OSHA Inspection: COBALT CHAINS, INC.

Issued

Nov 22, 2023

Abate by

Jan 31, 2024

Penalty

Initial $6,250 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2): The employer did not verify, through a written certification, the identity of the workplace evaluated, the person certifying that the evaluation had been performed, and the date the hazard assessment was done:   On or about August 11, 2023, employees were required to wear personal protective equipment and the employer did not verify, through a written certification, the identity of the workplace evaluated, the person certifying that the evaluation had been performed, and the date the hazard assessment was done.

Issued

Nov 22, 2023

Abate by

Jan 31, 2024

Penalty

Initial $6,250 · Current $4,375 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(ii): The employer did not establish and implement those elements of a written program necessary to ensure that any employee using a respirator voluntarily was medically able to use that respirator, and that the respirator was cleaned, stored, and maintained so that its use does not present a health hazard to the user:  On or about August 11, 2023, employees were exposed to welding fumes including but not limited to hexavalent chromium when performing welding activities on carbon and stainless steel chain links and the employer did not ensure employees using a respirator voluntarily were medically able to use that respirator.

Issued

Nov 22, 2023

Abate by

Mar 29, 2024

Penalty

Initial $6,250 · Current $4,375 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1026(d)(1): The employer with a workplace or work operation covered by this standard did not determine the 8-hour time-weighted average exposure for each employee exposed to chromium (VI). The employer is to make this determination in accordance with either paragraph (d)(2), the scheduled monitoring option, or paragraph (d)(3), the performance-oriented option:     On or about August 11, 2023, employees performed welding on stainless steel to make chains and the employer had not performed initial monitoring to determine exposures to hexavalent chromium.

Issued

Nov 22, 2023

Abate by

Jan 31, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(i)(4)(i): Employees were allowed to consume food or beverages at a worksite where chromium (VI) was present; however, the employer did not ensure that the eating and drinking areas were maintained as free as practicable of chromium (VI):   On or about August 11, 2023, employees were allowed to consume food or beverages where chromium (VI) was present and the employer did not ensure eating and drinking areas were maintained as free as practicable of chromium (VI).

Issued

Nov 22, 2023

Abate by

Jan 31, 2024

Penalty

Initial $6,250 · Current $4,375 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:   On or about August 11, 2023, employees were exposed to welding fumes including but not limited to hexavalent chromium when performing welding activities on carbon and stainless steel chain links and the employer did not develop, implement, and maintain a written hazard communication program with at least a description of how the criteria for the following requirements would be met by the company:  a) use of labels and other forms of warning,  b) provision of hazardous chemical information and training to employees,  c) maintenance of an updated list of hazardous chemicals present at the facility, d) methods the employer will use to inform employees of the hazards of non-routine tasks and hazards associated with chemicals contained in unlabeled pipes in their work areas. e) methods the employer will use to inform other employers on-site on their precautionary measures to protect employees during normal operating conditions and in foreseeable emergencies, the labeling system used in the workplace and to provide other employers on-site access to safety data sheets.

Issued

Nov 22, 2023

Abate by

Jan 31, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(f)(6)(ii): Except as provided in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(7) and 29 CFR 1910.1200(f)(8), the employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemicals in the workplace was labeled, tagged or marked with the product identifier and words, pictures, symbols, or combination thereof, which provide at least general information regarding the hazards of the chemicals and which, in conjunction with the other information immediately available to employees under the hazard communication program, would provide employees with the specific information regarding the physical and health hazards of the hazardous chemical:  On or about August 11, 2023, employees in the welding area worked with chemicals and the employer did not ensure that each container of hazardous chemical was labeled, tagged or marked with the product identifier and words, pictures, symbols, or combination thereof, which provide at least general information regarding the hazards of the chemical.

Issued

Nov 22, 2023

Abate by

Jan 31, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8): The employer did not maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical, and did not ensure that they were readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they were in their work area:  On or about August 11, 2023, employees were exposed to welding fumes including but not limited to hexavalent chromium and chemicals when performing welding activities and the employer did not ensure that safety data sheets were readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they were in their work area.

Issued

Nov 22, 2023

Abate by

Jan 31, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  On or about August 11, 2023, employees were exposed to welding fumes, including but not limited to, hexavalent chromium and chemicals when performing welding activities on carbon and stainless steel  chain links and the employer did not ensure employees were provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area.

Issued

Nov 22, 2023

Abate by

Jan 31, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(6): The employer did not provide the basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of 29 CFR 1910.134, in written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use was not required by the employer:  On or about August 11, 2023, employees performing welding activities were allowed to wear respiratory protection and the employer did not ensure employees using a respirator voluntarily were provide the basic information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of 29 CFR 1910.134.