OSHA Inspection: SOUND RESOURCE SOLUTIONS

Issued

May 2, 2024

Abate by

Jun 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $11,292 · Current $11,292

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i):The employer did not ensure that each employee on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge that is 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above a lower level was protected from falling by Guard rail systems, safety net systems or Personal fall arrest system.  On or about November 8, 2023 and at prior times, in the frac/blending tanks area at Sound Resource Solutions facility located in Sheperd, TX, the employer did not protect employees from falls when guard rail systems were not installed, and employees did not use personal fall protection systems while working on top of AZA blending tanks #3 and #4.

Issued

May 2, 2024

Abate by

Jun 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $11,292 · Current $8,469 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.38(d): Employee alarm system. Employer facility did not have and maintain an employee alarm system with a distinctive signal for each purpose that is compliant with the requirements in �� 1910.165.  On or about November 8, 2023 and at prior times, at Sound Resource Solutions facility located in Sheperd, TX, the employer did not have and maintain an employee alarm system to give warning to its employees for necessary emergency actions in case of a fire, explosion and chemical release events.

Issued

May 2, 2024

Abate by

Jun 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $11,292 · Current $8,469 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(f)(3)(i): Separation. Tank vehicle and tank car loading or unloading facilities did not separate from aboveground tanks, warehouses, other plant buildings or nearest line of adjoining property that may be built upon by a distance of 25 feet for Category 1 or 2 flammable liquids, or Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint below 100 �F (37.8 �C), and 15 feet for Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint at or above 100 �F (37.8 �C) and Category 4 flammable liquids measured from the nearest position of any fill spout.  a) On or about November 8, 2023 and at prior times, at Sound Resource Solutions facility located in Sheperd, TX, employees were exposed to fire hazards when the employer did not maintain the minimum required distance of 25 ft between the office building ,  AZA blending tanks #1 & #2,  and the tank vehicle/ tank car loading and unloading facilities for Xylene, IPA, Turpentine and Red-eye diesel.

Issued

May 2, 2024

Abate by

Jun 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $11,292 · Current $8,469 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.106(f)(8): Fire control. Suitable fire-control devices, such as small hose or portable fire extinguishers were not available to locations where fires were likely to occur and additional fire-control equipment, designed in accordance with approved engineering standards and sufficient to extinguish a fire in the largest tank was not provided  when a tank of more than 50,000 gallons individual capacity contains Category 1 or 2 flammable liquids, or Category 3 flammable liquids with a flashpoint below 100 �F (37.8 �C) onsite, and where an unusual exposure hazard exists from surrounding property.   a) On or about November 8, 2023 and at prior times, at Sound Resource Solutions facility located in Sheperd, TX, employees were exposed to fire hazards when the employer did not have sufficient fire-control devices available to extinguish fires  in the areas onsite where large quantities of Category 2 and Category 3 flammable chemicals, including but not limited to AZA, 2012, Xylene, IPA and Turpentine were being stored, transferred, and processed onsite.

Issued

May 2, 2024

Abate by

Jun 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $11,292 · Current $8,469 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.119(e)(1): The employer did not perform a process hazard analysis (hazard evaluation) on processes covered by this standard. The process hazard analysis did not identify, evaluate, and control the hazards involved in the process:  On or about November 8, 2023, in the frac/blending tanks area at Sound Resource Solutions facility located in Sheperd, TX, workers were exposed to fire and explosion hazards, when the employer did not perform process hazard analysis to identify, evaluate, and control the hazards of the PSM-covered process when:  a) The employer failed to evaluate the hazards of not maintaining the safe distances among the piles of highly flammable chemicals stored onsite in totes/IBCs, including Category 2 materials (flash point less than 73F) and Category 3 materials (flash point less than 100F).  b) The employer failed to evaluate the hazards of not maintaining safe quantities of highly flammable Category 2 and Category 3 chemicals in pile(s) of totes/IBCs.  c) The employer did not perform a facility siting study to determine extent of area that could be impacted if material being stored, staged for batching, and/or being processed is released and ignites, resulting in a fire.

Issued

May 2, 2024

Abate by

Jun 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $8,067

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.119(j)(4)(iv): The employer did not document each inspection and test that had been performed on process equipment. The documentation did not identify the date of the inspection or test, the name of the person who performed the inspection or test, the serial number or other identifier of the equipment on which the inspection or test was performed, a description of the inspection or test performed, and the results of the inspection or test.    On or about November 8, 2023 and at prior times, in the frac/blending tanks area at Sound Resource Solutions facility located in Sheperd, TX, workers were exposed to fire and explosion hazards, when the employer did not document inspections and tests performed on its process equipment for AZA and 2012 products.

Issued

May 2, 2024

Abate by

Jun 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $11,292 · Current $11,292

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.132(d)(1)(i): The employer did not select and have each affected employee use the types of personal protective equipment (PPE) that would protect the affected employee(s) from the hazards identified in the hazard assessment.  a) On or about November 8, 2023 and at prior times, in the blending tank area at Sound Resource Solutions facility located in Sheperd, TX, the employer did not select and have each affected employee use, the types of PPE that will protect the affected employee from the hazards present in their work area.

Issued

May 2, 2024

Abate by

Jun 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $11,292 · Current $8,469 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program 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:   a) On or about November 8, 2023 and at prior times, in the frac/blending tank area at Sound Resource Solutions facility located in Sheperd, TX, employees were exposed to respiratory hazards when the employer did not establish and implement a respiratory protection program prior to having its employees use 3M M7502 half face respirators during mixing, blending and transferring its chemical 2012.

Issued

May 2, 2024

Abate by

Jun 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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 is fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace.   a) On or about November 8, 2023 and at prior times, in the blending tank area at Sound Resource Solutions facility located in Sheperd, TX, employees were exposed to respiratory hazards when they used 3M M7502 half face respirators for mixing, blending and transferring of chemicals in the employer's process for making its 2012 material without being medically evaluated to determine their ability to use respirators.

Issued

May 2, 2024

Abate by

Jun 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2):The employer did not ensure that an employee using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator is fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator, whenever a different respirator facepiece (size, style, model or make) is used, and at least annually thereafter.  a) On or about November 8, 2023 and at prior times, in the blending tank area at Sound Resource Solutions facility located in Sheperd, TX, employees were exposed to respiratory hazards when they used 3M M7502 half face respirators during mixing, blending and transferring of the employer's chemical 2012 without being fit tested.

Issued

May 2, 2024

Abate by

Jun 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $8,469

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.178(l)(6): Certification. The employer did not certify that each operator had been trained and evaluated as required by this paragraph (l). The certification shall include the name of the operator, the date of the training, the date of the evaluation, and the identity of the person(s) performing the training or evaluation.  a) On or about November 8, 2023 and at prior times, employees were exposed to fire and struck-by hazards in the blending tank area at Sound Resource Solutions facility located in Sheperd, TX, when the employer did not ensure that the employees who operate powered industrial trucks are trained and certified.

Issued

May 2, 2024

Abate by

Jun 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $11,292 · Current $6,775 Reduced

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) On or about November 8, 2023 and at prior times, in the blending tank area at Sound Resource Solutions facility in Sheperd, TX, employees were exposed to chemical hazards when the employer did not provide them with effective training on the facility's HAZCOM program and hazards of chemicals in the area where they were assigned to work.