OSHA Inspection: R&R GRANITE & FLOORING, LLC

Issued

May 6, 2024

Abate by

Jul 5, 2024

Penalty

Initial $4,610 · Current $2,305 Reduced

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.	On or about December 8, 2023, in the Fabrication area: employees were exposed to respiratory hazards, in that, the employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures for employees wearing N95 Max Aggressive 9510 respirators while performing daily tasks such as, but not limited to, polishing granite and quartz pieces containing Crystalline Silica.

Issued

May 6, 2024

Abate by

Jul 5, 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 was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace:  a.	On or about December 8, 2023, in the Fabrication area: employees were exposed to respiratory hazards, in that employees were required to wear a N95 Max Aggressive 9510 respirators to protect against silica exposure while grinding and sanding granite, and the employer had not provided medical evaluations to determine their ability to use a respirator.

Issued

May 6, 2024

Abate by

Jul 5, 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 respirator was fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator, whenever a different respirator facepiece was used, and at least annually thereafter:  a. On or about December 8, 2023, in the Fabrication area: employees were exposed to respiratory hazards, in that employees were required to wear a N95 Max Aggressive 9510 respirators to protect against silica exposure while grinding and sanding granite, and the employer had not provided fit testing.

Issued

May 6, 2024

Abate by

Jul 5, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(k)(1): The employer did not provide respirator training that would ensure each employee could demonstrate knowledge of items in section (i)-(vii):  a.	On or about December 8, 2023, in the Fabrication area: employees were exposed to respiratory hazards, in that employees were required to wear a N95 Max Aggressive 9510 respirators to protect against silica exposure while grinding and sanding granite, and the employer had not provided respiratory protection training.

Issued

May 6, 2024

Abate by

Jul 5, 2024

Penalty

Initial $4,610 · Current $2,305 Reduced

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. On or about December 8, 2023, in the Fabrication area, the employer did not assess the exposure of each employee that was or may reasonably be expected to be exposed to respirable crystalline silica at or above the action level. Employees were observed performing daily tasks such as, but not limited to, polishing granite and quartz pieces that has crystalline silica as a composition material for manufactured stone. OSHA sampling revealed that a fabricator was exposed to crystalline silica at an 8-hour TWA of 17.20 mcg/m3, approximately 0.465 times the OSHA-PEL of 50 mcg/m3. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over a 359 minute sampling period. Zero exposure was assumed for the 121 minute unsampled period.

Issued

May 6, 2024

Abate by

Jul 5, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(d)(3)(i):Scheduled monitoring option. (i) The employer shall perform initial monitoring to assess the 8-hour TWA exposure for each employee on the basis of one or more personal breathing zone air samples that reflect the exposures of employees on each shift, for each job classification, in each work area. Where several employees perform the same tasks on the same shift and in the same work area, the employer may sample a representative fraction of these employees in order to meet this requirement. In representative sampling, the employer shall sample the employee(s) who are expected to have the highest exposure to respirable crystalline silica.  a. On or about December 8, 2023, in the Fabrication area, the employer did not perform initial monitoring to assess the 8-hour TWA exposure for each employee on the basis of one or more personal breathing zone air samples that reflect the exposures of employees, for each job classification, in each work area. Employees assigned to the polishing area perform tasks such as, but not limited to, as a polisher for granite pieces such as quartz that has crystalline silica as a composition material for manufactured stone. OSHA sampling revealed that a fabricator was exposed to crystalline silica at an 8-hour TWA of 17.20 mcg/m3, approximately 0.465 times the OSHA-PEL of 50 mcg/m3. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over a 359 minute sampling period. Zero exposure was assumed for the 121 minute unsampled period.

Issued

May 6, 2024

Abate by

Jul 5, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(f)(2)(iii):The employer did not make the written exposure control plan readily available for examination and copying, upon request, to each employee covered by this section, their designated representatives, the Assistant Secretary and the Director:  a. On or about December 8, 2023, in the Fabrication area: the employer did not make the written exposure control plan readily available for examination and copying, upon request, to each employee covered by this section. Five employees were observed performing daily tasks including, but not limited to,  the polishing area perform tasks such as, but not limited to, as a polisher for granite pieces such as quartz or granite. The employer did not did not make the written exposure control which discusses the precautions to take when using Crystalline Silica as part of the job.

Issued

May 6, 2024

Abate by

Jul 5, 2024

Penalty

Initial $2,765 · Current $1,383 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: (Construction Reference: 1926.59)  a. On or about December 8, 2023, in the Fabrication area: the employer did not develop, implement, and maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program and explain the possible risks to respirable crystalline silica-specific hazards like- cancer, lung effects, immune system effects, and kidney effects. Employees were observed performing daily tasks such as, but not limited to, polishing the granite and quartz pieces that has crystalline silica as a composition material for manufactured stone.