Text For Citation: 02 Item/Group: 004 Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.1053(h)(2)(i): The employer allowed compressed air to be used to clean clothing or surfaces where such activity could contribute to employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica without being used in conjunction with a ventilation system to capture blown dust: Foundry Knockout Station: On or about, February 22, 2024, and sometime thereafter, the employer did not ensure that when employees operated compressed air guns that a ventilation system was used in conjunction with the device. Compressed air used to clean clothes, and the surrounding surfaces at the blast cabinets, formed dust clouds that contributed to silica exposures when a local exhaust system was not provided to capture and remove the blown dust away from the breathing zone.