Text For Citation: 02 Item/Group: 001B Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.1053(f)(1): The employer did not ensure engineering and work practice controls are present and appropriate, unless the employer can demonstrate that such controls are not feasible: Saulo's Granite, LLC, Stone Mountain, GA - On or about January 16, 2020, the employer did not ensure work practice controls such as, but not limited to, the use of water to control dust and/or the positioning of local exhaust hoods to prevent exposures to silica dust: a) Saulo's Granite, LLC, Stone Mountain, GA- - On or about January 16, 2020, an employee dry grinding and dry buffing granite counter tops was exposed to respirable silica levels of 2690 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 53.8 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure was derived from a sample taken over 315 minutes. Zero exposure was assumed for the 165 minutes not sampled. b)Saulo's Granite, LLC, Stone Mountain, GA ? On or about January 16, 2020, an employee dry grinding and dry buffing granite counter tops was exposed to respirable silica levels of 1,875 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 37.5 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure was derived from a sample taken over 300 minutes. Zero exposure was assumed for the 180 minutes not sampled. c) Saulo's Granite, LLC, Stone Mountain, GA ? On or about January 22, 2020, an employee dry grinding and dry buffing granite counter tops was exposed to respirable silica levels of 3,152 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 63 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure was derived from a sample taken over 369 minutes. Zero exposure was assumed for the 111 minutes not sampled. d)Saulo's Granite, LLC, Stone Mountain, GA ? On or about January 22, 2020, an employee dry grinding and dry buffing granite counter tops was exposed to respirable silica levels of 1,835 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 36.7 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure was derived from a sample taken over 367 minutes. Zero exposure was assumed for the 113 minutes not sampled. e)Saulo's Granite, LLC, Stone Mountain, GA ? On or about January 22, 2020, an employee polishing and buffing granite counter tops was exposed to respirable silica levels of 367.5 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 7.4 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure was derived from a sample taken over 360 minutes. Zero exposure was assumed for the 120 minutes not sampled. f)Saulo's Granite, LLC, Stone Mountain, GA ? On or about January 22, 2020, an employee polishing and buffing granite counter tops was exposed to respirable silica levels of 109.7 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3), 2.2 times the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 ug/m3. The exposure was derived from a sample taken over 329 minutes. Zero exposure was assumed for the 151 minutes not sampled. General methods of control applicable in theses circumstances include, but are not limited to the following: Abatement Schedule Step 1 - A written detailed plan of abatement shall be submitted to the Area Director outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposures to hazardous substances 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; (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. 90-day progress reports are required during the abatement period. Step 2: Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and /or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance. In accordance with 29 CFR 1903.19(d), abatement certification is required for this violation (using the CERTIFICATION OF ACTION WORKSHEET), and in addition, documentation demonstrating that abatement is complete must be included with your certification. This documentation may include, but is not limited to, evidence of the purchase or repair of the equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement, or other written records.