OSHA Inspection: WALLNER EXPAC, INC.

Issued

Oct 29, 2021

Abate by

Mar 25, 2022

Penalty

Initial $5,461 · Current $4,500 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) Production department - On or about May 14, 2021,  the employer failed to utilize and/or implement feasible engineering or administrative controls to reduce sound levels to acceptable intensities within the levels of Table G-16 when an employee was working with unwind, expander, flattener and rewind machines and exposed to noise levels of 148 % of the allowable 8 hour time-weighted average (TWA) permissible exposure level (PEL) of 90 dBA. The equivalent dBA level of  148 % for 412 minutes is approximately 92.8 dBA. The exposure calculation included a zero increment of the 68 minutes not sampled.  b) Production department - On or about May 14, 2021,  the employer failed to utilize and/or implement feasible engineering or administrative controls to reduce sound levels to acceptable intensities within the levels of Table G-16 when an employee was working with unwind, expander, flattener and rewind machines and exposed to noise levels of 145 % of the allowable 8 hour time-weighted average (TWA) permissible exposure level (PEL) of 90 dBA. The equivalent dBA level of  145 % for 400 minutes is approximately 92.7 dBA.  The exposure calculation included a zero increment of the 80 minutes not sampled.  c) Production department - On or about May 14, 2021,  the employer failed to utilize and/or implement feasible engineering or administrative controls to reduce sound levels to acceptable intensities within the levels of Table G-16 when an employee was working with unwind, expander, flattener and rewind machines and exposed to noise levels of 125% of the allowable 8 hour time-weighted average (TWA) permissible exposure level (PEL) of 90 dBA. The equivalent dBA level of  125 % for 408 minutes is approximately 91.6 dBA.  The exposure calculation included a zero increment of the 72 minutes not sampled.

Issued

Oct 29, 2021

Abate by

Feb 25, 2022

Penalty

Initial $5,461 · Current $3,500 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(d)(1):When information indicated that any employee's exposure equaled or exceed the 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels, the employer did not develop and implement a monitoring program:  a) Production department - On or about May 14, 2021, the employer failed to develop,  and/or implement the use of   a noise monitoring program for employees exposed to auditory health effect of noise for employees working with unwind, expander, flattener and rewind machines in that , an employee was exposed to continuous noise at 148% of the permissible daily exposure of 85 dBA (8-hour time weighted average) or equivalent sound levels of 92.8 dBA during 412  minutes sampling period. The exposure calculation included a zero increment of the 68 minutes not sampled.   b) Production department - On or about May 14, 2021, the employer failed to develop,  and/or implement the use of   a noise monitoring program for employees exposed to auditory health effect of noise for employees working with unwind, expander, flattener and rewind machines in that , an employee was exposed to continuous noise at 145 % of the permissible daily exposure of 85 dBA (8-hour time weighted average) or equivalent sound levels of 92.7 dBA during 400 minutes sampling period. The exposure calculation included a zero increment of the 80 minutes not sampled.   c) Production department - On or about May 14, 2021, the employer failed to develop,  and/or implement the use of   a noise monitoring program for employees exposed to auditory health effect of noise for employees working with unwind, expander, flattener and rewind machines in that , an employee was exposed to continuous noise at 125% of the permissible daily exposure of 85 dBA (8-hour time weighted average) or equivalent sound levels of 91.6 dBA during 408  minutes sampling period. The exposure calculation included a zero increment of the 72 minutes not sampled.  d) Production department - On or about May 14, 2021, the employer failed to develop,  and/or implement the use of   a noise monitoring program for employees exposed to auditory health effect of noise for employees working with unwind, expander, flattener and rewind machines in that , an employee was exposed to continuous noise at 75% of the permissible daily exposure of 85 dBA (8-hour time weighted average) or equivalent sound levels of 87.9 dBA during 400 minutes sampling period. The exposure calculation included a zero increment of the 80 minutes not sampled.

Issued

Oct 29, 2021

Abate by

Feb 25, 2022

Penalty

Initial $5,461 · Current $2,700 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(g)(1):The employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equaled or exceeded an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels.  a)Production department - On or about May 14, 2021, the employer failed to provide an audiometric testing to employees working with unwind, expander, flattener and rewind machines when  employees were exposed to continuous noise at 125% of the permissible daily exposure of 85 dBA (8-hour time weighted average) or equivalent sound levels of 91.6 dBA during 408  minutes sampling period. The exposure calculation included a zero increment of the 72 minutes not sampled.