OSHA Inspection: AMBIENT FLOORING INC.

Issued

2020-05-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2020-07-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9446.00 · Current $6000.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(c)(1): For each employee engaged in a task identified on Table 1, the employer did not fully and properly implement the engineering controls, work practices, and respiratory protection specified for the task on Table 1, unless the employer assesses and limits the exposure of the employee to respirable crystalline silica in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section:    a)  150 Bay St. Jersey City NJ - 3rd floor    The employer did not use a HEPA-filtered vacuum to remove loose dust in between passes for employees using floor grinders as outline in Table 1, Section xiii.  On 11/27/2019, employees were exposed to crystalline respirable silica at an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 81.0 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) and 114.8 ug/m3, which are 1.6 and 2.3 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. Zero exposure was assumed for unsampled periods of 181 minutes and 174 minutes respectively.    Condition occurred on or about 11/27/2019

Issued

2020-05-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2020-07-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(d)(1): The employer did not ensure that employees were not exposed to an airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica in excess of 50 ug/m3, calculated as an 8-hour TWA:  a) 150 Bay St., Jersey City, NJ - 3rd floor  Employees were exposed to an airborne concentration of respirable crystalline silica in excess of 50 ug/m3, calculated as an 8-hour TWA.  On 11/27/2019, employees were exposed to crystalline respirable silica at an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 81.0 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) and 114.8 ug/m3, which are 1.6 and 2.3 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. Zero exposure was assumed for unsampled periods of 181 minutes and 174 minutes respectively.  Condition occurred on or about 11/27/2019

Issued

2020-05-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2020-07-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(f)(1): The employer allowed dry sweeping or dry brushing where such activity could contribute to employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica and wet sweeping, HEPA-filtered vacuuming or other methods were feasible:   a)  150 Bay St. Jersey City NJ - 3rd floor  The employer allowed dry sweeping to remove loose dust in between passes for employees using floor grinders.  On 11/27/2019, employees were exposed to crystalline respirable silica at an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 81.0 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) and 114.8 ug/m3, which are 1.6 and 2.3 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. Zero exposure was assumed for unsampled periods of 181 minutes and 174 minutes respectively.  Condition occurred on or about 11/27/2019

Issued

2020-05-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2020-07-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9446.00 · Current $6000.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(e)(2): Where respirator use is required by this section, the employer did not institute a respiratory protection program in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134:    a)  150 Bay St. Jersey City NJ - 3rd floor    The employer did not fully implement their respiratory protection program for employees required to wear 3M half face negative pressure respirators while using floor grinders and during dry sweeping of concrete floors.  Employees wore half mask respirators with facial hair that interfered with the sealing surface of the face piece.  On 11/27/2019, employees were exposed to crystalline respirable silica at an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 81.0 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) and 114.8 ug/m3, which are 1.6 and 2.3 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. Zero exposure was assumed for unsampled periods of 181 minutes and 174 minutes respectively.    Condition occurred on or about 11/27/2019

Issued

2020-05-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2020-07-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(g)(1)(i)(A): Respirators with tight-fitting facepieces were worn by employees who had facial hair that came between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interfered with valve function:  a) 150 Bay St. Jersey City, NJ  Employees wore half mask respirators with facial hair that interfered with the sealing surface of the face piece.  On 11/27/2019, employees were exposed to crystalline respirable silica at an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 81.0 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) and 114.8 ug/m3, which are 1.6 and 2.3 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. Zero exposure was assumed for unsampled periods of 181 minutes and 174 minutes respectively.  Violation occurred on or about 11/27/2019

Issued

2020-05-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2020-07-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9446.00 · Current $6000.00 Reduced

Hazardous substances 9010

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(g)(1): The employer did not establish and implement a written exposure control plan:    a)  150 Bay St. Jersey City, NJ    The employer did not provide a description of engineering controls and work practices to be used to limit employees exposure to respirable crystalline silica while performing concrete floor preparation.  On 11/27/2019, employees were exposed to crystalline respirable silica at an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 81.0 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) and 114.8 ug/m3, which are 1.6 and 2.3 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. Zero exposure was assumed for unsampled periods of 181 minutes and 174 minutes respectively.    Condition occurred on or about 11/27/2019

Issued

2020-05-21 00:00:00

Abate by

2020-07-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $9446.00 · Current $0.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1153(g)(4): The employer did not designate a competent person to make frequent and regular inspections of job sites, materials, and equipment to implement the written exposure control plan:    a)  150 Bay St., Jersey City, NJ    The competent person did not make frequent and regular inspections to ensure employees who were performing preparation of concrete floors used work practices to limit employee exposure to respirable silica dust.  Employees were permitted to dry sweep dust generated from floor grinding.  On 11/27/2019, employees were exposed to crystalline respirable silica at an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 81.0 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) and 114.8 ug/m3, which are 1.6 and 2.3 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. Zero exposure was assumed for unsampled periods of 181 minutes and 174 minutes respectively.      Violation occurred on or about 04/29/2019