OSHA Inspection: GENERAL MILLS, INC.

Issued

May 14, 2025

Penalty

Initial $8,038 · Current $4,019 Reduced

Hazardous substances 81108111

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.95(d)(1): When information indicates that any employee's exposure may equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels, the employer shall develop and implement a monitoring program.  On or about March 19, 2025, production technicians in the drum room, polish room, and wheel room, worked in environments where high noise levels were equivalent to or exceeded the 8 hour time weighted average (TWA) of 85 dBA and the employer did not ensure a noise survey program:  a. On or about March 19, 2025, a Drum/Wheel/Polisher Technician worked in an environment where noise levels were at 297.5% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 98 dBA, as measured over 470 minutes of sampling.  This is equivalent to an 8 hour TWA exposure of  97.9 dBA including a zero increment for the period of 10 minutes which was not monitored.  This employee was required to wear hearing protection when working in these spaces.    b. On or about March 19, 2025, a Drum/Wheel and Polishing Production Technician worked in an environment where noise levels were at 378.7% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 99.8 dBA, as measured over 470 minutes of sampling.  This is equivalent to an 8 hour TWA exposure of  99.6 dBA including a zero increment for the period of 10 minutes which was not monitored.  This employee was required to wear hearing protection when working in these spaces.     c.  On or about March 19, 2025, a System 1 Wheel Room/Polisher/Drum Room Technician worked in an environment where noise levels were at 303.4% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 98.2 dBA, as measured over 470 minutes of sampling.  This is equivalent to an 8 hour TWA exposure of  98.0 dBA including a zero increment for the period of 10 minutes which was not monitored. This employee was required to wear hearing protection when working in these spaces.     d.  On or about March 19, 2025, a Drum Wheel/Polisher Technician worked in an environment where noise levels were at 191.7% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 94.8 dBA, as measured over 470 minutes of sampling.  This is equivalent to an 8 hour TWA exposure of  94.7 dBA including a zero increment for the period of 10 minutes which was not monitored.  This employee was required to wear hearing protection when working in these spaces.   No abatement certification or documentation is required for this item.