OSHA Inspection: TAHOMA RUBBER & PLASTICS, INC.

Issued

May 24, 2012

Abate by

Jun 23, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $2,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(b)(1):  When employees were subjected to sound exceeding those listed in Table G-16, feasible administrative or engineering controls were not utilized:    a.  On May 9, 2012, the laborer in the plastic extruder area was exposed to continuous noise levels at 172.8% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 90 dbA or equivalently, a dose of 100 percent), during the 445 minute sampling period.   Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 35 minutes not sampled.     b.  On May 9, 2012, the operator of the plastic extruder was exposed to continuous noise levels at 160.8% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 90 dbA or equivalently, a dose of 100 percent), during the 444 minute sampling period.   Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 34 minutes not sampled.    Note:  Methods of abatement include but are not limited to the following:    1.  Rotate employees out of the area once they have reached their maximum exposure of the workday.   2.  Manufacture an enclosure around the extruder blower and chute.  3.  Manufacutre a noise partition between the extruder motor and work area.      Abatement Steps:    1.  Effective hearing protection shall be provided and used by all exposed employees as an interim protection measure and when administrative or engineering controls fail to reduce sound levels within the levels of table G-16.  In addition, an effective hearing conservation program in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.95(c) thru (n) shall be maintained.  Abatement must be completed by     2.  Submit to the Area Director a written detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and /or administrative measures to control employee exposure to noise as referenced in this citation.  This plan shall include at a minimum, target dates for the following actions which must be consistent with the dates required by this citation.      a)	Evaluation of engineering control options.  b)	Selection of optimum control method and completion of design.  c)	Procurement, installation and operation of selected control measures.  d)	Testing and acceptance or modifications/redesign of controls.    All proposed control measures shall be evaluated for each particular use by a competent Industrial Hygienist or other technically qualified person.  Abatement must be completed by      3.  Abatement should have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.  Abatement must be completed by

Issued

May 24, 2012

Abate by

Jun 23, 2012

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $2,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.9(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:        a.  On May 9, 2012, the laborer in the plastic extruder area was exposed to continuous noise levels at 182.7% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 85 dbA or equivalently, a dose of 50 percent), during the 445 minute sampling period.   Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 35 minutes not sampled.     b.  On May 9, 2012, the operator of the plastic extruder was exposed to continuous noise levels at 170.3% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour, time-weighted average sound level of 85 dbA or equivalently, a dose of 50 percent), during the 444 minute sampling period.   Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 34 minutes not sampled.