Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 Hazard: TB

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment or a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees which were exposed to the hazard of inhalation of respirable silica dust which can lead to fibrotic lung disease (silicosis): Workers involved in the foundry and cleaning department were exposed to respirable silica dust on June 9, 1998 and June 18, 1998, without the protection of an effective medical monitoring program to protect workers against the early onset of silicosis. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard would be to require all workers exposed to silica levels greater than or equal to 50of the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) to receive the following: 1. A baseline chest x-ray and pulmonary function test. 2. Follow-up chest x-ray and pulmonary function test every 3-5 years. 3. Chest x-ray upon employment termination. 4.Baseline tuberculosis skin testing using the Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) protocol. 5.Annual retesting using the PPD protocol. 6.Appropriate medical follow-up. ABATEMENT ASSISTANCE NOTE: The chest x-ray should be a chest roentgenogram (Posteroanterior 14" x 17" or 14" x 14") classified according to the 1971 ILO International Classification of Radiographs or Pneumoconiosis and by a Class "B" reader. The medical follow-up program should include the following procedures: 1.With a positive chest x-ray (1/0 or greater) the worker shall be placed in mandatory respiratory protection, or if already wearing a respirator, the program should be re-evaluated to assure proper fit and that other elements of 29 CFR 1910.134 are being met. The worker should be referred to a physician in lung diseases for a medical evaluation and medical monitoring as warranted by the examining physician. 2.All medical test results will be discussed with the worker by the physician. DOCUMENTATION AND CERTIFICATION REQUIRED FOR THIS ITEM.