OSHA Inspection: UNITED PACKAGING, INC.

Issued

Jul 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $4,610 · Current $2,305 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.  At an establishment located at 401 Industrial Drive in Reedsville, Wisconsin;  a) On or about March 5, 2024, in Plant 1, an employee assembling pallets with a pneumatic nail gun and impact driver was exposed to noise at 95.4 percent dose of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 90.5 dBA, as measured over 427 minutes of sampling of an 8-hour work shift. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 89.7 dBA accounting for the period of 53 minutes unmonitored.   b) On or about March 5, 2024, in Plant 2, an employee employee assembling pallets with a pneumatic nail gun was exposed to noise at 85.9 percent dose of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 91.7 dBA, as measured over 327 minutes of sampling of an 8-hour work shift. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 88.9 dBA accounting for the period of 153 minutes unmonitored.

Issued

Jul 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1): Audiometric testing program. The employer shall establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided in this paragraph by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels.   At an establishment located at 401 Industrial Drive in Reedsville, Wisconsin;  a) On or about March 5, 2024, in Plant 1, the employer did not make audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equaled or exceeded an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels. An employee assembling pallets with a pneumatic nail gun and impact driver was exposed to noise at 95.4 percent dose of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 90.5 dBA, as measured over 427 minutes of sampling of an 8-hour work shift. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 89.7 dBA accounting for the period of 53 minutes unmonitored.   b) On or about March 5, 2024, in Plant 2,  the employer did not make audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equaled or exceeded an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels. An employee assembling pallets with a pneumatic nail gun was exposed to noise at 85.9 percent dose of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 91.7 dBA, as measured over 327 minutes of sampling of an 8-hour work shift. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 88.9 dBA accounting for the period of 153 minutes unmonitored.

Issued

Jul 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(i)(3):Employees shall be given the opportunity to select their hearing protectors from a variety of suitable hearing protectors provided by the employer.  On or about March 5, 2024, at an establishment located at 401 Industrial Drive in Reedsville, Wisconsin, in Plants 1 and 2; the employer did not provide and give employees the opportunity to select their hearing protectors from a variety of suitable hearing protectors to include ear muffs.

Issued

Jul 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

Hazardous substances 8111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.95(k)(1): The employer shall train each employee who is exposed to noise at or above an 8-hour time weighted average of 85 decibels in accordance with the requirements of this section. The employer shall institute a training program and ensure employee participation in the program.   At an establishment located at 401 Industrial Drive in Reedsville, Wisconsin;  a) On or about March 5, 2024, in Plant 1, the employer did not train an employee assembling pallets with a pneumatic nail gun and impact driver who was exposed to noise exceeding 85 dBA as an 8-hour TWA in accordance with the requirements of this section and the employer did not institute a training program. The employee was exposed to noise at 95.4 percent dose of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 90.5 dBA, as measured over 427 minutes of sampling of an 8-hour work shift. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 89.7 dBA accounting for the period of 53 minutes unmonitored.   b) On or about March 5, 2024, in Plant 2, the employer did not train an employee assembling pallets with a pneumatic nail gun and impact driver who was exposed to noise exceeding 85 dBA as an 8-hour TWA in accordance with the requirements of this section and the employer did not institute a training program. The employee was exposed to noise at 85.9 percent dose of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 91.7 dBA, as measured over 327 minutes of sampling of an 8-hour work shift. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 88.9 dBA accounting for the period of 153 minutes unmonitored.

Issued

Jul 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $4,610 · Current $2,305 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(1): Employers shall develop, implement, and maintain at each workplace, a written hazard communication program which at least describes how the criteria specified in paragraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section for labels and other forms of warning, safety data sheets, and employee information and training will be met, and which also includes the following:  On or about March 5, 2024, at an establishment located at 401 Industrial Drive in Reedsville, Wisconsin, in Plants 1 and 2; the employer did not implement and maintain a hazard communication (HAZCOM) program for hazardous chemicals used and present in the workplace including, but not limited to, acetone, spray enamel paints, carbon monoxide, combustible wood dust, and liquid petroleum gas (LPG).

Issued

Jul 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(e)(1)(i): Written hazard communication program. A list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present using a product identifier that is referenced on the appropriate safety data sheet (the list may be compiled for the workplace as a whole or for individual work areas).   On or about March 5, 2024, at an establishment located at 401 Industrial Drive in Reedsville, Wisconsin, in Plants 1 and 2; the employer did not implement and maintain a hazard communication (HAZCOM) program which included a list of the hazardous chemicals known to be present in the workplace. Hazardous chemicals used and present in the workplace included but were not limited to, acetone, spray enamel paints, carbon monoxide, combustible wood dust, and liquid petroleum gas (LPG).

Issued

Jul 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(g)(8): The employer shall maintain in the workplace copies of the required safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical, and shall ensure that they are readily accessible during each work shift to employees when they are in their work area(s). (Electronic access and other alternatives to maintaining paper copies of the safety data sheets are permitted as long as no barriers to immediate employee access in each workplace are created by such options.)   On or about March 5, 2024, at an establishment located at 401 Industrial Drive in Reedsville, Wisconsin, in Plants 1 and 2; the employer did not maintain workplace copies of safety data sheets for hazardous chemicals used and present in the workplace, including but not limited to, acetone, spray enamel paints, carbon monoxide, combustible wood dust, and liquid petroleum gas (LPG).

Issued

Jul 26, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.1200(h)(1): Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area at the time of their initial assignment, and whenever a new chemical hazard the employees have not previously been trained about is introduced into their work area. Information and training may be designed to cover categories of hazards (e.g., flammability, carcinogenicity) or specific chemicals. Chemical-specific information must always be available through labels and safety data sheets.   On or about March 5, 2024, at an establishment located at 401 Industrial Drive in Reedsville, Wisconsin, in Plants 1 and 2; the employer did not provide employees effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work areas at the time of their initial assignment. Hazardous chemicals found in the employee work areas included, but were not limited to, acetone, spray enamel paints, carbon monoxide, combustible wood dust, and liquid petroleum gas (LPG).