cutting granite, quartz, and marble and voluntarily wearing 3M half mask elastomeric respirators are medically able to use the respirator and the respirator is clean, stored and maintained.

Issued

Nov 20, 2023

Abate by

Dec 11, 2023

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(k)(6): 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. The basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of this section, shall be provided by the employer in any written or oral format, to employees who wear respirators when such use is not required by this section or by the employer.   a.) On or about August 14, 2023, the employer did not provide employees  working in the small and large shop polishing and cutting granite, quartz, and marble and voluntarily wearing 3M 8210 N95 filtering facepiece respirators and 3M half mask elastomeric respirators with the information contained in Appendix D.