OSHA Inspection: PS WEDGE CO.

Issued

Apr 28, 2025

Penalty

Initial $4,965 · Current $4,965

Hazardous substances 0560C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.55(a)(2): Other substances-8-hour Time Weighted Averages. An employee's exposure, as determined from breathing-zone air samples, to any substance in Table 1 or 2 of this section with a permissible exposure limit not preceded by (C) must not exceed the limit specified for that substance measured as an 8-hour time-weighted average in any work shift.  a.	On or about January 3, 2025, an employee performing various tasks such as, but not limited to, operating a gas-powered concrete saw during plumbing renovations to a residential home basement was exposed to carbon monoxide levels that exceeded the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for carbon monoxide (CO). The employee was exposed to a time weighted average of 1626.4 parts per million CO during a 20-minute exposure period. This exposure level was determined based on the employee's carboxyhemoglobin level (% COHb) of 31.5 percent. This exposure level was calculated to be an 8-hour time weighted average of 67.8 parts per million which was 1.36 times OSHA's PEL of 50 parts per million for carbon monoxide.   b.	On or about January 3, 2025, an employee performing various tasks, such as, but not limited to, hauling concrete debris out of the work area during gas-powered concrete saw use in a residential home basement was exposed to carbon monoxide levels that exceeded the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for carbon monoxide (CO). The employee was exposed time weighted average of 1790.6 parts per million CO during a 20-minute exposure period. gas. This exposure level was determined based on the employee's carboxyhemoglobin level (% COHb) of 30.3 percent. This exposure level was calculated to be an 8-hour time weighted average of 74.6 parts per million which was 1.49 times OSHA's permissible exposure limit of 50 parts per million for carbon monoxide.

Issued

Apr 28, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 0560C730

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.55(b): To achieve compliance with paragraph (a) of this section, administrative or engineering controls must first be implemented whenever feasible. When such controls are not feasible to achieve full compliance, protective equipment or other protective measures shall be used to keep the exposure of employees to air contaminants within the limits prescribed in this section. Any equipment and technical measures used for this purpose must first be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person. Whenever respirators are used, their use shall comply with §1926.103.  On or about January 3, 2025, the employer did not determine or implement feasible administrative or engineering controls to prevent overexposures to carbon monoxide while performing plumbing renovations that included the use of a gas-powered concrete say indoors.  Two employees were overexposed to the OSHA carbon monoxide permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 parts per million.  a.  An employee performing various tasks such as, but not limited to, operating a gas-powered concrete saw during plumbing renovations to a residential home basement was not protected by administrative or engineering controls to reduce carbon monoxide exposure levels below the OSHA PEL for carbon monoxide (see citation 1 item 1a instance a for exposure information).  b.  An employee performing various tasks such as, but not limited to, hauling concrete debris out of the work area during gas-powered concrete saw use in a residential home basement was not protected by administrative or engineering controls to reduce carbon monoxide exposure levels below the OSHA PEL for carbon monoxide (see citation 1 item 1a instance b for exposure information).