OSHA cited an Alabama brick manufacturer for exposing its workers to respirable crystalline silica hazards, which can lead to lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease.
Inspectors found that the clay brick manufacturing company exposed its workers to airborne concentrations of respirable crystalline silica more than six times the permissible exposure level.
The company failed to evaluate and use engineering controls and work practices to control employee exposure to the hazard. It also neglected to offer free medical surveillance to employees exposed to silica above permissible limits.
OSHA inspectors found several violations related to employees who were required to wear respirators.
Fine: $124,212
Company: Henry Brick Co. Inc., Selma, Alabama
Business: Clay building material manufacturer
Reasons for fine:
13 serious violations for failing to:
- develop a written respiratory protection program
- institute a respiratory protection program for employees who were required to use respirators
- provide medical evaluations to determine an employee’s ability to use a respirator
- ensure that employees who were required to use tight-fitting facepiece respirators passed qualitative or quantitative fit tests
- train employees prior to requiring them to use respirators in the workplace
- ensure that employees weren’t exposed to respirable crystalline silica above permissible limits
- initially monitor employees to assess their 8-hour time-weighted average exposure to respirable crystalline silica
- repeat exposure monitoring within six months when previous monitoring indicated employees were exposed to respirable crystalline silica at the action level but below permissible limits
- establish a regulated area in areas where employees were exposed to respirable crystalline silica above permissible limits
- post warning signs at all entrances to regulated areas where employees could be exposed to respirable crystalline silica
- use engineering and work practice controls to reduce employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica
- make medical surveillance available at no cost to employees who were exposed to excessive amounts of respirable crystalline silica
- ensure that employees could demonstrate knowledge of the health hazards and work practices associated with respirable crystalline silica
