OSHA Inspection: HACH COMPANY

Issued

Apr 24, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program, as described in paragraphs (c) through (o) of this section, where employee noise exposures equaled or exceeded 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:    (a) Hach Company, at 5600 Lindbergh Drive, Loveland, CO:  On and preceding 10/31/17, the employer did not the administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program, as described in paragraphs (c) through (o) of this section, where employee noise exposures equaled or exceeded 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.  On 10/31/17, one employee operated a Henrich panel saw to cut plastic and a Cobra chop saw to cut aluminum was exposed to noise at a dose in excess of the fifty percent dose of the Action Level.  The employer performed noise monitoring by dosimetry on 9/13/17, and measured six projected doses:  11.7%, 44.2%, 48.0%, 55.4%, 78.6%, 89.1% of the TWA PEL.   The employer had not implemented a hearing conservation program.  This condition potentially exposed the employee to a hazardous noise dose.

Issued

Apr 24, 2018

Abate by

May 29, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(2)(i): While the employer did provide respirators at the request of employees and permitted employees to use their own respirators, the employer did not determine that such respirator use will not in itself create a hazard. If the employer did not determine that any voluntary respirator use is permissible, the employer did not provide the respirator users with the information contained in Appendix D to this section ("Information for Employees Using Respirators When Not Required Under the Standard");   (a) Hach Company, at 5600 Lindbergh Drive, Loveland, CO:  On and preceding 10/31/17, the employer did not ensure that the employees voluntarily using a respirator in the saw room and while using the Henrich panel saw to cut plastic blanks were medically able to use that respirator and that the respirator was cleaned, stored and maintained so its use did not present a health hazard to the employee.  The employer did not provide a copy of Appendix D to 29 CFR 1910.134 to employees voluntarily wearing respirators.