OSHA Inspection: AMERICAN PLASTICS LLC

Issued

Mar 7, 2022

Abate by

May 2, 2022

Penalty

Initial $9,324 · Current $5,594 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:  On or about September 21, 2021, and at times prior, in the facility, where the employer had not administered a hearing conservation program for employees exposed to noise that had exceeded an 8-hour TWA of 85 dBA, based on an 80 dB threshold:  (a) An operator working on Machine #511 was exposed to continuous noise levels at 78.9% of the permissible 8-hour time weighted average (TWA).  The equivalent decibel (dBA) level of 78.9% is approximately 88.2 dBA.  Sampling was performed for 432 minutes during one shift.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 48 minutes not sampled.  (b) An operator working on Machine #503 was exposed to continuous noise levels at 82.8% of the permissible 8-hour time weighted average (TWA).  The equivalent decibel (dBA) level of 82.8% is approximately 88.6 dBA.  Sampling was performed for 440 minutes during one shift.  Zero exposure was assumed for the 40 minutes not sampled.