Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300748142 - Jds Uniphase Corporation

Inspection Information - Office: American Canyon District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:00 a.m. on December 13, 2005, Employee #1 was working in an optical coating facility. His tasks included glass beading, glass seaming, loading and unloading the coating machines, as well as driving forklifts and materials handling. He had been employed there since 1988. On December 21, 2005, he was diagnosed with silicosis. An investigation of the worksite showed that the employer had monitored the employee for silica exposures in various work activities and locations, since 1994. Furthermore, the employer had established a respiratory protection program. The inspection was unable to determine whether the employee had suffered an exposure to silica over the Permissible Exposure Limit. However, from evidence collected at the scene, the results show that the current PEL is not protective, and at low level exposures could initiate disease development. The employer was issued an information memorandum that specified the establishment of a medical surveillance program to screen at-risk employees, in conjunction with the current health and safety program.

Keywords: RESPIRATORY, INHALATION, RESPIRATORY TRACT, OVEREXPOSURE