Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001B Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1): The employer did not administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program, as described in paragraphs (c) through (o) of 29 CFR 1910.95, whenever employee noise exposures equaled or exceeded an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level (TWA) of 85 decibels measured on the A scale (slow response) or, equivalently, a dose of fifty percent: On or about October 17, 2022, and days prior, employees performed work in the recycling plant while being exposed to noise levels that equaled or exceeded an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level of 85 decibels measured on the A scale (dBA), or an equivalent dose of fifty percent, without a continuing and effective hearing conservation program in place. The employer failed to implement the hearing conservation program to include monitoring to identify employees for inclusion into the program, audiometric testing to provide surveillance for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), and hearing conservation training. (a) On October 17, 2022, an employee performing sorting operations on the LUBO screen near the paper line was exposed to noise at 151.6% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 91.1dBA, as measured over 414 minutes of sampling. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 90.1dBA accounting for the period of 66 minutes unmonitored. (b) On October 17, 2022, an employee performing sorting operations on the pre-sort line was exposed to noise at 65.1% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 84.2dBA, as measured over 470 minutes of sampling. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 84dBA accounting for the period of 10 minutes unmonitored. (c) On October 17, 2022, an employee performing maintenance activities throughout the facility was exposed to noise at 98.6% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 87.1dBA, as measured over 472 minutes of sampling. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 87dBA accounting for the period of 8 minutes unmonitored. (d) On October 17, 2022, an employee performing sorting operations on the pre-sort line was exposed to noise at 76.8% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 85.4dBA, as measured over 467 minutes of sampling. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 85.2dBA accounting for the period of 13 minutes unmonitored. (e) On October 17, 2022, an employee performing sorting operations on the pre-sort line was exposed to noise at 75.8% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 85.6dBA, as measured over 446 minutes of sampling. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 85.1dBA accounting for the period of 34 minutes unmonitored. (f) On October 17, 2022, an employee performing sorting operations on the pre-sort line was exposed to noise at 104.2% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 87.5dBA, as measured over 474 minutes of sampling. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 87.4dBA accounting for the period of 6 minutes unmonitored. (g) On October 17, 2022, an employee performing maintenance activities throughout the facility was exposed to noise at 107.2% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 87.8dBA, as measured over 468 minutes of sampling. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 87.6dBA accounting for the period of 12 minutes unmonitored. (h) On October 17, 2022, an employee performing sorting operations on the LUBO screen near the plastic line was exposed to noise at 94.6% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 86.9dBA, as measured over 468 minutes of sampling. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 86.7dBA accounting for the period of 12 minutes unmonitored. (i) On October 17, 2022, an employee performing sorting operations on the pre-sort line was exposed to noise at 95.9% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 87dBA, as measured over 467 minutes of sampling. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 86.8dBA accounting for the period of 13 minutes unmonitored. (j) On October 17, 2022, an employee performing sorting operations on the LUBO screen near the paper line was exposed to noise at 67.8% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 86.8dBA, as measured over 339 minutes of sampling. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 84.3dBA accounting for the period of 141 minutes unmonitored.