Text For Citation: 02 Item/Group: 002 Hazard:

29 CFR 1910.95(g)(1):The employer did not establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided by 29 CFR 1910.95(g) by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels: HK Cooperative, Inc. DBA J.H. Routh Packing Company located at 4413 Bogart Road in Sandusky, Ohio; On or about January 4, 2024, the employer did not establish an audiometric testing program for employees who were exposed to noise levels above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 dBA. Employees working in areas such as, but not limited to, the cut floor, kill floor, and conversion were exposed to hazards associated with high noise levels such as, but not limited to, hearing loss and tinnitus. Instance A On March 19, 2024, an employee, line lead in conversion, was exposed to noise at 109.1% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 91.2 decibels, as measured over 447 minutes of sampling. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 90.6 decibels accounting for the period of 33 minutes unmonitored. Instance B On March 19, 2024, an employee, lead on cut floor, was exposed to noise at 115.4% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 92.9 decibels, as measured over 369 minutes of sampling. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 91.0 decibels accounting for the period of 111 minutes unmonitored. Instance C On March 19, 2024, an employee, lead on kill floor, was exposed to noise at 156.5% of the permissible daily dose, or an average sound level of 94.0 decibels, as measured over 432 minutes of sampling. This dose is equivalent to an 8-hour TWA exposure of 92.4 decibels accounting for the period of 48 minutes unmonitored.