OSHA Inspection: KEWAUNEE FABRICATIONS, L.L.C.

Issued

Mar 28, 2025

Penalty

Initial $13,005 · Current $13,005

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(c): Employees were exposed to an airborne concentration of chromium (VI) which exceeded 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air, as an 8-hour time-weighted average:  On or about December 18, 2024, at the establishment located at 520 North Main Street Kewaunee, Wisconsin; an employee welding on stainless steel rings was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average level of 10.2 ug/m3 for chromium (VI), approximately 2.0 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 5.0 ug/m3.  The exposure level was derived from a 407-minute sampling period with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 73 minutes.

Issued

Mar 28, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(e)(2): The employer did not ensure that a regulated area for chromium (VI) was demarcated from the rest of the workplace in a manner that adequately established and alerted employees of the boundaries of the regulated area:  On or about November 20, 2024, at the establishment located at 520 North Main Street Kewaunee, Wisconsin; the employer did not ensure that areas where employees were exposed to chromium (VI) were marked adequately to alert employees of exposure.

Issued

Mar 28, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(f)(1)(i): Feasible engineering controls and work practices were not instituted to reduce and maintain employee exposures to chromium (VI) at or below the permissible exposure limit. Where feasible engineering and work practice controls would not reduce employee exposure to chromium (VI) to or below the permissible exposure limit, the employer did not apply these feasible controls to reduce employee exposures to the lowest chromium (VI) levels achievable:  On or about December 18, 2024, at the establishment located at 520 North Main Street Kewaunee, Wisconsin; an employee welding stainless steel rings to the 105 Tillers and the 100 Turntables in Bay 4N was exposed to an 8-hour time weighted average level of 10.2 ug/m3 for chromium (VI), approximately 2.0 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 5.0 ug/m3 without utilizing engineering or administrative controls.  The exposure level was derived from a 407-minute sampling period with zero exposure assumed for the unsampled period of 73 minutes.  Applicable administrative or engineering controls may include, but are not limited to the following:     1) Utilize fume extraction guns, fume extraction hoods, and/or other local ventilation controls for use in areas where they are able to be used.      2) Substitute MIG welding on stainless steel for TIG or Sub Arc welding to reduce exposures to chromium (VI) during welding operations.  3) Institute combinations of the controls listed above to reduce exposures. Conduct exposure monitoring and employee surveys to determine what the most effect combination of controls are for the dynamic work environment.

Issued

Mar 28, 2025

Abate by

Apr 25, 2025

Penalty

Initial $13,005 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(i)(5): Prohibited activities. The employer shall ensure that employees do not eat, drink, smoke, chew tobacco or gum, or apply cosmetics in regulated areas, or in areas where skin or eye contact with chromium (VI) occurs; or carry the products associated with these activities or store such products in these areas.  On or about December 18, 2024, at the establishment located at 520 North Main Street Kewaunee, Wisconsin; the employer did not ensure that employees were not eating and drinking in regulated areas.

Issued

Mar 28, 2025

Penalty

Initial $13,005 · Current $13,005

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(k)(1)(i)(A): The employer did not make medical surveillance available for all employees who were or could be occupationally exposed to chromium (VI) at or above the action level for 30 or more days a year:  On or about December 18, 2024, at the establishment located at 520 North Main Street Kewaunee, Wisconsin; the employer did not make medical surveillance available to employees who were or could have been occupationally exposed to chromium (VI) at or above the action level for 30 or more days a year while employees were welding (MIG and TIG) on stainless steel.

Issued

Mar 28, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(k)(2)(ii): The employer did not provide a medical examination annually for affected employees under medical surveillance for chromium (VI) exposures:  On or about December 18, 2024, at the establishment located at 520 North Main Street Kewaunee, Wisconsin; the employer did not provide annual medical examinations to employees who were exposed to chromium (VI) when welding on stainless steel.

Issued

Mar 28, 2025

Penalty

Initial $13,005 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(l)(1): General hazard communication requirements: (i) Chemical manufacturers, importers, distributors and employers shall comply with all requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) (29 CFR 1910.1200) for chromium (VI); (ii) In classifying the hazards of chromium (VI) at least the following hazards are to be addressed: Cancer, eye irritation, and skin sensitization; and (iii) Employers shall include chromium (VI) in the hazard communication program established to comply with the HCS (29 CFR 1910.1200). Employers shall ensure that each employee has access to labels on containers of chromium (VI) and to safety data sheets, and is trained in accordance with the requirements of HCS and paragraph (l)(2) of this section.  On or about November 20, 2024, at the establishment located at 520 North Main Street Kewaunee, Wisconsin; the employer did not ensure employees were provided information and training as required by the Hazard Communication Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200 when employees were exposed to chromium (VI) during welding on stainless steel.

Issued

Mar 28, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(2)(ii): The employer did not provide information to the employees on operations in their work area where hazardous chemicals were present:  On or about November 20, 2024, at the establishment located at 520 North Main Street Kewaunee, Wisconsin; the employer did not inform an employee that chromium (VI) was present in his work area while the employee welded on stainless steel.

Issued

Mar 28, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(ii):  Employee training shall include at least the physical, health, simple asphyxiation, combustible dust, and pyrophoric gas hazards, as well as hazards not otherwise classified, of the chemicals in the work area;  On or about November 20, 2024, at the establishment located at 520 North Main Street Kewaunee, Wisconsin; the employer did not include the health hazards of chemicals in the work area for employees exposed to chromium (VI) when welding on stainless steel.

Issued

Mar 28, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(iii): The measures employees can take to protect themselves from these hazards, including specific procedures the employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures, and personal protective equipment to be used.  On or about November 20, 2024, at the establishment located at 520 North Main Street Kewaunee, Wisconsin; the employer did not inform employees of the measures employees can take to protect themselves from the hazards associated with chromium (VI) including personal protective equipment.

Issued

Mar 28, 2025

Penalty

Initial $13,005 · Current $13,005

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1026(l)(1)(iii): The employer had not included chromium (VI) in the hazard communication program, established to comply with the Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200, ensured that each employee had access to labels on containers of chromium (VI) and to safety data sheets, and was trained in accordance with the requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard and 29 CFR 1910.1026(l)(2), including the contents of the Hexavalent Chromium Standard, the purpose and a description of the medical surveillance program, and made copies of this standard available to all affected employees:    On or about November 20, 2024, at the establishment located at 520 North Main Street Kewaunee, Wisconsin; the employer did not include chromium (VI) in their hazard communication program. Welders exposed to chromium (VI) while welding on stainless steel had not been trained on the sources and health hazards of chromium (VI).

Issued

Mar 28, 2025

Penalty

Initial $13,005 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(l)(2): The employer did not ensure that employees could demonstrate knowledge of the contents of this section and the purpose of medical surveillance; and in addition, the employer did not make a copy of this section available without cost to all affected employees:   On or about November 20, 2024, at the establishment located at 520 North Main Street Kewaunee, Wisconsin; the employer did not ensure that employees exposed to chromium (VI) could demonstrate knowledge in the contents of 29 CFR 1910.1026, exposing employees to the hazards associated with chromium (VI).

Issued

Mar 28, 2025

Abate by

Apr 25, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(v): Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators:  On or about December 18, 2024, at the establishment located at 520 North Main Street Kewaunee, Wisconsin; the employer did not provide procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators. Employees welding on stainless steel and mild steel were not provided instructions on how to clean and maintain their provided respirators.