OSHA Inspection: APPLIED SCIENTIFIC INTERNATIONAL LLC

Issued

Jul 15, 2024

Abate by

Aug 29, 2024

Penalty

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

Hazardous substances 106022109135A100M106

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1):  In any workplace where respirators are necessary to protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators are required by the employer, the employer shall establish and implement a written respiratory protection program with worksite-specific procedures. The program shall be updated as necessary to reflect those changes in workplace conditions that affect respirator use. The employer shall include in the program the following provisions of this section, 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) through (c)(1)(ix) as applicable.  1910.134(c)(1)(i) Procedures for selecting respirators in the workplace.   1910.134(c)(1)(ii) Medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators.   1910.134(c)(1)(iii) Fit testing procedures for tight-fitting respirators.   1910.134(c)(1)(v) Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators.   1910.134(c)(1)(vii) Training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed during routine and emergency situations.   1910.134(c)(1)(viii) Training of employees in the proper use of respirators, including putting on and removing them, any limitations on their use, and their maintenance.    a)  On or about February 1, 2024, the employer did not develop and implement a written respiratory protection program for employees who were required to wear 3M 6000 series full face respirators with 3M 6003 organic vapor/acid gas/P100 cartridges and half face respirators with 60926 organic vapor cartridges while mixing dry and liquid chemicals containing ethanol, BPA, 2-methylimidazole, Partially Fluorinated Alcohol Substituted Glycol, aluminum oxide, 1-Methoxy-2-propanol, 2-Methoxy-1-propanol, magnesium chloride, formaldehyde, and other hazardous chemicals that were irritants, poisons, combustible and/or flammables.

Issued

Jul 15, 2024

Abate by

Aug 29, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 106022109135A100M106

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(e)(1): General. The employer shall 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. The employer may discontinue an employee's medical evaluations when the employee is no longer required to use a respirator.   a)  On or about February 1, 2024, the employer did not provide medical evaluations for employees who were required to wear 3M 6000 series full face respirators with 3M 6003 organic vapor/acid gas/P100 cartridges and half face respirators with 60926 organic vapor cartridges before the employee was fit tested or required to use the respirator in the workplace.

Issued

Jul 15, 2024

Abate by

Aug 29, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 106022109135A100M106

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.   a)  On or about February 1, 2024, the employer did not provide fit tests for employees who were required to wear 3M 6000 series full face respirators with 3M 6003 organic vapor/acid gas/P100 cartridges and half face respirators with 60926 organic vapor cartridges prior to initial use of the respirator, whenever a different respirator facepiece (size, style, model or make) is used, and at least annually thereafter.

Issued

Jul 15, 2024

Abate by

Aug 29, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 106022109135A100M106

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(h)(2)(i): All respirators shall be stored to protect them from damage, contamination, dust, sunlight, extreme temperatures, excessive moisture, and damaging chemicals, and they shall be packed or stored to prevent deformation of the facepiece and exhalation valve.  a)  On or about February 1, 2024, the employer had not provided storage areas for employees to properly store the full and half face respirators that were required in the workplace while mixing chemicals.  Employees stored their respirators hanging on hooks and benches in a coat room between the wet lab and mixing room.

Issued

Jul 15, 2024

Abate by

Aug 29, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 106022109135A100M106

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k): Training and information. 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.   a)  On or about February 1, 2024, the employer had not provided training for employees who were required to wear 3M 6000 series full face respirators with 3M 6003 organic vapor/acid gas/P100 cartridges and half face respirators with 60926 organic vapor cartridges while mixing dry and liquid chemicals containing ethanol, BPA, 2-methylimidazole, Partially Fluorinated Alcohol Substituted Glycol, aluminum oxide, 1-Methoxy-2-propanol, 2-Methoxy-1-propanol, magnesium chloride, formaldehyde, and other hazardous chemicals that were irritants, poisons, combustible and/or flammables.  b)  On or about February 1, 2024 the employer had not provided the information in Appendix D of this standard to employees who wore 3M 9205 and N95 dust masks and KN95 masks (expired 2019) for voluntary use.

Issued

Jul 15, 2024

Abate by

Aug 29, 2024

Penalty

Initial $6,452 · Current $3,226 Reduced

Hazardous substances 106022109135A100M106

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning, safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met, and which also includes the following:  1910.1200(e)(1)(i) A list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present using a product identifier that is referenced on the appropriate safety data sheet (the list may be compiled for the workplace as a whole or for individual work areas) 1910.1200(e)(1)(ii) The methods the employer will use to inform employees of the hazards of non-routine tasks (for example, the cleaning of reactor vessels), and the hazards associated with chemicals contained in unlabeled pipes in their work areas  a)  On or about February 1, 2024, the employer did not develop, implement, and maintain a written hazard communication program for employees who worked with hazardous chemical compounds containing ethanol, BPA, 2-methylimidazole, Partially Fluorinated Alcohol Substituted Glycol, aluminum oxide, 1-Methoxy-2-propanol, 2-Methoxy-1-propanol, magnesium chloride, formaldehyde, and other hazardous chemicals that were irritants, poisons, combustible and/or flammables.

Issued

Jul 15, 2024

Abate by

Aug 29, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 106022109135A100M106

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8): The employer shall maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical and shall ensure that they are readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their work area(s). (Electronic access and other alternatives to maintaining paper copies of the safety data sheets are permitted as long as no barriers to immediate employee access in each workplace are created by such options.)   a)  On or about February 1, 2024, the employer provided, but did not maintain safety data sheets (SDSs) for the hazardous chemicals used in the workplace in an area where they were easily accessible to employees.

Issued

Jul 15, 2024

Abate by

Aug 29, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 106022109135A100M106

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.132(d)(2): The employer shall verify that the required workplace hazard assessment has been performed through a written certification that identifies the workplace evaluated; the person certifying that the evaluation has been performed; the date(s) of the hazard assessment; and, which identifies the document as a certification of hazard assessment.   a)  On or about February 1, 2024, the employer had not completed a written certification that a workplace hazard assessment had been performed.

Issued

Jul 15, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 106022109135A100M106

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.157(c)(1): The employer shall provide portable fire extinguishers and shall mount, locate and identify them so that they are readily accessible to employees without subjecting the employees to possible injury.   a)  On or about April 16, 2024, a fire extinguisher in the mixing area was observed to be blocked by a shovel and a wet floor sign.