OSHA Inspection: UNITED PAINTERS, INC.

Issued

Oct 8, 2025

Abate by

Nov 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $2,837 · Current $2,837

Hazardous substances 16759135

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:    a) 1250 Welsh Rd., North Wales, PA - On or about April 30, 2025, employees were required to wear airline blasting hoods and elastomeric respirators, when blasting and painting on a 2 million gallon water tank.  The employer did not provide a medical evaluation to employees prior to using the respirator in accordance with this section.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date.  The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Oct 8, 2025

Abate by

Nov 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 16759135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(f)(2):  Employee(s) required to wear tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator:  a) 1250 Welsh Rd., North Wales, PA - On or about April 30, 2025, employees were required to wear airline blasting hoods and elastomeric respirators, when blasting and painting on a 2 million gallon water tank.  The employer did not fit-test employees on respirators prior to initial use in accordance with this section.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date.  The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Oct 8, 2025

Abate by

Nov 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 16759135

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) 1250 Welsh Rd., North Wales, PA - On or about April 30, 2025, employees were required to wear airline blasting hoods and elastomeric respirators, when blasting and painting on a 2 million gallon water tank.  Employees required to wear respiratory protection had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face, or that interfered with valve function.  Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date.  The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Oct 8, 2025

Abate by

Nov 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 16759135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k): The employer did not provide comprehensive, understandable, and effective training to employees who were required to use respirators.   a) 1250 Welsh Rd., North Wales, PA - On or about April 30, 2025, employees were required to wear airline blasting hoods and elastomeric respirators, when blasting and painting on a 2 million gallon water tank. The employer did not provide effective training on respirators in accordance with this section.    Abatement certification required within 10 days after abatement date.  The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, date and method of abatement, and states that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.

Issued

Oct 8, 2025

Abate by

Nov 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $4,965 · Current $4,965

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(2):The employer did not inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces:    a)  1250 Welsh Rd., North Wales, PA - On or about April 23, 2025, employees blasting and painting on a million gallon water tank were not adequately informed of the existence and the dangers posed by the permit required confined space which they were working on, in, and around.  Note:  Employees may be adequately informed by posting danger signs on the outside entry areas of the permit required confined spaces.  Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.  Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photograph or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Oct 8, 2025

Abate by

Nov 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(c)(4): When the employer decided that its employees would enter permit spaces, the employer did not develop and implement a written permit space entry program that complied with 29 CFR 1910.146:   a)  1250 Welsh Rd., North Wales, PA - On or about April 23, 2025, employees were blasting and painting on the inside of a 2 million gallon water tank,  a permit required space.  The employer did not develop and implement a written permit space entry program in accordance with this section:    Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.  Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photograph or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Oct 8, 2025

Abate by

Nov 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $4,965 · Current $4,965

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(d)(1): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not implement the measures necessary to prevent unauthorized entry:   a)  1250 Welsh Rd., North Wales, PA - On or about April 23, 2025, employees blasting and painting in, on, and around on a 2 million gallon water tank were not adequately prevented from unauthorized entry into the permit required confined space.  Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.  Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photograph or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Oct 8, 2025

Abate by

Nov 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(d)(5)(i): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not test or monitor the permit space conditions when entry operations were conducted in the permit space to determine if acceptable entry conditions existed, and did not continuously monitor while the authorized entrants were working:   a)  1250 Welsh Rd., North Wales, PA - On or about April 23, 2025, the employer did not test or monitor permit space conditions when entry operations were conducted in the permit space to determine if acceptable entry conditions existed, and did not continuously monitor while the authorized entrants were blasting and painting inside a 2 million gallon water tank.   Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.  Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photograph or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Oct 8, 2025

Abate by

Nov 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(d)(6): The employer did not provide at least one attendant outside the permit space into which entry was authorized for the duration of entry operations.    a)  1250 Welsh Rd., North Wales, PA - On or about April 23, 2025, the employer did not provide an attendant for employees performing blasting and painting inside a 2 million gallon water tank in accordance with this section.   Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.  Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photograph or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Oct 8, 2025

Abate by

Nov 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $4,965 · Current $4,965

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(d)(9): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not develop and implement procedures for summoning rescue and emergency services, for rescuing entrants from permit spaces, for providing necessary emergency services to rescue to employees, and for preventing unauthorized personnel from attempting a rescue.   a)  1250 Welsh Rd., North Wales, PA - On or about April 23, 2025, the employer did not develop and implement procedures for summoning rescue and emergency services, for rescuing entrants blasting and painting inside a 2 million gallon water tank.     Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.  Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photograph or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Oct 8, 2025

Abate by

Nov 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(e)(1): Before entry is authorized, the employer shall document the completion of measures required by paragraph (d)(3) of this section by preparing an entry permit.    a)  1250 Welsh Rd., North Wales, PA - On or about April 23, 2025, the employer did not properly document the completion of measures required by paragraph (d)(3) of this section by preparing an entry permit for employees blasting and painting inside a 2 million gallon water tank in accordance with this section.  NOTE: Appendix D to section 1910.146 presents examples of permits whose elements are considered to comply with the requirements of this section.  Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.  Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photograph or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Oct 8, 2025

Abate by

Nov 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(k)(1)(ii): The employer did not evaluate a prospective rescue service's ability, in terms of proficiency with rescue related tasks and equipment, to function appropriately while rescuing entrants from the particular permit space or types of permit spaces identified.   a)  1250 Welsh Rd., North Wales, PA - On or about April 23, 2025, the employer did not evaluate a prospective rescue service's ability, in terms of proficiency with rescue related tasks and equipment, to function appropriately while rescuing entrants from inside a 2 million gallon water tank, a permit required space.  Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.  Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photograph or video evidence of abatement or other written records.

Issued

Oct 8, 2025

Abate by

Nov 4, 2025

Penalty

Initial $4,965 · Current $4,965

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.146(g)(1): The employer shall provide training so that all employees whose work is regulated by this section acquire the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of the duties assigned under this section.   a)  1250 Welsh Rd., North Wales, PA - On or about April 23, 2025, the employer did not provide training to all employees whose work was regulated by this section for the safe performance of their duties prior to and during permit required confined space entry, while blasting and painting inside a 2 million gallon water tank.     Abatement certification and documentation required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement.  Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photograph or video evidence of abatement or other written records.