OSHA Inspection: WULF BROTHERS INC.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Oct 3, 2024

Penalty

Initial $6,453 · Current $3,225 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.23(b)(9):  The employer must ensure ladders are inspected before initial use in each work shift, and more frequently as necessary, to identify any visible defects that could cause employee injury:  On or about May 20, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not ensure ladders were inspected before initial use at least each work shift. A 6-foot step ladder used by Painter employees was not inspected at least each work shift. The ladder was covered in overspray and could not be inspected for visible defects in the ladder's fiberglass frame.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $8,067 · Current $4,034 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.106(e)(2)(ii)(b)(2):  The quantity of liquid that may be located outside of an inside storage room or storage cabinet in a building or in any one fire area of a building shall not exceed 120 gallons of Category 2, 3, or 4 flammable liquids in containers:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer had greater than 120 gallons of Category 2, 3, or 4 flammable liquids in the Paint area located outside of an inside storage room or storage cabinets. Approximately 470 gallons of flammable liquids in containers, consisting of approximately five (5) 55-gallon drums and at least 39 5-gallon buckets, were located in the room where the paint booths were located.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Penalty

Initial $8,067 · Current $4,034 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.107(b)(5)(i):  The spraying operations except electrostatic spraying operations shall be so designed, installed and maintained that the average air velocity over the open face of the booth (or booth cross section during spraying operations) shall be not less than 100 linear feet per minute. Visible gauges or audible alarm or pressure activated devices shall be installed to indicate or insure that the required air velocity is maintained. Filter rolls shall be inspected to insure proper replacement of filter media:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not ensure visible gauges, audible alarm or pressure activated devices were installed to insure that the required air velocity was maintained. A manometer was installed on the painting spray booth but it had not been maintained and did not have liquid present to indicate that the required air velocity of the spray booth was being maintained.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.107(b)(9):  Spray booths shall be so installed that all portions are readily accessible for cleaning. A clear space of not less than 3 feet on all sides shall be kept free from storage or combustible construction:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; storage along the outsides of the spray booths did not allow for a clear space of 3 feet on all sides.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Oct 3, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.107(g)(2):  All spraying areas shall be kept as free from the accumulation of deposits of combustible residues as practical, with cleaning conducted daily if necessary. Scrapers, spuds, or other such tools used for cleaning purposes shall be of nonsparking material:  In the week preceding and on May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI;   a) The employer did not keep all spray areas as free as practical from the accumulation of deposits of combustible residues. Overspray from spray finishing operations had been allowed to accumulate on the interior walls of the spray booth to the point of creating nodule formations. A pile of overspray scraped up from the floor was not removed from the spray booth and was piled near the filters of the exhaust ventilation.  b) The employer did not ensure nonsparking tools were used to clean the spray booth. A long handled steel shovel like scraping tool was used to clean the paint spray booth.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $8,067 · Current $4,034 Reduced

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:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not establish and implement a written respiratory protection program when a Painter employee was required to wear a negative pressure tight-fitting full-face respirator while the employee conducted spray finishing in a spray booth nor while a Blaster employee was required to wear a positive pressure blasting respirator while the employee conducted abrasive blasting in a blasting booth.  All provisions of 29 CFR 1910.134(c) through (m) shall be contained in a written Respiratory Protection Program. Key elements include, but are not limited to the following:  1)  Respirator selection 2)  Filter changeout schedules 3) Medical evaluations for respirator use 4) Fit testing 5) Employees training on use, limitations, care and storage of respirators 6) Program evaluation 7) Recordkeeping

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(e)(1):  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:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not provide a medical evaluation to a Painter employee to determine the employee's ability to use a negative pressure tight-fitting full-face respirator when the employee conducted spray finishing in a spray booth. The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to a Blaster employee to determine the employee's ability to use a positive pressure blasting respirator when the employee conducted abrasive blasting in a blast booth.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(f)(1):  The employer shall ensure that employees using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator pass an appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT) as stated in this paragraph:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not ensure that a Painter employee using a negative pressure tight-fitting full-face respirator passed an appropriate QLFT or QNFT before the employee was required to use the respirator while the employee conducted spray finishing in a spray booth.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A):  The employer shall not permit 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 May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer allowed a Painter employee using a negative pressure tight-fitting half-face respirator to have facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the employee's face while the employee conducted spray finishing in a spray booth.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(h)(1)(i):  Respirators issued for the exclusive use of an employee shall be cleaned and disinfected as often as necessary to be maintained in a sanitary condition:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not ensure a Painter employee's tight-fitting full-face respirator was cleaned and disinfected as often as necessary to be maintained in a sanitary condition. The employee's respirator had accumulations of overspray from when the employee conducted spray finishing in the spray booth.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not ensure the Painter employee nor the Blaster employee stored their respirators to protect them from contamination, dust, and damaging chemicals. The Painter employee left their respirator on the workbench in the paint area at the end of the day. The Blaster employee hung their respirator in the booth during breaks and just outside the booth overnight.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(h)(3)(ii)(B):  The employer shall ensure that respirator inspections include a check of elastomeric parts for pliability and signs of deterioration:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not ensure that a Painter employee's tight-fitting full-face respirator had been inspected to check the elastomeric parts for pliability and signs of deterioration. The respirator's elastomeric parts could not be inspected because of accumulations of overspray from spray finishing operations.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 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:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not provide effective training to a Painter employee who was required to wear a negative pressure tight-fitting full-face respirator when the employee conducted spray finishing in a spray booth, nor to a Blaster employee who was required to wear a positive pressure blasting helmet respirator when the employee conducted abrasive blasting in a blasting booth.  All provisions of 29 CFR 1910.134(k)(1) through (k)(6) shall be provided to employees wearing respirators. Key elements include, but are not limited to the following:  1) Reason for respirators use 2) Respirator limitations and capabilities 3) Effective respirator inspection and use 4) Procedures for maintenance, care and storage of respirators 5) Recognition of signs/symptoms that may limit respirator use

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Penalty

Initial $8,067 · Current $4,034 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.178(l)(1)(i):  The employer shall ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (l):  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not ensure that each employee operating powered industrial truck forklifts were competent to operate the equipment and had not completed the training and evaluation specified in paragraph (l).

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $8,067 · Current $4,034 Reduced

Hazardous substances 0689

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1026(l)(1)(ii):  Communication of chromium (VI) hazards to employees, in classifying the hazards of chromium (VI) at least the following hazards are to be addressed: Cancer, eye irritation, and skin sensitization:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not communicate the hazards of chromium (VI) to Welder employees who were tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding on stainless steel. Employees were not aware of the health hazards of cancer, eye irritation, and skin sensitization associated with chromium (VI) exposure.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(1):  Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new chemical hazard the employees have not previously been trained about is introduced into their work area. Information and training may be designed to cover categories of hazards (e.g., flammability, carcinogenicity) or specific chemicals. Chemical-specific information must always be available through labels and safety data sheets:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not provide employee information and training on the hazards of the chemical in their work areas. Welding employees, Blaster employees, and Painter employee were exposed to chemicals such as, but not limit to; chromium (VI) and metal fumes from welding; aluminum oxide and other particulate from abrasive blasting; and paint vapors/particulates, solvents, and particulate from spray finishing operations.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(2): Employees shall be informed of: (i) The requirements of this section; (ii) Any operations in their work area where hazardous chemicals are present; and (iii) The location and availability of the written hazard communication program, including the required list(s) of hazardous chemicals, and safety data sheets required by this section:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not inform employees of; the requirement of the Hazard Communication section; any operations in their work areas where hazardous chemicals were present. Welding employees, Blaster employees, and Painter employee were exposed to chemicals such as, but not limit to; chromium (VI) and metal fumes from welding; aluminum oxide and other particulate from abrasive blasting; and paint vapors/particulates, solvents, and particulate from spray finishing operations.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3):  Employee training shall include at least the topics from (h)(3)(i) through (h)(3)(iv) of this section:   On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not provide training to employees regarding:   (i) how employees could detect hazardous chemicals in the work areas;  (ii) the physical hazards, health hazards and combustible dust hazards of the chemicals in their work areas;  (iii) the measures employees could take to protect themselves from hazardous chemicals through procedures and/or personal protective equipment (PPE); and  (iv) the details of a hazard communication program including descriptions of labeling on containers and safety data sheets (SDS).   Welding employees, Blaster employees, and Painter employee were exposed to chemicals such as, but not limit to; chromium (VI) and metal fumes from welding; aluminum oxide and other particulate from abrasive blasting; and paint vapors/particulates, solvents, and particulate from spray finishing operations.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $8,067 · Current $4,034 Reduced

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:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not provide develop or implement a written hazard communication program when Welding employees, Blaster employees, and Painter employee were exposed to chemicals such as, but not limit to; chromium (VI) and metal fumes from welding; aluminum oxide and other particulate from abrasive blasting; and paint vapors/particulates, solvents, and particulate from spray finishing operations.  All provisions of 29 CFR 1910.1200(e) through (h) shall be contained in a written Hazard Communication program. Key elements include, but are not limited to the following:  1) List of all chemicals 2) Collection of SDS 3) Labeling of containers 4) Employee information/training

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(g)(1):  Employers shall have a safety data sheet in the workplace for each hazardous chemical which they use:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not have safety data sheets (SDS) for each hazardous chemical which they used, including but not limited to welding wire, inert gas, aluminum oxide blasting media, multiple paints, coatings and solvents.

Issued

Sep 5, 2024

Abate by

Dec 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  On or about May 21, 2024, at a facility located at 811 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, WI; the employer did not verify through written certification that a workplace hazard assessment for personal protective equipment (PPE) had been performed when employees were provided and required to PPE such as but not limited to; eye protection in the form of safety glasses; foot protection in the form of safety toed shoes; eye and hand protection in the form of welding helmets and gloves; respirator, eye, and body protection from blasting particulate in the form of blast helmet respirator and Tyvek coveralls; respirator protection, eye protection, and body protection from sprayed paint in the form of full-face respirator and Tyvek coveralls.