Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 004 Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.1026(g)(2): The employer required respirator use for protection against chromium (VI); however, the employer did not institute a respiratory protection program in accordance with the Respiratory Protection standard, 29 CFR 1910.134, which covers each employee required to use a respirator: Building 593: On or about January 03, 2021, the employer did not institute a respiratory protection program in accordance with 1910,134: a) The half face respirators were not reevaluated for continued effectiveness by employees spray finishing small aircraft parts and using products containing hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) compounds which included, but were not limited to, 44GN072 Base Component (product code no. 44GN072, Mfr. PPG) that contained 20 to 50% strontium chromate (29 CFR 1910.134(g)(2)(i)). b) The employer did not set the maximum use concentration (MUC) at the lower limit when the calculated MUC exceeded the performance limit of the organic vapor cartridge attached to the half face elastomeric respirator used. With the time-weighted average (TWA) full-shift exposure levels exceeding the 5 micrograms per cubic meter OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) by 360%, with readings at 23 micrograms per cubic meter, the frequency that this process was performed during the week reduced the performance limits for the cartridges used (29 CFR 1910.134(d)(3)(i)(B)(3)). c) The Organic vapor cartridges were not changed with the frequency required for exposures that exceeded the Cr(VI) PEL, at 23 micrograms per cubic meter, during an 8-hour TWA as measured during OSHA's investigation. Rather, the same cartridge was used for several similar paint jobs for approximately one month intervals at a time (1910.134(d)(3)(iii)(B)(2)).