OSHA enforcement cases relating to hearing conservation
Earlier this year, OSHA cited Kamps Inc. for 10 alleged safety and health -- including one willful -- violations at its Versailles wood pallet manufacturing facility. OSHA's inspection was initiated on Nov. 4, 2011, under the agency's Site-Specific Targeting Program, which expands the scope of a routine inspection to cover all hazards associated with the employer's industry. Proposed fines total $101,000.
The alleged willful safety violation involves a lack of audiometric testing to determine workers' exposure to noise greater than 85 decibels for a time-weighted average of eight hours. A willful violation is one committed with intentional knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health.
One alleged serious health violation is failing to provide workers with hearing conservation training and the appropriate hearing protection. Four alleged serious safety violations involve failing to use equipment in a manner consistent with labels, provide safety training to maintenance workers performing live electrical work, ensure that authorized workers conduct periodic inspections of energy control procedures and provide personal protective equipment for employees performing electrical work. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
Four alleged other-than-serious health and safety violations involve failing to post OSHA's hearing conservation standard, provide a selection of hearing protection options, ensure that lockout devices indicate the identity of the workers applying the devices and ensure that the path to ground on branch electrical circuits is maintained. An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.
Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Kamps Inc. employs approximately 500 workers across the Midwest.
Specialty Metals Processing Inc. was cited by OSHA with five alleged violations at its machine tool manufacturing plant in Stow. The alleged violations include three failure-to-abate citations for not administering an effective hearing conservation program and implementing procedures to control hazardous energy. OSHA initiated its follow-up inspection in January. Proposed fines total $131,320.