Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 007B Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.1000(e): Feasible administrative or engineering controls were not determined and implemented to achieve compliance with the limits prescribed in 29 CFR 1910.1000(a) through (d): Employee cutting transformers with a hand held plasma cutter was exposed to particulates not otherwise regulated respirable fraction(welding fume) exceeding the permissible exposure limit of 5.0 mg/m3. The local exhaust ventilation system was not sufficient in collecting plasma cutting emission to keep employees exposure beneath the permissible exposure limit of 5.0 mg/m3, as an 8 hour time weighted average. Employee particulates not otherwise regulated respirable fraction (welding fume) exposure as 11.37 mg/m3, as an 8 hour time weighed average, about 2.2 times the permissible exposure limit of 5.0mg/m3. Employee was sampled in January 31, 2017 and was sampled for 441 minutes, the remaining 39 minutes were calculated as zero (0) exposure time. Abatement normally will be multistep as follows: STEP 1: Effective respiratory protection shall be provide and used by exposed employees as an interim protective measure until feasible engineering and/or administrative controls can be implemented, or whenever such controls fail to reduce employee exposure to within exposure limits. Abatement due 30 days from issuance date: 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 hazardous substance as referenced in this Citation. 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 of design; 3. Procurement, installation, and operation of selected control measures; and 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 due 60 days from issuance date: 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 due 90 days from issuance date: