Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 003C Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.1053(f)(1): The employer did not use engineering and work practice controls to reduce and maintain employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) to or below the permissible exposure limit (PEL), unless the employer can demonstrate that such controls are not feasible: Inside the sandblasting booth at 22 Mount Dumplin Rd. Palmer, MA: On July 21, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that engineering controls were sufficiently used in order to maintain exposure to RCS. Personal air sampling results revealed that employees are exposed to airborne RCS at an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) concentration of 284 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) during abrasive sandblasting operations. The permissible exposure limit is 50 ug/m3 as an 8-hour TWA.