OSHA Inspection: VOLUNTARY PURCHASING GROUPS, INC.

Issued

2017-02-23 00:00:00

Abate by

2017-03-21 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $6338.00 · Current $3169.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

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:    The employer did not develop and implement a monitoring program, including a sampling strategy designed to identify employees for inclusion in the hearing conservation program, for employees exposed to occupational noise equaling or exceeding an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels.    (a) One skid steer operator was exposed to continuous noise levels at 184.2% of the 8-hour time weighted average of 85 decibels.  The equivalent dBA level of 184.2% is approximately 94.4 dBA.  Sampling was performed for 555 minutes during one shift.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 45 minutes.      (b) One production line employee (line #2) was exposed to continuous noise levels at 147.7% of the 8-hour time weighted average of 85 decibels.  The equivalent dBA level of 147.7% is approximately 94.0 dBA.  Sampling was performed for 554 minutes during one shift.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 46 minutes.      (c) One line lead (line #2) was exposed to continuous noise levels at 113.4% of the 8-hour time weighted average of 85 decibels.  The equivalent dBA level of 113.4% is approximately 90.9 dBA.  Sampling was performed for 549 minutes during one shift.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 51 minutes.       (d) One mixer (line #2) was exposed to continuous noise levels at 145.1% of the 8-hour time weighted average of 85 decibels.  The equivalent dBA level of 145.1% is approximately 92.6 dBA.  Sampling was performed for 530 minutes during one shift.  Zero exposure was assumed for the unsampled period of 70 minutes.

Issued

2017-02-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $6338.00 · Current $3169.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1): The employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided by 29 CFR 1910.95(g) by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels:    (a) The employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program for employees working on production line #2 who were exposed to occupational noise equaling or exceeding an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels.

Issued

2017-02-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 8111

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) Employees working on production line #2, who were exposed to occupation noise at or above the action level of 85 decibels, were not provided with baseline audiograms within 6 months of their first exposure.

Issued

2017-02-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $6338.00 · Current $3169.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

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) The employer did not institute a training program and 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 29 CFR 1910.95, exposing employees to hazards associated with occupational noise.

Issued

2017-02-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $6338.00 · Current $3169.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): Where employee use of respiratory protection is required, the employer did not develop and implement a written respiratory protection program that includes the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i)-(ix):     (a) The employer did not develop and implement a written respiratory protection program for employees who are required to wear tight fitting respirators while using chemicals.

Issued

2017-02-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

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) The employer did not provide medical evaluations to employees wearing respirators while using chemicals on Production lines 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11, unloading bulk liquid chemicals in the unloading area, and maintenance workers performing repairs on production lines, exposing employees to respiratory hazards associated with respirator use.

Issued

2017-02-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(f)(2): Employee(s) using tight-fitting facepiece respirators were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator:  (a) Employees wearing tight-fitting respirators on production lines 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11, unloading bulk liquid chemicals in the unloading area, and maintenance workers performing repairs on production lines, were not fit tested prior to initial use of the respirator, exposing employees to respiratory hazards associated with respirator use.

Issued

2017-02-23 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $6338.00 · Current $3169.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 21402310A614

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.151(c): Where the eyes or body of any person was exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body was not provided within the work area for immediate emergency use:    (a) Employees working on liquid line 11 were exposed to chemical burns of the eyes and skin from exposure to caustic chemicals while filling bottles with liquid chemicals;    (b) Employees are exposed to chemical burns of the eyes and skin while using a battery charging station located on the northwest corner of building C on west wall to charge lead-acid forklift batteries;    (c) Employees are exposed to chemical burns of the eyes and skin while using a battery charging station located on the southwest corner of building D on the south wall to charge lead-acid forklift batteries;    (d) Employees are exposed to chemical burns of the eyes and skin while using a battery charging station located on the north wall of building D next to the exit ramp to charge lead-acid forklift batteries;    (e) Employees are exposed to chemical burns of the eyes and skin while using a battery charging station located on the southwest corner of building G on the west wall to charge lead-acid forklift batteries;    (f) Employees unloading chemicals in the outside unloading area are exposed to chemical burns of the eyes and skin while unloading chemicals;    (g) Employees working the QC lab are exposed to chemical burns of the eyes and skin while performing lab analyses.

Issued

2017-02-23 00:00:00

Abate by

2017-03-21 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $8873.00 · Current $4437.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 21402260A614S101

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8): The employer did not maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical, and did not ensure that they are readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their work area(s):    (a) Employees using hazardous chemicals did not have access to safety data sheets, as they are kept on a computer that only supervisors can access, exposing employees to chemical hazards;    (b) The employer did not maintain the most recent received version of the safety data sheet for Alligare Triclopyr 4, exposing employees to chemical hazards.

Issued

2017-02-23 00:00:00

Abate by

2017-03-21 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 21402260A614S101

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1): Employees were not provided effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment and whenever a new hazard that the employees had not been previously trained about was introduced into their work area:  (a) Employees using hazardous and corrosive chemicals were not provided with effective information and training on the use of those hazardous chemicals.