OSHA Inspection: ROCK-IT NATURAL STONE

Issued

Feb 14, 2025

Abate by

Mar 13, 2025

Penalty

Initial $14,895 · Current $12,500 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.9(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:  On or about August 20, 2024, at the saw shop, employees were exposed to workplace noise above an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent and an effective hearing conservation program was not administered for employees who conducted rock processing operations including but not limited to the following:  a) A straight-line saw operator exposed to workplace noise at an 8-hour time-weighted-average (TWA) sound level of 102.5 dBA during rock sawing operations. The noise monitoring result was derived from a personal sampling time of 470 minutes and a non-sampled time of 10 minutes was assumed to be a zero-exposure period.  b) A corner saw operator, exposed to workplace noise at an 8-hour time-weighted-average (TWA) sound level of 95.9 dBA during rock sawing operations. The noise monitoring result was derived from a personal sampling time of 468 minutes and a non-sampled time of 12 minutes was assumed to be a zero-exposure period.  c) A chopper operator, exposed to workplace noise at an 8-hour time-weighted-average (TWA) sound level of 96.5 dBA during rock chopping operations. The noise monitoring result was derived from a personal sampling time of 461 minutes and a non-sampled time of 19 minutes was assumed to be a zero-exposure period.  d) A jaguar saw operator, exposed to workplace noise at an 8-hour time-weighted-average (TWA) sound level of 94.4 dBA during rock sawing operations. The noise monitoring result was derived from a personal sampling time of 470 minutes and a non-sampled time of 10 minutes was assumed to be a zero-exposure period.

Issued

Feb 14, 2025

Abate by

Mar 13, 2025

Penalty

Initial $14,895 · Current $12,500 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(d)(3)(i)(B)(1):The employer did not select a respirator for employee use that maintained the employee's exposure to the hazardous substance, when measured outside the respirator, at or below the maximum use concentration:  On or about August 20, 2024, at the chopper machine area of the saw shop, employees were required to wear half-mask negative pressure respirators that did not maintain employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica, when measured outside the respirator, at or below the maximum use concentration.

Issued

Feb 14, 2025

Abate by

Mar 13, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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:  On or about August 15, 2024, at the saw shop, the employer required the use of respiratory protection but had not provided employees wearing N95 or half-mask Honeywell 5500 with 7580 P100 filters with a respiratory medical evaluation.

Issued

Feb 14, 2025

Abate by

Mar 13, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(f)(1):The employer did not ensure that employee(s) required to use a tight-fitting facepiece respirator passed the appropriate qualitative fit test (QLFT) or quantitative fit test (QNFT):  On or about August 15, 2024, at the saw shop, the employer required the use of respiratory protection but had not provided employees required to wear an N95 or half-mask Honeywell 5500 with 7580 P100 filters respirator with a fit test.

Issued

Feb 14, 2025

Abate by

Mar 13, 2025

Penalty

Initial $14,895 · Current $12,500 Reduced

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 g/m3, calculated as an 8-hour TWA:  On or about August 20, 2024, at the saw shop, employees were exposed to airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica which exceeded 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, as an 8-hour time-weighted average as follows:  a) At the jaguar saw area, an employee's personal 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) exposure to airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica was 98.0 micrograms per cubic meter of air during sandstone sawing operations.  This exposure exceeded the OSHA respirable crystalline silica PEL of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air by 1.9 times. The monitoring consisted of one sample collected during a 238-minute sampling period and one sample collected during a 228 -minute sampling period. The remaining time of 14 minutes was included in the 8-hour TWA as a zero respirable crystalline silica exposure period.  b) At the chopper area, an employee's personal 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) exposure to airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica was 640.0 micrograms per cubic meter of air during sandstone chopping operations. This exposure exceeded the OSHA crystalline silica PEL of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air by 12.8 times. The monitoring consisted of one sample collected during a 300-minute sampling period and one sample collected during a 157 -minute sampling period. The remaining time of 23 minutes was included in the 8-hour TWA as a zero respirable crystalline silica exposure period.  c) At the east straight-line saw area, an employee's personal 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) exposure to airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica was 130.0 micrograms per cubic meter of air during sawing operations.  This exposure exceeded the OSHA respirable crystalline silica PEL of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air by 2.6 times. The monitoring consisted of one sample collected during a 238-minute sampling period and one sample collected during a 228 -minute sampling period. The remaining time of 14 minutes was included in the 8-hour TWA as a zero respirable crystalline silica exposure period.

Issued

Feb 14, 2025

Abate by

Mar 13, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(d)(1): The employer did not assess the exposure of each employee who was or may reasonably be expected to be exposed to respirable crystalline silica at or above the action level in accordance with either the performance option in paragraph (d)(2) or the scheduled monitoring option in paragraph (d)(3) of this section:  On or about August 20, 2024, at the saw shop, the exposure of each employee who is or may reasonably be expected to be exposed to respirable crystalline silica at or above the action level has not been assessed.

Issued

Feb 14, 2025

Abate by

Mar 13, 2025

Penalty

Initial $14,895 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(e)(2)(i):The employer did not demarcate regulated areas from the rest of the workplace in a manner that minimized the number of employees exposed to respirable crystalline silica within the regulated area:  On or about August 20, 2024, during operations in the saw shop, regulated areas were not demarcated to minimize the number of employees exposed to airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica which exceeded 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, as an 8-hour time-weighted average as follows:  a) At the jaguar saw area, an employee's personal 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) exposure to airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica was 98.0 micrograms per cubic meter of air during sandstone sawing operations.  This exposure exceeded the OSHA respirable crystalline silica PEL of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air by 1.9 times. The monitoring consisted of one sample collected during a 238-minute sampling period and one sample collected during a 228 -minute sampling period. The remaining time of 14 minutes was included in the 8-hour TWA as a zero respirable crystalline silica exposure period.  b) At the chopper area, an employee's personal 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) exposure to airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica was 640.0 micrograms per cubic meter of air during sandstone chopping operations. This exposure exceeded the OSHA crystalline silica PEL of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air by 12.8 times. The monitoring consisted of one sample collected during a 300-minute sampling period and one sample collected during a 157 -minute sampling period. The remaining time of 23 minutes was included in the 8-hour TWA as a zero respirable crystalline silica exposure period.  c) At the east straight-line saw area, an employee's personal 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) exposure to airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica was 130.0 micrograms per cubic meter of air during sawing operations.  This exposure exceeded the OSHA respirable crystalline silica PEL of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air by 2.6 times. The monitoring consisted of one sample collected during a 238-minute sampling period and one sample collected during a 228 -minute sampling period. The remaining time of 14 minutes was included in the 8-hour TWA as a zero respirable crystalline silica exposure period.

Issued

Feb 14, 2025

Abate by

Mar 13, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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 August 20, 2024, at the saw shop, an employee worked at a jaguar saw where sandstone was cut and feasible engineering and work practice controls to reduce employee exposure to or below the respirable crystalline silica OSHA PEL were not fully implemented, including but not limited to:     1. More frequent cleaning of silica containing debris, 2. Increased dilution ventilation, 3. Positioning employees away from dust debris paths, and  4. Increased distance from other sandstone cutting saws.  b. On or about August 20, 2024, at the saw shop, employees worked at a chopper machine for sandstone rock and feasible engineering and work practice controls to reduce employee exposure to or below the respirable crystalline silica OSHA PEL were not fully implemented, including but not limited to:  1. More frequent cleaning of silica containing debris,  2. Wet methods of chopping sandstone, 3. Increased dilution ventilation, and 4. Positioning employees away from dust debris paths.  c. On or about August 20, 2024, at the saw shop, employees worked at the east side straight line saw for cutting sandstone and feasible engineering and work practice controls to reduce employee exposure to or below the respirable crystalline silica OSHA PEL were not fully implemented, including but not limited to:     1. More frequent cleaning of silica containing debris, 2. Increased dilution ventilation, 3. Positioning employees away from dust debris paths, and  4. Increased distance from other sandstone cutting saws.

Issued

Feb 14, 2025

Abate by

Mar 13, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(h)(1):The employer allowed dry sweeping or dry brushing where such activity could contribute to employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica and wet sweeping, HEPA-filtered vacuuming or other methods that minimize the likelihood of exposure were feasible:  On or about August 15, 2024 and at times prior thereto and thereafter, at the saw shop, employees used brooms and shovels daily to clean sandstone dust and debris which contained crystalline silica from the floor of the saw shop.

Issued

Feb 14, 2025

Abate by

Mar 13, 2025

Penalty

Initial $14,895 · Current $0 Reduced

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:  On or about August 20, 2024, at the saw shop, employees operated choppers and powered saws to process sandstone rock that contained crystalline silica and a written exposure control plan for employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica was not implemented.

Issued

Feb 14, 2025

Abate by

Mar 13, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(j)(3)(i): The employer did ensure that each employee covered by this section could demonstrate knowledge and understanding of  the health hazards associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica; specific tasks in the workplace that could result in exposure to respirable crystalline silica; specific measures the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to respirable crystalline silica; the contents of this section; and the purpose and a description of the medical surveillance program required by paragraph (i) of this section:  On or about August 20, 2024, at the saw shop, employees operated choppers and powered saws to cut sandstone that contained crystalline silica and employees did not demonstrate knowledge and understanding on respirable crystalline silica.

Issued

Feb 14, 2025

Abate by

Mar 13, 2025

Penalty

Initial $2,128 · Current $500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1904.40(a):The employer did not provide an authorized government representative the records within the four business hours:  On or about August 15, 2024, the employer did not provide to OSHA, within the four business hours of when they were requested, the following:  a. OSHA Form 300 or equivalent for years 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020 b. OSHA Form 300A or equivalent for years 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020.