OSHA Inspection: ABLE PALLET MFG. & REPAIR INC.

Issued

Mar 21, 2017

Abate by

Apr 26, 2017

Penalty

Initial $2,463 · Current $1,724 Reduced

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer shall administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program, as described in paragraphs (c) through (o) of this section, whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level (TWA) of 85 decibels measured on the A scale (slow response) or, equivalently, a dose of fifty percent. For purposes of the hearing conservation program, employee noise exposures shall be computed in accordance with appendix A and Table G-16a, and without regard to any attenuation provided by the use of personal protective equipment.     a.  At the work site, the employer had not established and implemented an effective hearing conservation program for employees with noise exposures equal to or exceeding an 8-hour time-weighted sound level (TWA) of 90 decibels measured on the A scale (slow response) or, equivalently, a dose of 50 per cent.  An employee operating the pneumatic nail gun was exposed to noise at 111.6 % which exceeded the PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) of 100%, an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 90 dBA.  The employee's 8-hour TWA sound level was approximately 90.8  dBA during the 460 minute sampling period on March 1, 2017.  Exposure calculation included a zero increment of the 20 minutes not sampled.    b.  At the work site, the employer had not established and implemented an effective hearing conservation program for employees with noise exposures equal to or exceeding an 8-hour time-weighted sound level (TWA) of 90 decibels measured on the A scale (slow response) or, equivalently, a dose of 50 per cent.  An employee operating the pneumatic nail gun(builder) was exposed to noise at 339.0 % which exceeded the PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) of 100%, an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 90 dBA.  The employee's 8-hour TWA sound level was approximately 98.8  dBA during the 476 minute sampling period on March 1, 2017.  Exposure calculation included a zero increment of the 4 minutes not sampled.    c.  At the work site, the employer had not established and implemented an effective hearing conservation program for employees with noise exposures equal to or exceeding an 8-hour time-weighted sound level (TWA) of 90 decibels measured on the A scale (slow response) or, equivalently, a dose of 50 per cent.  An employee operating the pallet cutter was exposed to noise at 123.1 % which exceeded the PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) of 100%, an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 90 dBA.  The employee's 8-hour TWA sound level was approximately 91.5  dBA during the 465 minute sampling period on March 1, 2017.  Exposure calculation included a zero increment of the 15 minutes not sampled.

Issued

Mar 21, 2017

Abate by

Apr 26, 2017

Penalty

Initial $1,847 · Current $1,293 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning, material safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met, and which also includes the following:    a.  At the work site, employees received, disassembled and repaired wooden pallets for re-sale.  Pallets were moved from receiving to various areas and to storage using a propane-powered fork lift truck.  The employer did not have a written hazard communication program for hazardous materials in use at the work site that included (but were not limited to) propane.