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

29 CFR 1910.1048(c)(2): Employees were exposed to an airborne concentration of formaldehyde which exceeded two parts per million as a 15-minute short term exposure limit (STEL): (a) On or about September 10, 2019, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that the pathologist grossing specimens preserved in formalin was protected from the harmful effects of exposure to formaldehyde, a carcinogen, where short term exposures exceeded the OSHA STEL. Between September 6, 2018, and September 5, 2019, the employer measured employee exposure to formaldehyde and recorded exceedances of the STEL of 2.0 ppm with two results of greater than the upper limit of quantitation of 10 ppm. OSHA measured employee exposure on September 10, 2019, with results of 2.99 ppm and 13.77 ppm. (b) On or about September 10, 2019, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that a pathology assistant handling cartridges and samples preserved in formalin was protected from the harmful effects of exposure to formaldehyde, a carcinogen, where short term exposures exceeded the OSHA STEL. Between September 6, 2018, and September 5, 2019, the employer measured employee exposure to formaldehyde and recorded exceedances of the STEL of 2.0 ppm with results between 2.1 ppm to a result listed as greater than the upper limit of quantitation of 10 ppm. OSHA measured employee exposure on September 10, 2019, with results of 2.57 ppm and 8.59 ppm. Abatement note: Abatement certification is required for this item. See Certification of Corrective Action Worksheet.