Point Blank Enterprises Inc., Miami Lakes: OSHA silica citation

Inspection reason: OSHA's National Emphasis Program on Amputations was the basis for the inspection.

Silica dust: the findings

• Silica levels in the air workers breathed went past the permissible exposure limit.
• No testing was done by the company to measure workers' silica exposure.
• The warning signs that a silica-regulated area needed were not put up.

More hazards in this same citation

• A band saw without machine guarding was operated by workers, which created amputation hazards
• No lockout/tagout program was developed or put in place by the company, so machines could start up without warning while being serviced or maintained.

The employer's time to answer the citation: From the day it got the citations and penalty proposals, the company had 15 working days. It could comply, ask OSHA's area director for an informal meeting, or challenge the findings with the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

For those who worked at Point Blank Enterprises

Even though Point Blank Enterprises isn't a stone or concrete business, inspectors found silica dust hazards there, so the dust was part of the job. Workers' comp is where a silicosis claim typically begins if you were employed at Point Blank Enterprises in Miami Lakes, and a lawyer can look into whether blame also falls on others.