OSHA Inspection: GRANITE CENTERS INC

Issued

Apr 1, 2024

Abate by

May 6, 2024

Penalty

Initial $388 · Current $388

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1903.19(c)(1): Within 10 calendar days after the abatement date, the employer must certify to OSHA (the Agency) that each cited violation has been abated, except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.  The Employer did not provide the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) certification of abatement as required for Citation #1, Items #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8 & #10 issued January 31, 2024.

Issued

Apr 1, 2024

Abate by

May 6, 2024

Penalty

Initial $388 · Current $388

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1903.19(d)(1): The employer must submit to the Agency, along with the information on abatement certification required by paragraph (c)(3) of this section, documents demonstrating that abatement is complete for each willful or repeat violation and for any serious violation for which the Agency indicates in the citation that such abatement documentation is required.  The Employer did not provide the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) certification and documentation as required for Citation #1, Item #9 issued January 31, 2024.

Issued

Jan 31, 2024

Abate by

Feb 27, 2024

Penalty

Initial $3,457 · Current $3,457

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.37(a)(3):Exit route(s) were not kept free and unobstructed:  At the workplace located at 9060 Quivira Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66215, employees were exposed to fire and struck-by hazards. Exit doors were found to be blocked and obstructed from granite A-frames with granite slabs, thus inhibiting the flow of pedestrian traffic during normal and emergency conditions. Blocked and obstructed exit doors were observed in the following areas:  1. Exit door on the south wall of the workshop. 2. Exit door on the east wall of the warehouse.

Issued

Jan 31, 2024

Abate by

Feb 27, 2024

Penalty

Initial $3,457 · Current $3,457

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 the workplace located at 9060 Quivira Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66215, employees were exposed to respiratory and cardiac stress hazards. Employees in the stone cutting and polishing work areas were required to wear half-face tight fitting 3M 6200/07025 respirators with 3M 60921 replaceable filters. The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to determine the employees ability to safely use a respirator.

Issued

Jan 31, 2024

Abate by

Feb 27, 2024

Penalty

Initial $3,457 · Current $3,457

Hazardous substances S103

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator:  At the workplace located at 9060 Quivira Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66215, employees were exposed to respiratory and cardiac stress hazards. The employer had not provided fit testing for employees required to use respirators. Employees engaged in stone cutting, grinding, and polishing work were required to wear 3M 6200/07025 respirators with 3M 60921  half-face negative pressure respirators with replaceable filters.

Issued

Jan 31, 2024

Abate by

Feb 27, 2024

Penalty

Initial $3,457 · Current $3,457

Hazardous substances S103

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(h)(2)(i): Respirators were not stored to protect them from damage, contamination, dust, sunlight, extreme temperatures, excessive moisture, and damaging chemicals or were not packed or stored to prevent deformation of the facepiece and exhalation valves.  At the workplace located at 9060 Quivira Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66215, employees were exposed to respiratory hazards. The employer did not ensure that respirators used by employees were stored properly to protect from silica dust contamination. Respirators were observed hanging from a hook in a dusty environment.

Issued

Jan 31, 2024

Abate by

Feb 27, 2024

Penalty

Initial $2,074 · Current $2,074

Hazardous substances S103

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(k): The employer did not provide comprehensive, understandable training, which did not occur annually and/or more often if necessary.  At the workplace located at 9060 Quivira Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66215, employees were exposed to respiratory hazards. Employees are required to use 3M 6200/07025 half face respirator while conducting stone cutting, grinding, and polishing work. The employer had not provided comprehensive, understandable training on adequate respirator usage.   The employer requires stone cutters & polishers to wear 3M 6200/07025 respirators with 3m 60921 replaceable filters when grinding, cutting and polishing stone. The employer had not provided employees with comprehensible and understandable training. The training must include:  a) Why the respirator is necessary and how improper fit, usage, or maintenance can compromise the protective effect of the respirator. b) What the limitations and capabilities of the respirator are; c) How to use the respirator effectively in emergency situations, including situations in which the respirator malfunctions; d) How to inspect, put on and remove, use, and check the seals of the respirator; e) What the procedures are for maintenance and storage of the respirator; and f) How to recognize medical signs and symptoms that may limit or prevent the effective use of respirators.

Issued

Jan 31, 2024

Abate by

Feb 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $2,765 · Current $2,765

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(6): The employer did not certify that each operator has been trained and evaluated as required by this paragraph (l):   At the workplace located at 9060 Quivira Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66215, employees were exposed to struck-by hazards. The employer allowed the employees to operate a Toyota Forklift; Model: 7FGCU35; Serial no. 664605 truck without ensuring that each operator has been trained and evaluated as required.

Issued

Jan 31, 2024

Abate by

Feb 27, 2024

Penalty

Initial $3,457 · Current $3,457

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.305(b)(2)(i): Pull boxes, junction boxes, and fittings were not provided with covers approved for the purpose:  At the workplace located at 9060 Quivira Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66215, an employee was exposed to an electrical shock hazard. An employee working in the fabricating shop was exposed to energized electrical conductors when utilizing an electrical junction box, which was missing its cover.

Issued

Jan 31, 2024

Abate by

Feb 27, 2024

Penalty

Initial $3,457 · Current $3,457

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(c): The employer did not ensure that no employee was exposed to an airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica in excess of  50 �g/m�, calculated as an 8-hour TWA:  At the workplace located at 9060 Quivira Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66215, employees were exposed to respiratory hazards. Employees working in the stone cutting, grinding & polishing areas were exposed to respirable crystalline silica above the OSHA PEL. The employee(s) working at the granite fabricating area was exposed to respirable crystalline silica at 800 �g/m� in an 8-hour TWA. The employee was dry cutting and polishing granite slabs using a handheld saw and polisher with a water attachment.

Issued

Jan 31, 2024

Abate by

Feb 27, 2024

Penalty

Initial $4,839 · Current $4,839

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(f)(2)(i): The employer did not establish and implement a written exposure control plan:  At the workplace located at 9060 Quivira Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66215, employees were exposed to respiratory hazards. Employees engaged in stone cutting, grinding & polishing were exposed to respirable crystalline silica when exposure levels exceeded the eight-hour time-weighted average (8-hour TWA) Permissible Exposure Limit of 50 �g/m�. The employer had not developed and implemented a written silica exposure control plan.  1) Employee #1 (stone fabricator & polisher) performed stone polishing operations and was exposed to Respirable Crystalline Silica at 15.9 times the permissible exposure limit. The employee's eight-hour time-weighted average (8-hour TWA) was 800 micrograms/ meter cubic.

Issued

Jan 31, 2024

Abate by

Feb 27, 2024

Penalty

Initial $3,457 · Current $3,457

Hazardous substances S103

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:  At the workplace located at 9060 Quivira Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66215, employees were exposed to chemical exposure hazards. Employees in the fabrication workshop installing granite slabs were not provided with effective information and training to recognize, evaluate and control exposure to hazardous chemicals including but not limited to silica dust.