Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 034 Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.1026(g)(2): The employer did not institute a respiratory protection program in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.134 when respirator usage is required for work operations where employees are exposed to chromium (VI) above the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for fewer than 30 days a year: a) Production Area- Hexavalent Chrome Tank; On or about August 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer exposed employees to hexavalent chromium hazards, in that the employer did not require the use of a respirator when employees were batching chromium phosphate and was exposed to hexavalent chromium at an 8-hour TWA of 0.019 mg/m3. This level exceeded the permissible exposure level (PEL) of 0.005 mg/m3 by 3.8 times. The exposure was derived from a sample collected for a 470-minute sampling period on October 11, 2023. Exposure calculations included a zero increment for the time not sampled. b) Production Area- Hexavalent Chrome Tank; On or about August 22, 2023, and at times prior, the employer exposed employees to hexavalent chromium hazards, in that an employee was batching chromium phosphate and was exposed to hexavalent chromium at an 8-hour TWA of 0.014 mg/m3. This level exceeded the permissible exposure level (PEL) of 0.005 mg/m3 by 2.8 times. The exposure was derived from a sample collected for a 478-minute sampling period on October 18, 2023. Exposure calculations included a zero increment for the time not sampled.