OSHA Inspection: HOWARD INDUSTRIES, INC.

Issued

Nov 6, 2024

Abate by

Dec 4, 2024

Penalty

Initial $8,228 · Current $3,800 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:  a.)	Howard Industries, Inc., Production areas, on or about October 3rd, 2024 and times prior thereto:  Employees worked with and around hazardous chemicals including, but not limited to, Lord 406 Acrylic Adhesive, and various Akzo Nobel brand Grip-Gard basecoats/paints during work operations at the site.  The employer did not provide hazard communication training for all employees who worked with and around hazardous substances.   ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED: Abatement certification is required within 10 days after the abatement date noted on the citation.  This certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date abatement was completed, method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement. IN ADDITION, abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photographic, or video evidence or abatement or other written records.

Issued

Nov 6, 2024

Abate by

Dec 4, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $3,800

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(k)(3): Training was not provided prior to requiring employees to use a respirator in the workplace:  a)	Howard Industries, Inc., Production areas, on or about October 3rd, 2024, and times prior thereto:  Employees were required to wear half mask, tight-fitting, filtering facepiece respirators (3M brand #5300 series with OV cartridges) during work task including, but not limited to, spray painting various metal signs in the paint booth.  Employees who were required to wear respiratory protection had not been provided with respiratory protection training.     ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED: Abatement certification is required within 10 days after the abatement date noted on the citation.  This certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date abatement was completed, method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement. IN ADDITION, abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photographic, or video evidence or abatement or other written records.

Issued

Nov 6, 2024

Abate by

Dec 4, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A): Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees who had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interfered with valve function:  a.)	Howard Industries, Inc., Production areas, on or about October 3rd, 2024 and times prior thereto:  Employees were required to wear half mask, tight-fitting, filtering facepiece respirators (3M brand #5300 series with OV cartridges) during work task including, but not limited to, spray painting various metal signs in the paint booth. Some employees who were required to wear elastomeric tight-fitting half mask respirators were not clean shaven.     ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED: Abatement certification is required within 10 days after the abatement date noted on the citation (see below).  This certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date abatement was completed, method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Nov 6, 2024

Penalty

Initial $6,857 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

1910.134(m)(2)(i)(C) -  Specific make, model, style, and size of respirator tested;  a) Howard Industries, Inc., Production areas, on or about October 3rd, 2024, and times prior thereto: Employees were required to wear half mask, tight-fitting, filtering facepiece respirators (3M brand #5300 series with OV cartridges) during work task including, but not limited to, spray painting various metal signs in the paint booth. One employee had only been fit tested for a 3M brand P95 respirator (dust mask) and not the exact make/model, style and size of respirator that was utilized and required to be worn at the worksite.    b)	Howard Industries, Inc., Production areas, on or about October 3rd, 2024, and times prior thereto:  Employees were required to wear half mask, tight-fitting, filtering facepiece respirators (3M brand #5300 series with OV cartridges) during work task including, but not limited to, spray painting various metal signs in the paint booth.  One employee was not provided with a fit test prior to the required use of the tight-fitting filtering facepiece respirators.      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED: Abatement certification is required within 10 days after the abatement date noted on the citation.  This certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date abatement was completed, method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement. IN ADDITION, abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photographic, or video evidence or abatement or other written records.