OSHA Inspection: WESTERN INDUSTRIES CORPORATION

Issued

Nov 5, 2019

Abate by

Dec 3, 2019

Penalty

Initial $8,525 · Current $5,115 Reduced

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(5)(i): The employer did not establish, within 6 months of an employee's first exposure at or above the action level, a valid baseline audiogram against which subsequent audiograms can be compared:  (a) In the Wood Department, an assembler was exposed to continuous noise levels at 166.9% of the allowable time-weighted average (TWA) sound action level of 84.8 dBA. The equivalent dBA level of 166.9% is approximately 93.6 dBA.   Note: The 8-hour TWA sound level of 85 dBA which triggers the requirement of a hearing conservation program (HCP), can be adjusted for work shifts less than or longer than 8 hours. When making the adjustment the following formula is used: AL = 16.61 log10 [50/(12.5)(hours)]+ 90. Affected employee was exposed to continuous noise levels over 643 minute work shift. Therefore the TWA sound level that the triggers the requirement for a hearing conservation program was reduced to 84.8 dBA.  (b) In the Wood Department, a machine operator was exposed to continuous noise levels at 85.6% of the allowable time-weighted average (TWA) sound action level of 84.9 dBA. The equivalent dBA level of 85.6% is approximately 88.8 dBA.   Note: The 8-hour TWA sound level of 85 dBA which triggers the requirement of a hearing conservation program (HCP), can be adjusted for work shifts less than or longer than 8 hours. When making the adjustment the following formula is used: AL = 16.61 log10 [50/(12.5)(hours)] + 90. Affected employee was exposed to continuous noise levels over 636 minute work shift. Therefore the TWA sound level that the triggers the requirement for a hearing conservation program was reduced to 84.9 dBA.