OSHA Inspection: HORSEHEAD CORPORATION

Issued

2014-08-18 00:00:00

Abate by

2014-09-20 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3740.00 · Current $500.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 1591C141

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using a tight-fitting facepiece respirator were not annually fit tested:    a) Horsehead Corporation, Palmerton, PA:  Employees were required to wear tight-fitting elastomeric respirators for protection against airborne exposure to lead and cadmium and the employer did not ensure that these employees were fit tested within one year of their previous fit test, on or about 03/26/2014.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED

Issued

2014-08-18 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-03-22 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3740.00 · Current $3740.00

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(c)(1): Employee(s) were exposed to lead at concentrations greater than fifty micrograms per cubic meter of air averaged over an eight-hour period:    a) Horsehead Corporation, Building 608:  An employee, water hose operator, was exposed to lead at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 102.4 micrograms per cubic meter of air, approximately 2.0 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 303 minutes on June 27, 2014.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.        ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

Issued

2014-08-18 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-03-22 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(e)(1)(i): For any employees exposed to lead above the permissible exposure limit for more than 30 days per year the employer did not implement engineering and work practice controls to reduce and maintain employee exposure to lead:    a) Horsehead Corporation, Building 608:  An employee, water hose operator, was exposed to lead at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 102.4 micrograms per cubic meter of air, approximately 2.0 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 303 minutes on June 27, 2014.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.  The employer did not implement feasible engineering controls and/or work practice controls to reduce employee exposure levels to below the Permissible Exposure Limit for lead.      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED      GENERAL METHODS OF CONTROL APPLICABLE IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:    - Construct an enclosure that allows the employee to operate the water hose from inside a booth that is HEPA filtered, ventilated, and under positive pressure.    - Use the existing overhead water cannon to wet the EAF dust.  The water cannon should be operated remotely by employees in booths or cabs that are HEPA filtered, ventilated, and under positive pressure.      Abatement Schedule:    Step 1.  A written detailed plan of abatement shall be submitted to the Area Director outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposures to hazardous substances as referenced in this citation.  This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the abatement dates required by this citation:    (1)  Evaluation of engineering/administrative control options;  (2)  Selection of optimum control methods and completion of design;  (3)  Procurement, installation, and operation of selected control measures;  (4)  Testing and acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.      All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.  45-day progress reports are required during the abatement period.    Step 2.  Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.    Date by which violation must be abated:  Step 1  00/00/00  Date by which violation must be abated:  Step 2  00/00/00

Issued

2014-08-18 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-03-22 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3740.00 · Current $3740.00

Hazardous substances C141

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1027(c): The employer did not ensure that no employee was exposed to an airborne concentration of cadmium in excess of five micrograms per cubic meter of air (5ug/m3), calculated as an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA):    a) Horsehead Corporation, Building 608:  An employee, water hose operator, was exposed to cadmium at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 18.8 micrograms per cubic meter of air, approximately 3.8 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 303 minutes on June 27, 2014.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.        ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

Issued

2014-08-18 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-03-22 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances C141

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1027(f)(1)(i): The employer did not implement engineering and work practice controls to reduce and maintain employee exposure to cadmium at or below the permissible exposure limit:    a) Horsehead Corporation, Building 608:  An employee, water hose operator, was exposed to cadmium at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 18.8 micrograms per cubic meter of air, approximately 3.8 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 303 minutes on June 27, 2014.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.  The employer did not implement feasible engineering controls and/or work practice controls to reduce employee exposure levels to below the Permissible Exposure Limit for cadmium.      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED      GENERAL METHODS OF CONTROL APPLICABLE IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:    - Construct an enclosure that allows the employee to operate the water hose from inside a booth that is HEPA filtered, ventilated, and under positive pressure.    - Use the existing overhead water cannon to wet the EAF dust.  The water cannon should be operated remotely by employees in booths or cabs that are HEPA filtered, ventilated, and under positive pressure.      Abatement Schedule:    Step 1.  A written detailed plan of abatement shall be submitted to the Area Director outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposures to hazardous substances as referenced in this citation.  This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the abatement dates required by this citation:    (1)  Evaluation of engineering/administrative control options;  (2)  Selection of optimum control methods and completion of design;  (3)  Procurement, installation, and operation of selected control measures;  (4)  Testing and acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.      All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.  45-day progress reports are required during the abatement period.    Step 2.  Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.    Date by which violation must be abated:  Step 1  00/00/00  Date by which violation must be abated:  Step 2  00/00/00

Issued

2014-08-18 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-03-22 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9135

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1000(a)(2): Employee(s) were exposed to an airborne concentration of total dust listed in Table Z-1 in excess of the 8 hour Time Weighted Average concentration of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air:    a) Horsehead Corporation, Building 608:  An employee, water hose operator, was exposed to total dust at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 16.4 milligrams per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.1 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 303 minutes on June 27, 2014.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.        ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

Issued

2014-08-18 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-03-22 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9135

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):    a) Horsehead Corporation, Building 608:  An employee, water hose operator, was exposed to total dust at an 8-hour time-weighted average of 16.4 milligrams per cubic meter of air, approximately 1.1 times the Permissible Exposure Limit of 15 milligrams per cubic meter of air.  Sampling was performed for 303 minutes on June 27, 2014.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of time.  The employer did not implement feasible engineering controls and/or work practice controls to reduce employee exposure levels to below the Permissible Exposure Limit for total dust.      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED      GENERAL METHODS OF CONTROL APPLICABLE IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:    - Construct an enclosure that allows the employee to operate the water hose from inside a booth that is HEPA filtered, ventilated, and under positive pressure.    - Use the existing overhead water cannon to wet the EAF dust.  The water cannon should be operated remotely by employees in booths or cabs that are HEPA filtered, ventilated, and under positive pressure.      Abatement Schedule:    Step 1.  A written detailed plan of abatement shall be submitted to the Area Director outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposures to hazardous substances as referenced in this citation.  This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the abatement dates required by this citation:    (1)  Evaluation of engineering/administrative control options;  (2)  Selection of optimum control methods and completion of design;  (3)  Procurement, installation, and operation of selected control measures;  (4)  Testing and acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.      All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.  45-day progress reports are required during the abatement period.    Step 2.  Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.    Date by which violation must be abated:  Step 1  00/00/00  Date by which violation must be abated:  Step 2  00/00/00

Issued

2014-08-18 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-01-18 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1025(i)(4)(ii): The employer did not assure that lunchroom facilities have a temperature controlled, positive pressure, filtered air supply, and are readily accessible to employees:    a) Horsehead Corporation, Employee Lunchroom:  Employees were exposed to lead at or above the permissible exposure limit and the employer did not to assure that the lunchroom was maintained under positive pressure, on or about 08/14/2014.    ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED