OSHA Inspection: ART OF GRANITE, INC.

Issued

Feb 9, 2024

Abate by

Apr 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $4,839 · Current $2,661 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(c): Permissible exposure limit (PEL). The employer did not ensure that no employee was exposed to an airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica in excess of 50mcg/m3, calculated as an 8-hour TWA:  a. South of facility in handheld production area: On November 6, 2023, the employer exposed an employee to an 8-hour calculated Time Weighted Average (TWA) of 257.5 micrograms per cubic meter of air which is 5.1 times the 8-hour time weighted average Permissible Exposure Level (PEL) of 50.0 micrograms per cubic meter of air while conducting grinding, buffing, polishing operations. Results were calculated based on the 240-minute sampling period.

Issued

Feb 9, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(d)(1): 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) or the scheduled monitoring option in paragraph (d)(3) of this section:  a. South of facility in handheld production area: On November 6, 2023, the employer exposed employees to hazards associated with respirable crystalline silica, in that the employer did not perform an initial monitoring to assess the exposure for each employee that would be potentially exposed to respirable crystalline silica.

Issued

Feb 9, 2024

Abate by

Apr 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(e)(1): The employer did not establish a regulated area wherever an employee's exposure to airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica was, or could have been reasonably expected to be, in excess of the PEL:  a. South of facility in handheld production area: On November 6, 2023, the employer exposed an employee to an 8-hour calculated Time Weighted Average (TWA) of 257.5 micrograms per cubic meter of air which is 5.1 times the 8-hour time weighted average Permissible Exposure Level (PEL) of 50.0 micrograms per cubic meter of air while conducting grinding, buffing, polishing operations. Results were calculated based on the 240-minute sampling period. The employer did not establish a regulated area.

Issued

Feb 9, 2024

Abate by

Apr 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(f)(2)(i): The employer did not establish and implement a written exposure control plan:  a. South of facility in handheld production area: On November 6, 2023, the employer exposed employees to hazards associated with respirable crystalline silica, in that the employer did not develop or implement a written exposure control plan to limit employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica.

Issued

Feb 9, 2024

Abate by

Apr 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(i)(1)(i): The employer did not make medical surveillance available at no cost to each employee, and at a reasonable time and place, for each employee who has been occupationally exposed to respirable crystalline silica at or above the action level for 30 or more days per year:  a. South of facility in handheld production area: On November 6, 2023, the employer exposed employees to hazards associated with respirable crystalline silica, in that the employer did not make available medical examinations to determine baseline exposure to employees that would be potentially exposed to respirable crystalline silica.

Issued

Feb 9, 2024

Abate by

Apr 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $4,839 · Current $2,661 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(g)(2): Where respirator use was required by this section, the employer did not institute a respiratory protection program in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134:   a. South of facility in handheld production area: On November 6, 2023, the employer exposed employees to respiratory hazards, in that the employer required employees grinding, buffing, polishing, to use respiratory protection without first developing and implementing a written respirator program specific to grinding, buffing, polishing operations.

Issued

Feb 9, 2024

Abate by

Apr 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(c)(1):The employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures in any workplace where respirators were necessary to protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators were required by the employer:  a. South of facility in handheld production area: On November 6, 2023, the employer exposed employees to respiratory hazards, in that employees were required to wear respirators in the workplace but the employer failed to establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures.

Issued

Feb 9, 2024

Abate by

Apr 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(d)(1)(ii):The employer did not select and use a NIOSH-certified respirator in compliance with the conditions of its certification:  a. South of facility in handheld production area: On November 6, 2023, the employer exposed employees to hazards associated with respirable crystalline silica, in that the employer did not select and use a NIOSH-certified respirator in compliance with the conditions of its certification.

Issued

Feb 9, 2024

Abate by

Apr 26, 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:  a. South of facility in handheld production area: On November 6, 2023, the employer exposed employees to respiratory hazards, in that the employer required employees to use respirators without first providing a medical evaluation to determine whether employees were able to wear a respirator.

Issued

Feb 9, 2024

Abate by

Apr 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(1): The employer did not ensure that employee(s) required to use a tight-fitting facepiece respirator passed the appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT):  a. South of facility in handheld production area: On November 6, 2023, the employer exposed employees to respiratory hazards in that the employer required the use of respirators while conducting grinding, buffing, polishing operations. Employees were not required to pass a qualitative or quantitative fit test to ensure they are provided appropriate level of protection.

Issued

Feb 9, 2024

Abate by

Apr 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $4,839 · Current $2,661 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(j)(1): The employer did not include respirable crystalline silica in the program established to comply with the hazard communication standard (HCS) (29 CFR 1910.1200):   a. South of facility in handheld production area: On November 6, 2023, the employer exposed employees to hazards associated with respirable crystalline silica in that the employer's hazard communication program did not include a section on respirable crystalline silica.

Issued

Feb 9, 2024

Abate by

Apr 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

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:  a. South of facility in handheld production area: On November 6, 2023, the employer exposed employees to hazardous chemicals such as but not limited to crystalline silica, in that a written hazard communication program was not developed and implemented.

Issued

Feb 9, 2024

Abate by

Apr 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

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:  a. South of facility in handheld production area: On November 6, 2023, the employer exposed employees to hazardous chemicals such as but not limited to crystalline silica while conducting grinding, buffing, polishing, and the employer did not provide information and training on the health and physical hazards of these chemicals.