OSHA Inspection: AQUA-DOC INTERNATIONAL, LTD

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Sep 19, 2024

Penalty

Initial $5,485 · Current $2,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.106(d)(4)(i): "Construction." Inside storage rooms were not constructed to meet the required fire-resistive rating for their use. Such construction did not comply with the test specifications set forth in Standard Methods of Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials, NFPA 251-1969. Where an automatic sprinkler system is provided, the system not designed and installed in an acceptable manner. Openings to other rooms or buildings were not provided with noncombustible liquid-tight raised sills or ramps at least 4 inches in height, or the floor in the storage area were not at least 4 inches below the surrounding floor. Openings were not provided with approved self-closing fire doors. The room was not liquid-tight where the walls join the floor. A permissible alternate to the sill or ramp was not an open-grated trench inside of the room which drains to a safe location. Where other portions of the building or other properties are exposed, windows were not protected as set forth in the Standard for Fire Doors and Windows, NFPA No. 80-1968, which is incorporated by reference as specified in Sec. 1910.6, for Class E or F openings. Wood at least 1 inch nominal thickness was not used for shelving, racks, dunnage, scuffboards, floor overlay, and similar installations:   (a) On or about March 7, 2024, the flammable liquid storage room did not have: 1.  A raised sill or ramp of at least 4 inches.   2.  Wood shelves used to store flammable/combustible liquids were not at least 1-inch nominal thickness.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Sep 19, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.106(d)(4)(iv):Ventilation. Every inside storage room was not provided with either a gravity or a mechanical exhaust ventilation system. Such system was not designed to provide for a complete change of air within the room at least six times per hour.  (a) On or about March 7, 2024, the flammable storage room within the Paint Dry Room contained a mechanical ventilation system that was not designed to provide for a complete change of air in the room of at least 6 air changes/hours.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Sep 19, 2024

Penalty

Initial $6,452 · Current $3,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.107(c)(6): Electrical wiring and equipment not subject to deposits of combustible residues but located in a spraying area as herein defined were not explosion-proof type approved for Class I, group D locations and did not otherwise conform to the provisions of subpart S of this part, for Class I, Division 1, Hazardous Locations:  On or about March 7, 2024,  in the Spray Area 1,  electrical lights, ceiling fans, 110VAC outlets on cross beams, illuminated exit signs were not rated for class I division 1 areas.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Sep 30, 2025

Penalty

Initial $3,918 · Current $1,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(f)(1): The employer did not use engineering and work practice controls to reduce and maintain employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica to or below the PEL, unless the employer can demonstrate that such controls are not feasible:  (a) On or about April 24, 2024, the Hastings Dust collection unit was not effective enough to keep employees under the permissible exposure limit to silica during abrasive blasting operations.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Sep 30, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(f)(3): In addition to the requirements of paragraph (f)(1) of this section, the employer did not comply with other OSHA standards, when applicable, such as 29 CFR 1910.94 (Ventilation), 29 CFR 1915.34 (Mechanical paint removers), and 29 CFR 1915 Subpart I (Personal Protective Equipment), where abrasive blasting was conducted using crystalline silica-containing blasting agents, or where abrasive blasting was conducted on substrates that contain crystalline silica:  (a) On or about April 24, 2024, the Hastings Dust Collection unit within the Abrasive Blasting Room did not comply with 29 CFR 1910.94.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Sep 30, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.94(a)(4)(i): The construction, installation, inspection, and maintenance of exhaust systems did not conform to the principles and requirements set forth in the American National Fundamentals Governing the Design and Operation of Local Exhaust Systems, Z9.2-1960, and ANSI Z33.1-1661, which is incorporated by reference as specified in CFR 1910.6:  On or about April 24, 2024, the Abrasive Blast Room exhaust did not conform to principle and requirements of ANSI Z9.2-1960, including but not limited to the air volume flow rate of make-up air, the air velocity in the desired control area, and the location of the intake air supply.  Abrasive blast room air flow was measured by OSHA on or about 04/24/2024 in front of the exhaust face area of the blasting room measured zero (0) feet per minute.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Dec 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $3,918 · Current $1,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(c):The employer did not ensure that no employee was exposed to an airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica in excess of 50 ug/m3, calculated as an 8-hour TWA:  (a) On April 24, 2024, an employee engaged in abrasive blasting operations was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 608.83 ug/m3 for silica , approximately 12 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over a 112 minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 368 minutes.  (b) On April 24, 2024, an employee engaged in abrasive blasting operations was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 301 ug/m3 for silica , approximately 6 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure level was derived from a sample collected over a 104 minute sampling period, with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 376 minutes.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Dec 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(d)(3)(iv): Where the most recent exposure monitoring indicated that employee exposures were above the PEL, the employer did not repeat such monitoring within three months of the most recent monitoring:  (a) On or about March 7, 2024, the employer did not conduct sampling every three (3) months when employees were exposed to silica above the permissible exposure limit of 50 ug/m3.

Issued

Aug 2, 2024

Abate by

Dec 30, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(f)(2)(i): The employer did not establish and implement a written exposure control plan:  (a) On or about March 7, 2024, the employer did not create a written exposure control plan for employees exposed over the permissible exposure limit for silica during abrasive blasting operations.