OSHA Inspection: COLORADO FIREARMS, AMMUNITION AND ACCESSORIES, LLC

Issued

Apr 22, 2024

Abate by

Jan 22, 2025

Penalty

Initial $9,680 · Current $5,800 Reduced

Hazardous substances 81108130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(b)(1): When employees were subjected to sound exceeding those listed in Table G-16, feasible engineering controls were not utilized:   a) On or about November 14, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not implement feasible administrative or engineering controls to reduce employee exposure to occupational noise.  This condition exposed employees to hazardous levels of occupational noise.  Range Safety Officer employees were exposed to continuous noise at 302% of the permissible daily noise exposure of 90 decibels A (dBA) or an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 98 dBA.  This exposure was observed over a 318-minute sampling period on February 23, 2024.  A zero exposure was assumed for the 162 minutes not sampled.    General methods of control applicable in these instances include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. Evaluation of engineering/administrative control options, 2. Selection of optimum control methods and completion of design, 3. Procurement, installation, and operation of selected control measures, and 4. Testing and acceptance or modification/redesign of controls.  Feasible abatement actions including but are not limited to: 1.  Install sound absorbing materials to walls and ceilings in the firing area. 2.  Limit the amount of time range safety officers can work inside the shooting range area during any one work period.  Note: a) The employer is not limited to the abatement methods suggested by OSHA. b) The methods noted are general and may not be effective in all cases. c) The employer is responsible for selecting and carrying out an appropriate abatement method.    Note:  All proposed control measures shall be approved for each particular use by an Industrial Hygienist or other technically qualified person.  Thirty (30) day progress reports are required during the abatement period.  (The 30-day requirement can be shortened or lengthened by the Area Director depending on the specific circumstances).    ABATEMENT NOTE:  Abatement of this item will be completed in a multi-step process as follows:   STEP 1: By May 20, 2024  Require all Range Safety Officers to wear two levels of hearing protection when on working on the range to provide noise attenuation below 90 dbA.  STEP 2: By June 11, 2024 Submit to the Area Director a written, detailed plan of abatement outlining a schedule for the implementation of engineering and/or administrative measures to control employee exposure to hazardous noise as referenced in this citation.  This plan shall include, at a minimum, target dates for the items listed above which must be consistent with the abatement dates required by this citation.    STEP 3: By January 22, 2025 Abatement shall have been completed by the implementation of feasible engineering and/or administrative controls upon the verification of their effectiveness in achieving compliance.

Issued

Apr 22, 2024

Abate by

May 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 81118130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(j)(2): Hearing protectors did not attenuate employee exposure at least to an 8-hour time-weighted average of 90 decibels A (dbA) as required by 29 CFR 1910.95(b):   (a) On or about November 14, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not ensure that hearing protectors attenuated employee exposure at least to an 8-hour time-weighted average of 90 dbA. Noise monitoring conducted on February 23, 2024, found the Range Safety Officer employees were exposed to continuous noise at 302% of the permissible daily noise exposure of 90 dBA for an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 98 dBA. The employer does not require employees to wear both ear plugs and earmuffs to fully attenuate the noise level to below 90 dbA.  This condition exposed employees to the hazard of noise induced hearing loss.

Issued

Apr 22, 2024

Abate by

May 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $6,453 · Current $3,800 Reduced

Hazardous substances 81108130

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)   On or about November 14, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not develop and implement a monitoring program to determine the 8-hour time-weighted average of noise exposure for Range Safety Officer employees required to observe and assist customers who were discharging firearms.  This condition exposed employees to hazardous levels of occupational noise.

Issued

Apr 22, 2024

Abate by

May 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 81108130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(d)(1)(i): The sampling strategy was not designed to identify employees for the inclusion in the hearing conservation program and to enable the proper selection of hearing protection:   a)   On or about November 14, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not develop and implement a noise sampling strategy to determine employee inclusion in a hearing conservation program and to further identify sufficient hearing attenuators for Range Safety Officer employees required to observe and assist customers who were discharging firearms.  This condition exposed employees to hazardous levels of occupational noise.

Issued

Apr 22, 2024

Abate by

May 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $4,839 · Current $2,900 Reduced

Hazardous substances 81108130

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)   On or about November 14, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not establish baseline audiograms to employees required to perform Range Safety Officer duties within 6 months of first exposure to hazardous noise levels at or above the action level of 85 decibels A (dBA) in an 8-hour period.  This condition exposed employees to hazardous levels of occupational noise.

Issued

Apr 22, 2024

Abate by

May 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 81108130

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(6): At least annually after obtaining the baseline audiogram, the employer did not obtain a new audiogram for each employee exposed at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels A (dBA):   a) On or about November 14, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not provide annual audiograms to employees required to perform Range Safety Officer duties within 12 months of their baseline audiograms. This condition exposed employees to hazardous levels of occupational noise.  Range Safety Officer employees were exposed to continuous noise at 302% of the permissible daily noise exposure of 90 dBA or an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 98 dBA.  This exposure was observed over a 318-minute sampling period on February 23, 2024.  A zero exposure was assumed for the 162 minutes not sampled.

Issued

Apr 22, 2024

Abate by

May 20, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 1591

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1): A written respiratory protection program that included the provisions in 29 CFR 1910.134(c)(1)(i) - (ix) with worksite specific procedures was not established and implemented for required respirator use:  a)  On or about November 14, 2023, and at times prior, the employer did not implement a written Respiratory Protection Program for employees required to wear Primair 920 loose-fitting, powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR's) during range cleaning activities.  This condition exposed employees to respiratory hazards.