Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 011B Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.1000(e): To achieve compliance with paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section, administrative or engineering controls must first be determined and implemented whenever feasible. When such controls are not feasible to achieve full compliance, protective equipment or any other protective measures shall be used to keep the exposure of employees to air contaminants within the limits prescribed in this section. Any equipment and/or technical measures used for this purpose must be approved for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person. Whenever respirators are used, their use shall comply with 1910.134. a. On December 15, 2017, employees performing the required duties of cleaning the inside of silos containing alumina dust were over-exposed to Respirable Nuisance Dust. These exposures ranged between approximately 1.7 to 5.7 times the calculated permissible exposure limit of 5.0 milligrams respirable dust per cubic meter air. Alumina dust is irritating to the mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract and can cause lung injury. ABATEMENT: Step 1: 30 Days From Issuance Effective respiratory protection shall be provided 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 permissible exposure limits. The use of respiratory protection shall meet the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.134, Respiratory Protection. Step 2: 60 Days From Issuance 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 substances as referenced in this citation. This plan shall include, at the 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; 4. Testing and acceptance 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. Step 3: April 19, 2018 Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance. Feasible administrative and/or engineering controls could include, but the employer is not bound by or limited to, the following: 1. Equip processes and machinery with local exhaust ventilation. Forced air ventilation to provide fresh air changes and reduce the dust concentration inside the silo. 2. Rotate the employees in and out of the hazardous job duties to limit exposures below the PEL for an 8-hour TWA.