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

29 CFR 1910.1000(e): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented to reduce employee exposure below the permissible exposure limit: On October 13, 2011, in the facility, employees required to batch/blend and package dry food grade products were exposed to airborne Total Dust in excess of the permissible exposure limit (see Citation 1, Item 2a). Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented to reduce employee exposures: General methods of control that may be applicable to the processes include, but may not be limited to, the following: 1. Room #1 Batching/Blending: Install local exhaust ventilation at the hand-weighing area/scale to capture fugitive airborne dust before entering employee breathing zone. 2. Room #1 Batching/Blending: Evaluate efficiency of existing local exhaust ventilation at the blender/mixer to ensure adequate capture of fugitive dust. 3. Room #4 Bagging: Evaluate efficiency of existing local exhaust ventilation at the bagging equipment to ensure adequate capture of fugitive dust. 4. Develop and implement an employee job rotation schedule to reduce exposure levels by reducing exposure time. Abatement normally will be multistep as follows: STEP 1: Effective respiratory protection in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134 shall be provided and used by exposed employees as an interim protection measure until feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be implemented, or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within permissible exposure limits. Abatement Period: 30 days STEP 2: Submit to the Area Director, a written detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposure to Total Dust. This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the abatement dates required by this citation: 1. Evaluation of engineering/administrative control options; 2. Selection of optimum control methods and completion design; 3. Procurement, installation, and operation of selected control measures; 4. Testing and acceptable or modification/redesign of controls. All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by a competent Industrial Hygienist or other technically qualified person. Abatement Period: 60 days STEP 3: Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance. Abatement Period: 90 days