OSHA Inspection: THE HOME DEPOT INC.

Issued

May 8, 2020

Abate by

Jun 12, 2020

Penalty

Initial $12,723 · Current $20,000

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(i)(2)(ii)(A): The employer did not ensure that hearing protectors are worn by any employee who is exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels or greater and has not yet had a baseline audiogram established pursuant to 29 CFR 1910.95(g)(5)(ii):    a.) Home Depot RDC - On or about November 21, 2019, Employees (floater/cart builders, outbound loaders, cart builders) were exposed to noise levels exceeding the 10-hour adjusted action level of 83.4 dBA and the employer did not ensure that hearing protectors were worn by employees who had not yet had a baseline audiogram established.

Issued

May 8, 2020

Abate by

Jun 12, 2020

Penalty

Initial $42,411 · Current $20,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program as described in 29 CFR 1910.9(c) through (o) whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale, or equivalently a dose of fifty percent:    a.) Home Depot RDC 5034 - An employee (floater/cart builder) was exposed to continuous noise at 74.0% of the permissible daily noise exposure limit during measurements performed for 635 minutes on November 21, 2019 and as previously confirmed through sampling conducted on or about August 1, 2019 and October 2, 2019. For the 10 hour extended work shift, employees would be exposed to the equivalent of an average sound level of 87.8 dBA, which is 1.05 times the reduced Action Level of 83.4 dBA.  The employer did not develop and implement an effective hearing conservation program.    b.) Home Depot RDC 5034 - An employee (outbound loader) was exposed to continuous noise at 80.1% of the permissible daily noise exposure limit during measurements performed for 634 minutes on November 21, 2019 and as previously confirmed through sampling conducted on or about August 1, 2019, October 2, 2019 and June 13, 2019. For the 10 hour extended work shift, employees would be exposed to the equivalent of an average sound level of 88.4 dBA, which is 1.06 times the reduced Action Level of 83.4 dBA.  The employer did not develop and implement an effective hearing conservation program.     c.) Home Depot RDC 5034 - An employee (cart builder) was exposed to continuous noise at 60.5% of the permissible daily noise exposure limit during measurements performed for 627 minutes on November 21, 2019 and as previously confirmed through sampling conducted on or about August 1, 2019 and October 2, 2019. For the 10 hour extended work shift, employees would be exposed to the equivalent of an average sound level of 86.4 dBA, which is 1.04 times the reduced Action Level of 83.4 dBA.  The employer did not develop and implement an effective hearing conservation program.    The Home Depot Inc., RDC 5034 was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1402547, citation number 1, item number 1 a and was affirmed as a final order on 8/8/2019, with respect to a workplace located at 8500 Willard Drive, Breinigsville, PA 18031.

Issued

May 8, 2020

Abate by

Aug 31, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1): The employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided by 29 CFR 1910.95(g) by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels:    a.) Home Depot RDC 5034 - An employee (floater/cart builder) was exposed to continuous noise at 74.0% of the permissible daily noise exposure limit during measurements performed for 635 minutes on November 21, 2019 and as previously confirmed through sampling conducted on or about August 1, 2019 and October 2, 2019. For the 10 hour extended work shift, employees would be exposed to the equivalent of an average sound level of 87.8 dBA, which is 1.05 times the reduced Action Level of 83.4 dBA. The employer did not provide audiometric testing to employees who were exposed to noise above the action level as required by this section.    b.) Home Depot RDC 5034 - An employee (outbound loader) was exposed to continuous noise at 80.1% of the permissible daily noise exposure limit during measurements performed for 634 minutes on November 21, 2019 and as previously confirmed through sampling conducted on or about August 1, 2019, October 2, 2019 and June 13, 2019. For the 10 hour extended work shift, employees would be exposed to the equivalent of an average sound level of 88.4 dBA, which is 1.06 times the reduced Action Level of 83.4 dBA. The employer did not provide audiometric testing to employees who were exposed to noise above the action level as required by this section.    c.) Home Depot RDC 5034 - An employee (cart builder) was exposed to continuous noise at 60.5% of the permissible daily noise exposure limit during measurements performed for 627 minutes on November 21, 2019 and as previously confirmed through sampling conducted on or about August 1, 2019 and October 2, 2019. For the 10 hour extended work shift, employees would be exposed to the equivalent of an average sound level of 86.4 dBA, which is 1.04 times the reduced Action Level of 83.4 dBA. The employer did not provide audiometric testing to employees who were exposed to noise above the action level as required by this section.    The Home Depot Inc., RDC 5034 was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1402547, citation number 1, item number 1 b and was affirmed as a final order on 8/8/2019, with respect to a workplace located at 8500 Willard Drive, Breinigsville, PA 18031.