Stone wall Tile Company

Tumwater – Wall to Wall Tile & Stone of Vancouver, Wash. has been fined $261, 000 for failing to protect workers from exposure to silica dust and other health hazards associated with stone slab grinding.

The division of Labor & Industries (L&I) cited the workplace for numerous instances of "failure to abate" severe violations after a follow-up inspection discovered that the manager hadn't corrected violations it was cited for in November 2014.

An L&I inspection found that workers had been exposed to silica quartz dirt at above three (3.4) times the permissible limit during stone slab grinding operations. With time, breathing in silica dirt may cause silicosis (a disabling lung condition), plus lung cancer tumors, pulmonary tuberculosis and airway conditions.

The boss ended up being mentioned for seven "failure to abate" serious violations. They are violations the organization have been previously reported for but hadn't corrected, including:

• Neglecting To use feasible settings to lessen employee experience of silica dust — $40, 500.
• Perhaps Not establishing a written breathing protection system to protect staff members from inhaling silica dirt — $40, 500.
• Failing Continually To offer fit evaluating for workers necessary to use full-face respirators — $40, 500.
• Not providing efficient instruction for employees whom put on full-face respirators — $40, 500.
• Perhaps Not providing noise and hearing defense education to affected employees — $22, 500.
• Perhaps Not supplying annual hearing examinations for workers exposed to extra noise — $22, 500.
• Neglecting To develop, implement and continue maintaining a written Chemical Hazard Communication System for workers utilizing multiple chemical substances — $40, 500.

Wall to Wall Tile & rock has also been cited for 2 "failure to abate" general violations, each with a penalty of $2, 700. These violations were for not providing medical evaluations for workers whom put on full-face respirators, as well as perhaps not generating a list of chemicals found in the workplace.

Additionally, L&I cited the organization for two really serious violations that were maybe not linked to the 2014 examination. Among citations was for maybe not making certain staff members which put on full-face respirators don’t have actually undesired facial hair. Respirators might not secure precisely on workers with beards or other hair on your face. The organization has also been cited for maybe not offering appropriate respirators for employees grinding stone slabs. Each violation has actually a penalty of $4, 050.

Really serious violations are mentioned for hazards in which there’s possible of really serious injury or death. General violations will be the lowest-level citation, concerning safety issues in which there is absolutely no chance for severe damage or demise.

The employer has actually 15 days to attract the citation. Penalty money compensated as a consequence of a citation is placed when you look at the employees’ settlement extra pension investment, helping employees and categories of anyone who has died on the job.

For a copy for the citation, please contact L&we Public Affairs at 360-902-5413.

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Broadcast version:
The division of work and Industries features mentioned a Vancouver, Wash., granite and tile organization $261, 000 for failing to protect employees from experience of silica dirt along with other side effects connected with stone slab milling. Wall-to-wall Tile & rock had been reported for failing to proper numerous violations that have been initially mentioned in November 2014. The violations include exposure to silica quartz dust at a lot more than 3 x the permissible limit during stone grinding businesses. Eventually, inhaling silica dust could cause silicosis (a disabling lung condition), including lung disease, pulmonary tuberculosis and airway conditions. The manager has 15 times to appeal the citation.