OSHA Inspection: RAY H. MILLER LOGGING AND LUMBER

Issued

Jan 19, 2017

Abate by

Oct 1, 2017

Penalty

Initial $5,387 · Current $2,690 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 or about January 10, 2017, in the stacking operation, the north end stacker was exposed to continuous noise at 132.2% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 90 dBA) or equivalent sound level of approximately 92.69dBA during the 437 minute sampling period.  Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 43 minutes not sampled.    b.  On or about January 10, 2017, in the stacking operation, the stacker in the middle area was exposed to continuous noise levels at 258% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 90 dBA) or equivalent sound level of approximately 97.17dBA during the 458 minute sampling period.  Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 22 minutes not sampled.    c.  On or about January 10, 2017, in the stacking operation area,  the stacker at the Mattison saw was exposed to continuous noise levels at 230% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 90 dBA) or equivalent sound level of approximately 96.8dBA during sampling period of 428 minutes.  Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 52 minutes not sampled.    d.  On or about  January 10, 2017, the edger operator was exposed to continuous noise levels at 217% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 90 dBA) or equivalent sound level of approximately 96.46 dBA during the 424 minute sampling period.  Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 56 minutes not sampled.     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 level 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 JANUARY 31, 2017.    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.  ABATEMENT MUST BE COMPLETED BY fEBRUARY 28, 2017.    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.    3.   Abatement shall 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 MARCH 31, 2017.

Issued

Jan 19, 2017

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(6): "Annual audiogram." At least annually after obtaining the baseline audiogram, the employer had not obtained a new audiogram for each employee exposed at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels:  On or about December 13, 2016, the employer had not obtained the annual audiograms for calendar years 2015 and 2016 for each employee exposed to the noise levels above 85 decibels:  a.  On or about January 10, 2017, in the stacking operation, the north end stacker was exposed to continuous noise at 135.1% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 dBA) or equivalent sound level of approximately 92.85dBA during the 437 minute sampling period.  Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 43 minutes not sampled.  b.  On or about January 10, 2017, in the stacking operation, the stacker in the middle area was exposed to continuous noise levels at 259% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 dBA) or equivalent sound level of approximately 97.2dBA during the 458 minute sampling period.  Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 22 minutes not sampled.  c.  On or about January 10, 2017, in the stacking operation area,  the stacker at the Mattison saw was exposed to continuous noise levels at 232% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 dBA) or equivalent sound level of approximately 96.9dBA during sampling period of 428 minutes.  Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 52 minutes not sampled.  d.  On or about  January 10, 2017, the edger operator was exposed to continuous noise levels at 227% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 dBA) or equivalent sound level of approximately 96.8 dBA during the 424 minute sampling period.  Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 56 minutes not sampled.  e. On or about January 10, 2017, the east machine nailer operator was exposed to continuous noise at 135.2% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 dBA) or equivalent sound level of approximately 93.1dBA during the 426 minute sampling period.  Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 54 minutes not sampled.  f. On or about January 10, 2017, the south machine nailer operator was exposed to continuous noise at 142.2% of the permissible daily exposure (8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 dBA) or equivalent sound level of approximately 93.47dBA during the 422 minute sampling period.  Exposure calculations include a zero increment for the 58 minutes not sampled.