OSHA Inspection: ASTRO PLASTIC CONTAINERS INC.

Issued

Sep 16, 2025

Abate by

Jan 16, 2026

Penalty

Initial $9,268 · Current $4,634 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

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 1910.95(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:  An effective hearing conservation program which included noise monitoring, audiometric testing of employees and training of employees as detailed in the standard was not instituted by Astro Plastic Containers.  a. On or about July 16, 2025, an employee operating a plastic molding machine in the work area was exposed to continuous noise levels at 67.2% of the action level 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 dBA. The equivalent dBA level of 67.2% is approximately 87.1 dBA. The sampling was performed for 448 minutes during one shift.  b. On or about July 16, 2025, an employee operating a plastic molding machine and clean-up of the work area in the work area was exposed to continuous noise levels at 71.5% of the action level 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 dBA. The equivalent dBA level of 87.5% is approximately 87.5 dBA. The sampling was performed for 451 minutes during one shift.  c. On or about July 16, 2025, an employee operating a bottle painting machine and clean-up of the work area was exposed to continuous noise levels at 69.6% of the action level 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 dBA. The equivalent dBA level of 69.6% is approximately 87.3 dBA. The sampling was performed for 454 minutes during one shift.

Issued

Sep 16, 2025

Abate by

Oct 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $6,621 · Current $3,311 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(ii): The employer did not establish and implement those elements of a written program necessary to ensure that any employee using a respirator voluntarily was medically able to use that respirator, and that the respirator was cleaned, stored, and maintained so that its use does not present a health hazard to the user:  a. On or about August 20, 2025, an employee wore an N95 respirator while changing a filter on a plastic molding machines on the production floor for voluntary use. The employer did not establish and implement a written respirator program that includes at a minimum, the following elements:  (i) Medical evaluations to ensure employees are medically able to use a respirator.  (ii) Procedures for cleaning, storing, and maintaining the respirator to prevent a health hazard to the user.

Issued

Sep 16, 2025

Abate by

Oct 20, 2025

Penalty

Initial $6,621 · Current $3,311 Reduced

Hazardous substances 2460

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): The employer did not develop, implement, and/or maintain at the workplace a written hazard communication program which describes how the criteria specified in 29 CFR 1910.1200(f), (g), and (h) will be met:  a. On or about June 4,  2025,  the employer did not develop and implement a written hazard communication program in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1) that would describe or include at least the following:  1) Requirement for labeling of containers of hazardous chemicals; 2) Safety data sheet availability; 3) Training of employees; 4) A complete list of hazardous chemicals known to be present in the workplace; 5) Methods to inform employees of the hazards on non-routine tasks; and 6) Methods to inform other employer(s) of material safety data sheet availability; the labeling system and any precautionary measures to protect employees.  An employee was required to work with various paints and paint thinner when operating the plastic bottle painting machine and was exposed to hazardous chemicals.

Issued

Sep 16, 2025

Abate by

Oct 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 2460

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2): The employer did not verify, through a written certification, that the required workplace hazard assessment had been performed:  a. On or about June 4, 2025, in the workplace, the employer did not complete a written certification of the personal protective equipment assessment. Employees are required to wear hand protection when handling  chemicals such as paint thinners and paints when using the plastic bottle painting machines.

Issued

Sep 16, 2025

Abate by

Oct 3, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 2460

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.133(a)(1):The employer did not ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation:  a. On or about June 4, 2025, the employer did not ensure that employees transferring paint into secondary container and onto screen panels in the bottle painting machines and handling paint thinner wore appropriate eye protection, exposing employees to chemical hazards.

Issued

Sep 16, 2025

Abate by

Oct 9, 2025

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(k)(6): The employer did not provide the basic advisory information on respirators, as presented in Appendix D of 29 CFR 1910.134, in written or oral format to employees who wear respirators when such use was not required by the employer:  a. On or about August 20, 2025, employees changing a filter of the molding machine was provided an N95 respirator for voluntary use. The employer did not provide the information contained in 29 CFR 1910.134, Appendix D ("Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under the Standard").