OSHA Inspection: PECO PALLET, INCORPORATED

Issued

Aug 1, 2014

Abate by

Jan 5, 2015

Penalty

Initial $3,600 · Current $2,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 81108111

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) PECO Pallet:  An employee, Pallet Repairer, was exposed to continuous noise at 155.9 % of the exposure level of 90 dBA or an 8-hour time-weighted average of 93.2 dBA.  This exposure was observed over a 340 minute sampling period.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 140 minutes not sampled.  The employer did not utilize feasible administrative or engineering controls to reduce sound levels for those employees exposed over the permissible exposure limit of 90 dBA, on or about 06/17/2014.    b) PECO Pallet:  An employee, Pallet Repairer, was exposed to continuous noise at 141.2 % of the exposure level of 90 dBA or an 8-hour time-weighted average of 92.5 dBA.  This exposure was observed over a 330 minute sampling period.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 150 minutes not sampled.  The employer did not utilize feasible administrative or engineering controls to reduce sound levels for those employees exposed over the permissible exposure limit of 90 dBA, on or about 06/17/2014.      ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED          Among other methods, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct these hazards include, but are not limited to the following:    1. Install noise barriers (sound curtains) between the pallet repair workstations.    2. Increase the distance between pallet repair lines.    3. Apply sound dampening material to pallet repair workstation metal tabletops.    4. Install mufflers on the compressed air exhaust of pneumatic nail guns.      5. Apply sound dampening material on the piston assembly of pneumatic nail guns to reduce impact noise created when the piston strikes the front bumper.    6. Rotation or movement of employees into areas of low noise levels to reduce their daily exposure and train/instruct employees not to remain near sources of hazardous noise when their presence is not necessary.        ABATEMENT NOTE:      Step 1:  A written detailed plan of abatement shall be submitted to the Area Director outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposures 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:      1) Evaluation of engineering control options;      2) Selection of optimum control method and completion of design;      3) Procurement, installation and operation of selected control measures;      4) Testing and acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.      All proposed control measures shall be evaluated for each particular use by a competent industrial hygienist or other technically qualified person.  45-day progress reports are required during the abatement period.      Step 2:  Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.      Date by which violates must be abated:  Step 1  XX/XX/XXXX      Date by which violates must be abated:  Step 2  XX/XX/XXXX

Issued

Aug 1, 2014

Abate by

Sep 5, 2014

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(k)(1): The employer did not train each employee who is exposed to noise at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels in accordance with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.95(k):  a) PECO Pallet:  An employee, Pallet Repairer, was exposed to continuous noise at 155.9 % of the exposure level of 90 dBA or an 8-hour time-weighted average of 93.2 dBA.  This exposure was observed over a 340 minute sampling period.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 140 minutes not sampled.  The employer did not provide noise training to those employees exposed above the action level of 85 dBA, on or about 06/17/2014.  b) PECO Pallet:  An employee, Pallet Repairer, was exposed to continuous noise at 141.2 % of the exposure level of 90 dBA or an 8-hour time-weighted average of 92.5 dBA.  This exposure was observed over a 330 minute sampling period.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 150 minutes not sampled.  The employer did not provide noise training to those employees exposed above the action level of 85 dBA, on or about 06/17/2014.  c) PECO Pallet:  An employee, Pallet Repairer, was exposed to continuous noise at 95.9 % of the exposure level of 90 dBA or an 8-hour time-weighted average of 89.7 dBA.  This exposure was observed over a 329 minute sampling period.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 151 minutes not sampled.  ThThe employer did not provide noise training to those employees exposed above the action level of 85 dBA, on or about 06/17/2014.   ABATEMENT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED