OSHA Inspection: ABSOLUTE STONE & TILE, INC.

Issued

Dec 8, 2025

Abate by

Jan 29, 2026

Penalty

Initial $2,838 · Current $1,703 Reduced

Hazardous substances 90009135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use:  On or about July 1, 2025, and at times prior thereto and thereafter, at the fabrication building, a written respiratory protection program was not developed and implemented for employees required to wear tight-fitting respirators while performing stone grinding and/or cutting tasks.

Issued

Dec 8, 2025

Abate by

Jan 29, 2026

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 90009135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(g)(2): Where respirator use was required by this section, the employer did not institute a respiratory protection program in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134:   On or about July 1, 2025, and at times prior thereto and thereafter, at the fabrication building, a written respiratory protection program was not developed and implemented for employees required to wear tight-fitting respirators and were exposed to silica in excess of the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL), while performing stone grinding and/or cutting tasks.

Issued

Dec 8, 2025

Penalty

Initial $2,270 · Current $1,362 Reduced

Hazardous substances 90009135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.243(c)(1): Abrasive wheel(s) were used on portable grinder(s) which were not provided with safety guard(s) meeting the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.243(c)(1) through (c)(4)(a):   On or about July 1, 2025, and at times prior thereto, in the grinding room, a hand-held grinder equipped with abrasive wheel was used by an employee without a guard installed.

Issued

Dec 8, 2025

Abate by

Jan 29, 2026

Penalty

Initial $2,838 · Current $1,703 Reduced

Hazardous substances 90009135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employees were exposed to an airborne concentration of particulates not otherwise regulated (PNOR) total dust listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8-hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 15 mg/m³:  On or about July 1, 2025, and at times prior thereto, in the grinding room, during an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA), an employee was exposed to particulates not otherwise regulated (PNOR) total dust at concentrations of approximately 26.2 mg/m³ of air, which is approximately 1.7 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL).

Issued

Dec 8, 2025

Abate by

Jan 29, 2026

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 90009135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1000(e): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented to achieve compliance with the limits prescribed in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d):   On or about July 1, 2025, and at times prior thereto, in the grinding room, feasible engineering and/or administrative controls were not developed and implemented where an employee was exposed to particulates not otherwise regulated (PNOR) total dust at concentrations above the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 15 mg/m3.

Issued

Dec 8, 2025

Abate by

Jan 29, 2026

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 90009135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1053(c): The employer did not ensure that no employee was exposed to an airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica in excess of 0.05 mg/m³, calculated as an 8-hour TWA:    On or about July 1, 2025, and at times prior thereto, in the grinding room, during an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA), an employee was exposed to 40% respirable crystalline silica (quartz) at concentrations of approximately 0.70 mg/m³ of air, which is approximately 14 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL).

Issued

Dec 8, 2025

Abate by

Jan 29, 2026

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 90009135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(f)(1): The employer did not use engineering and work practice controls to reduce and maintain employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica to or below the PEL, unless the employer can demonstrate that such controls are not feasible:   On or about July 1, 2025, and at times prior thereto, in the grinding room, engineering and/or administrative controls were not developed and implemented  that would reduce exposure where an employee was exposed to respirable crystalline silica (quartz) at concentrations above the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 0.05 mg/m3.

Issued

Dec 8, 2025

Abate by

Jan 29, 2026

Penalty

Initial $2,838 · Current $1,703 Reduced

Hazardous substances 90009135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(d)(1): The employer did not assess the exposure of each employee who was or may reasonably be expected to be exposed to respirable crystalline silica at or above the action level in accordance with either the performance option in paragraph (d)(2) or the scheduled monitoring option in paragraph (d)(3) of this section:   On or about July 1, 2025, and at times prior thereto, in the grinding room, an exposure assessment was not conducted for an employee engaging in grinding tasks of material that contained silica.

Issued

Dec 8, 2025

Abate by

Jan 29, 2026

Penalty

Initial $2,838 · Current $1,703 Reduced

Hazardous substances 90009135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(j)(1): The employer did not include respirable crystalline silica in the program established to comply with the hazard communication standard (HCS) (29 CFR 1910.1200):     On or about June 11, 2025, and at times prior thereto, at the fabrication building, a written hazard communication program for hazardous chemicals and respirable crystalline silica generated from grinding tasks was not developed or implemented for employees performing countertop manufacturing work.

Issued

Dec 8, 2025

Abate by

Jan 29, 2026

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 90009135

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:   On or about July 1, 2025, and at times prior thereto, at the fabrication building, a written hazard communication program for chemicals (e.g., acetone) and respirable crystalline silica generated from grinding tasks was not developed or implemented for employees engaged in countertop manufacturing work.

Issued

Dec 8, 2025

Abate by

Jan 29, 2026

Penalty

Initial $2,838 · Current $1,703 Reduced

Hazardous substances 90009135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(f)(2)(i): The employer did not establish and implement a written exposure control plan:   On or about July 1, 2025, and at times prior thereto, in the grinding room, a written exposure plan for respirable crystalline silica was not implemented for employees performing countertop manufacturing work.

Issued

Dec 8, 2025

Abate by

Jan 29, 2026

Penalty

Initial $319 · Current $191 Reduced

Hazardous substances 90009135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1053(e)(2)(ii): The employer failed to post signs at all entrances to regulated areas:   On or about July 1, 2025, and at times prior to that date, in the grinding room, a sign designating as a regulated area where respirable crystalline silica exposures exceeded the permissible exposure limit (PEL) was not posted at the entrance.