OSHA Inspection: BRAUN INDUSTRIES, INC.

Issued

May 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $6,913 · Current $3,457 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): The employer shall 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.  On or about January 17, 2024, the employer did not implement an effective annual fit testing program that evaluates employees' effectiveness in wearing a respirator that is tight fitting and fits the employees' face including 3M Secure Click -FF803 and FF802 respirators, 3M Secure Click -HF-8025D and HF-8035D respirators, 3M Full Face - 6800 and 6900 respirators, and 3M Half Piece - 6200/07026 and 6300/07026 respirators. The employer requires employees to wear the respirators in the paint and body shop areas as there are operations such as spraying product onto the frame of the ambulances that require the use of respirators and to reduce exposure to potential respirable chemical hazards such as barium sulfate, ethylbenzene, and xylene found in the products including but not limited to 3M? Platinum Select Filler, 2.1 DTM Low VOC Urethane Primer (Part A) White, Epoxy Primer Catalyst, Rohper 1-GL 2PK Oxsol Thinner, and Non sanding Epoxy Primer Light Gray (Lead Free).

Issued

May 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k): This paragraph requires the employer to provide effective training to employees who are required to use respirators. The training must be comprehensive, understandable, and recur annually, and more often if necessary. This paragraph also requires the employer to provide the basic information on respirators in Appendix D of this section to employees who wear respirators when not required by this section or by the employer to do so.  On or about January 17, 2024, the employer did not conduct employee respirator training for employees who conduct spraying operations for employees while wearing tight fitting respirators including employees who wear respirators including 3M Secure Click -FF803 and FF802 respirators, 3M Secure Click -HF-8025D and HF-8035D respirators, 3M Full Face - 6800 and 6900 respirators, 3M Half Piece - 6200/07026 and 6300/07026 respirators, and 3M Versa Flo - TR800 Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPR). The employer requires employees to wear a respirator in the paint and body shop areas as there are operations such as spraying product onto the frame of the ambulances that require the use of respirators and create potential exposure to products including but not limited to 3M? Platinum Select Filler, 2.1 DTM Low VOC Urethane Primer (Part A) White, Epoxy Primer Catalyst, Rohper 1-GL 2PK Oxsol Thinner, and Non sanding Epoxy Primer Light Gray (Lead Free). Each of these products can contain potential inhalation hazards including but not limited to barium sulfate, ethylbenzene, and xylene.

Issued

May 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A): The employer permitted respirators with tight-fitting facepieces to be worn by employees who have facial hair that comes between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interferes with valve function.  On or about January 17, 2024, the employer failed to enforce policies on employees who are required to wear tight-fitting respirators in the paint and body shop areas. Employees in this area were applying chemical products to the parts and frames of the ambulances including but not limited to 3M? Platinum Select Filler, 2.1 DTM Low VOC Urethane Primer (Part A) White, Epoxy Primer Catalyst, Rohper 1-GL 2PK Oxsol Thinner, and Non sanding Epoxy Primer Light Gray (Lead Free) that contain products including but not limited to barium sulfate, ethylbenzene, and xylene. Employees were applying these products onto the ambulance parts using spray guns. At least one employee conducting this operation was witnessed with facial hair that could interfere with the seal of the 3M half facepiece respirator they were wearing and exposing the employee to respirable hazards generated by the chemical products sprayed onto the ambulances.