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

29 CFR 1910.1053(d)(3)(i): The employer did not perform initial monitoring to assess the 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) exposure for each employee on the basis of one or more personal breathing zone air samples that reflect the exposures of employees on each shift, for each job classification, in each work area: 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 initial monitoring was performed for employees who perform sandblasting operations using green grit sandblasting media, which contains 99% Silica dioxide (SiO2.) Personal air sampling results revealed that employees are exposed to airborne RCS at an 8-hour TWA concentration of 285.17 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) during abrasive sandblasting operations which is 5.7 times the permissible exposure limit of 50 ug/m3. Employees utilized an airline supplied hood respiratory protection system during the process.