OSHA Inspection: AMTHOR STEEL

Issued

2015-08-10 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-11-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3500.00 · Current $1400.00 Reduced

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 1910.9(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:       a.)    Amthor Steel, 1717 Gaskell Avenue, Erie, Pa 16503  - Production areas, on or about April 28th, 2015,  The employer did not institute a continuing and effective hearing conservation program when employees' noise exposure exceeded an 8 hour time weighted average sound level of 85 dbA:     A.) An employee in the fitting area performing grinding operations was exposed to noise at a level of 121.5% of the allowable limit during a 458 minute sampling period on April 28, 2015; exposure calculations included a zero increment for the 22 minutes not sampled.  This exposure is equivalent to a sound level of 91.4 dbA for the dose and time of the employee exposure.      B.) An employee in the fitting area of the facility was performing fabrication operations was exposed to noise at a level of 90.74% of the allowable limit during a 445 minute sampling period of April 28, 2015; exposure calculations included a zero increment for the 35 minutes not sampled.  This exposure is equivalent to a sound level of 89.2 dbA for the dose and time of the employee exposure.      C.)  An employee in the layout area of the facility performing carbon steel prep work was exposed to noise at a level of 72.73% of the allowable limit during a 430 minute sampling period on April 28, 2015; exposure calculation included a zero increment for the 50 minutes not sampled.  This exposure is equivalent to a sound level of 87.7 dbA for the dose and time of the employee exposure.

Issued

2015-08-10 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-11-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(d)(1): When information indicated that any employee's exposure equaled or exceed the 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels, the employer did not develop and implement a monitoring program:           a)      Amthor Steel, 1717 Gaskell Avenue, Erie, Pa 16503-Production areas building 1, on or about April 24th, 2015, and times prior thereto:  The employer had neither developed a noise monitory program nor conducted noise monitoring for employees potentially exposed to an 8-hour TWA(time weighted average) of 85 dbA.

Issued

2015-08-10 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-11-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(5)(i): The employer did not establish, within 6 months of an employee's first exposure at or above the action level, a valid baseline audiogram against which subsequent audiograms can be compared:       a)      Amthor Steel, 1717 Gaskell Avenue, Erie, Pa 16503-Production areas in building 1, on or about April 24th 2015, and times prior thereto:  The employer did not establish valid baseline audiograms within 6 months of employees' first exposure for employees overexposed to noise as described in Citation 1 item 1a.

Issued

2015-08-10 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-11-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(k)(1): The employer did not train each employee who is exposed to noise at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.95(k). The employer did not institute a training program and ensure employee participation in the program:       a)      Amthor Steel, 1717 Gaskell Avenue, Erie, Pa 16503-Production areas in building 1, on or about April 24th 2015, and times prior thereto:  The employer did not institute and ensure employee participation in a Hearing Conservation training program for employees over exposed to noise as described in citation 1 item 1a.

Issued

2015-08-10 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-11-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(i)(5): The employer did not ensure proper initial fitting and supervise the correct use of all hearing protectors:      a)      Amthor Steel, 1717 Gaskell Avenue, Erie, Pa 16503-Production areas in building 1, on or about April 24th 2015, and times prior thereto:  The employer did not ensure that available hearing protectors properly fit each affected employee for employees overexposed to noise as described in citation 1 item 1a.

Issued

2015-08-10 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-11-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2800.00 · Current $1120.00 Reduced

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.)    Amthor Steel, 1717 Gaskell Avenue, Erie, Pa 16503  -Production areas building 1, on or about April 24th, 2015, and times prior thereto:  Employees voluntarily wore half mask air-purifying respirators (Survivair Premier half mask respirator-model RP4S)-with cartridges) during grinding operations on various welds/fabrication operations.  Employees were not provided with medical evaluations prior to the use of the half mask filtering face piece respirators.

Issued

2015-08-10 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-11-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(i): Respirator users were not provided with the information contained in Appendix D to 29 CFR 1910.134 when the employer determined that any voluntary respirator use was permissible:       a.)    Amthor Steel, 1717 Gaskell Avenue, Erie, Pa 16503  - welding area of building 1, on or about April 24th, 2015, and times prior thereto:  Employees voluntarily wore half mask air-purifying respirators (Survivair Premier half mask respirator-model RP4S)-with cartridges) during grinding operations on various welds/fabrication operations.  Employees that voluntarily used half mask respirators were not provided with the information in Appendix D to this section.

Issued

2015-08-10 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-11-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

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.)    Amthor Steel, 1717 Gaskell Avenue, Erie, Pa 16503  - welding area of building 1, on or about April 24th, 2015, and times prior thereto:  Employees voluntarily wore half mask air-purifying respirators (Survivair Premier half mask respirator-model RP4S)-with cartridges) during grinding operations on various welds/fabrication operations.  The employer did not establish portions of a Respiratory Protection Program that covered medical evaluations and respirator maintenance and care.

Issued

2015-08-10 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-09-03 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2800.00 · Current $1120.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1026(i)(4)(i): Employees were allowed to consume food or beverages at a worksite where chromium (VI) was present; however, the employer did not ensure that the eating and drinking areas were maintained as free as practicable of chromium (VI):                            a.)    Amthor Steel, 1717 Gaskell Avenue, Erie, Pa 16503,-Lunch room building 1, on or about April 28th, 2015, and times prior thereto:  Wipe samples were obtained from the lunch room tables for Hexavalent Chromium.  Analytical results indicated the presence of Hexavalent Chromium, as follows:       1.)    Building 1, Lunch room table next to entry/exit into Lunchroom:  0.0940 ug Hexavalent Chromium.   2.)    Building 1, Lunch room table next to vending machine/lockers: 0.0961 ug Hexavalent Chromium.

Issued

2015-08-10 00:00:00

Abate by

2015-11-25 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(iv): Employee training did not include the details of the hazard communication program developed by the employer, including an explanation of the labeling system and the material safety data sheet, and how employees can obtain and use the appropriate hazard information:       a.) Amthor Steel, 1717 Gaskell Avenue, Erie, Pa 16503 - On or about April 28th, 2015, and times prior thereto:  Employees were working with and around hazardous substances including, but not limited to, Metkool lubricant, and welding fumes from various metals.  Employees did not receive training on the new labeling elements and safety data sheet format by the December 1, 2013 deadline noted in CFR 1910.1200 (j)(1) of the Hazard Communication 2012 Standard.