OSHA Inspection: MIDWAY BUILDING SERVICES LTD

Issued

Mar 27, 2024

Abate by

Aug 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $13,828 · Current $13,828

Hazardous substances 9135

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 when respirators were necessary to protect the health of the employee:  a )1 UPS Way, Hodgkins, IL 60525 - On or about February 10, 2024, the employer failed to establish and implement a written Respiratory Protection Program for employees conducting cleaning services at a customer site, as respirators were necessary to protect the health of the employees.   Affected employees were required to sweep debris and dust that collected in the guards underneath a conveyor system in addition to other areas of the facility.  Employees required to perform these cleaning activities were exposed to particulates not otherwise regulated (total dust) at an 8-hour Time-Weighted Average of 19.13 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3) to 27.01 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3), approximately 1.3 to 1.7 times the OSHA PEL of 15 mg/m3.   The respiratory protection program shall include, at a minimum, procedures for selecting respirators; medical evaluations; fit testing; procedures for proper use in routine and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations; procedures for cleaning, inspecting, repairing and discarding respirators; employee training regarding respiratory hazards they are exposed to, proper uses and limitations of respirators; and procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the respirator program.

Issued

Mar 27, 2024

Abate by

Aug 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

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) 1 UPS Way, Hodgkins, IL 60525 - On or about February 10, 2024, the employer failed to ensure each employee required to wear a respirator had been provided with a medical evaluation.   Affected employees were required to sweep debris and dust that collected in the guards underneath a conveyor system in addition to other areas of the facility.  Employees required to perform these cleaning activities were exposed to particulates not otherwise regulated (total dust) at an 8-hour Time-Weighted Average of 19.13 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3) to 27.01 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3), approximately 1.3 to 1.7 times the OSHA PEL of 15 mg/m3.

Issued

Mar 27, 2024

Abate by

Aug 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

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:  a) 1 UPS Way, Hodgkins, IL 60525 - On or about February 10, 2024, the employer failed to ensure employees required to use respiratory protection were provided with a fit test prior to the initial use of the respirator(s), thereby exposing employees to respiratory system illnesses.   Affected employees were required to sweep debris and dust that collected in the guards underneath a conveyor system in addition to other areas of the facility.  Employees required to perform these cleaning activities were exposed to particulates not otherwise regulated (total dust) at an 8-hour Time-Weighted Average of 19.13 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3) to 27.01 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3), approximately 1.3 to 1.7 times the OSHA PEL of 15 mg/m3.

Issued

Mar 27, 2024

Abate by

Aug 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

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) 1 UPS Way, Hodgkins, IL 60525 - On or about February 10, 2024, the employer failed to provide respirator training to ensure each employee could demonstrate knowledge of the required training elements of the standard including, but not limited to, why respiratory protection is necessary, factors that compromise protection, proper fit, proper use, limitations and capabilities, change schedules, emergency use, inspection, maintenance and/or storage, general requirements of 29 CFR 1910.134, and how to recognize medical signs and symptoms.   Affected employees were required to sweep debris and dust that collected in the guards underneath a conveyor system in addition to other areas of the facility.  Employees required to perform these cleaning activities were exposed to particulates not otherwise regulated (total dust) at an 8-hour Time-Weighted Average of 19.13 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3) to 27.01 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3), approximately 1.3 to 1.7 times the OSHA PEL of 15 mg/m3.

Issued

Mar 27, 2024

Abate by

Aug 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

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:   a) 1 UPS Way, Hodgkins, IL 60525 - On or about February 10, 2024, the employer failed to ensure that each employee who wore a respirator when such use was not required by the employer was provided with the information contained in Appendix D of the respiratory protection standard.   Affected employees were required to sweep debris and dust that collected in the guards underneath a conveyor system in addition to other areas of the facility.  Employees required to perform these cleaning activities were exposed to particulates not otherwise regulated (total dust) at an 8-hour Time-Weighted Average of 19.13 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3) to 27.01 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3), approximately 1.3 to 1.7 times the OSHA PEL of 15 mg/m3.

Issued

Mar 27, 2024

Abate by

Aug 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $13,828 · Current $13,828

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of particulates not otherwise regulated (total dust), listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8-hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 15 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3):  a) On or about February 10, 2024, an employee was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 27.01 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3) of particulates not otherwise regulated (total dust), approximately 1.8 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 15 mg/m3. The exposure level was derived from samples collected over a 262-minute sampling period with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 218 minutes. The limit is established to prevent employees from suffering adverse health effects, such as target organ damage to the eyes, skin or respiratory system.  b) On or about February 10, 2024, an employee was exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 19.13 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3) of particulates not otherwise regulated (total dust), approximately 1.3 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 15 mg/m3. The exposure level was derived from samples collected over a 283-minute sampling period with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 197 minutes. The limit is established to prevent employees from suffering adverse health effects, such as target organ damage to the eyes, skin or respiratory system.

Issued

Mar 27, 2024

Abate by

Aug 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(e): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented to achieve compliance with the limits prescribed in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d):  a) On or about February 10, 2024, employees were required to sweep debris and dust that collected in the guards underneath a conveyor system in addition to other areas of the facility. Employees required to perform these cleaning activities were exposed to particulates not otherwise regulated (total dust) at an 8-hour Time-Weighted Average of 19.13 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3) to 27.01 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3), approximately 1.3 to 1.7 times the OSHA PEL of 15 mg/m3.   For this type of work, general methods of control applicable in these circumstances include, but are not limited to, the following:  1. Incorporate engineering controls, such as the use of high efficiency vacuums, to eliminate or reduce the need for sweeping and to minimize fugitive dust generated during the cleaning process.   2. Increase the cleaning frequency of high dust and debris areas.   3. Administratively limit the amount of time a worker is required to perform cleaning activities in the high dust and debris areas.