OSHA Inspection: HILLER CARBON LLC

Issued

2022-06-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-06-17 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4144.00 · Current $2486.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.28(b)(1)(i):  Except as provided elsewhere in this section 29 CFR 1910.28, the employer did not ensure that each employee on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge that is 4 feet (1.2 m) or more above a lower level is protected from falling by one or more of the systems described in 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(1)(i):  On or about March 23, 2022 by the load-out silos, employees were exposed to a fall hazard while accessing the roof, which more than 4 feet high,  without a means of fall protection.

Issued

2022-06-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-08-31 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4144.00 · Current $2486.00 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:  On or about March 31, 2022, an employee in the graphite pellet mill was exposed to a continuous noise at 96.7% of the daily noise�exposure (8-hour�time weighted�average sound�level of�90 dBA)�or an�equivalent sound�level of�approximately 89.7�decibels during�the 465�sampling period;�exposure calculations�included a�zero increment�for the�15 minutes�not sampled.

Issued

2022-06-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-08-31 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $2486.00 · Current $1492.00 Reduced

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 March 23, 2022, employees were exposed to respiratory hazards while wearing a 3M brand filtering facepiece respirator while working in the graphite pellet mill and at the pug mill without the employer having an established written respiratory protection program.

Issued

2022-06-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-08-31 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:  On or about March 23, 2022, employees were exposed to respiratory hazards while wearing a 3M brand filtering facepiece respirator while working in the graphite pellet mill and at the pug mill without having been medically evaluated.

Issued

2022-06-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-08-31 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:   On or about March 23, 2022, employees were exposed to respiratory hazards while wearing a 3M brand filtering facepiece respirator while working in the graphite pellet mill and at the pug mill without having been fit tested.

Issued

2022-06-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-08-31 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:   On or about March 23, 2022, employees were exposed to respiratory hazards while wearing a 3M brand filtering facepiece respirator while working in the graphite pellet mill and at the pug mill without having�their facial�hair trimmed�or shaven�so that�the facial�hair did�not interfere�with the�face and�mask sealing�surface.

Issued

2022-06-07 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4144.00 · Current $2486.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.219(d)(1):Pulley(s) with part(s) seven feet or less from the floor or work platform were not guarded in accordance with the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.219(m) and (o):(a)   On or about March 15, 2022, under the silos, employees were exposed to a caught-by hazard while working near the east-west jumper auger without a guard to completely cover the two belt pulleys on the gear reducer.

Issued

2022-06-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-08-31 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4144.00 · Current $2486.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(e)(1):Employer had not developed or implemented a written hazard communication program included the requirements outlined in 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1)(i) and (e)(1)(ii):  On or about March 23, 2022, in the carbon area and the graphite pellet mill, employees were exposed hazardous chemicals, such as but not limited to, petroleum coke and natural graphite, before a written hazard communication program had been developed and implemented.

Issued

2022-06-07 00:00:00

Abate by

2022-08-31 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

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:   On or about March 23, 2022, in the carbon area and the graphite pellet mill, employees were not provided effective information and training before working with or around hazardous chemicals, such as but not limited to, petroleum coke and natural graphite.

Issued

2022-06-07 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.22(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that all places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces are kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition.  On or about March 23, 2022, employees were exposed to tripping hazards when unused hoses were laying throughout the walkway of the pug mill area.

Issued

2022-06-07 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.132(a):Protective equipment was not used when necessary whenever hazards capable of causing injury and impairment were encountered:  On or about March 23, 2022, employees were exposed to an eye irritation hazard from graphite dust in the graphite pellet mill and did not have appropriate protective eyewear.