OSHA Dallas renews high-noise emphasis program for selected manufacturing sectors through March 2029
Safety
OSHA’s Dallas area office renewed a Regional Emphasis Program targeting hazardous noise in several manufacturing industries through March 2029. The program also excludes NAICS 332 from duplicate enforcement and offers o…
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Key Facts
- OSHA’s Dallas area office renewed and updated a Regional Emphasis Program on hazardous noise in several manufacturing industries.
- The REP is scheduled to run through March 2029.
- Covered industries include wood product manufacturing (NAICS 321), plastics and rubber products manufacturing (326), cement and concrete product manufacturing (3273), nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing (327), and cut stone and stone product manufacturing (327991).
- The Dallas Region already maintains a fabricated metal products REP under NAICS 332, so those industries were excluded from the high-noise REP to avoid duplicative enforcement activities.
- The Dallas Region’s 21(d) Consultation Project Offices in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas will provide outreach, consultation services and training to affected employers as requested.
What Happened
OSHA’s Dallas area office renewed and updated a Regional Emphasis Program focused on hazardous noise in several manufacturing industries. According to the report, the program is scheduled to run through March 2029.
The REP applies to wood product manufacturing, plastics and rubber products manufacturing, cement and concrete product manufacturing, nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing, and cut stone and stone product manufacturing.
Why It Matters
For plants that run loud equipment, the renewed program signals continued attention to hearing conservation, noise monitoring, and documented controls. That has practical consequences for compliance teams, maintenance groups, and operations managers in covered sectors.
The report said the Dallas Region identified the listed industries among the top eight in OSHA’s Industry Profile for Standard 1910.95, Occupational Noise Exposure. For employers, that makes hearing protection programs and engineering or administrative controls especially relevant during inspections and internal audits.
Key Details
The directive states that the Dallas Region already maintains a REP for fabricated metal products under NAICS 332, excluding machinery and transportation equipment industries. Because of that existing program, NAICS 332 was excluded from the new high-noise REP to avoid duplicative enforcement activities.
- Coverage includes worksites in New Mexico that are under federal jurisdiction.
- The Dallas Region’s 21(d) Consultation Project Offices in Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas will provide outreach, consultation services, and training as requested.
- The program is aimed at hazardous noise in manufacturing, not all industrial sectors.
For chemical buyers and industrial operators, the biggest implication is not procurement alone but plant-level exposure management: noisy compressors, grinders, conveyors, mixers, and other processing equipment can pull hearing conservation programs into the spotlight.
What To Watch Next
Facilities in the covered NAICS codes should expect continued emphasis on noise hazards through March 2029 and should keep documentation current for monitoring, training, and hearing protection use.
Employers in Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas may also want to watch for consultation and outreach activity, since the report said those services are available to affected employers upon request.
Alliance's Take
Covered manufacturers should review noise monitoring, hearing conservation records, and PPE availability now rather than waiting for an OSHA visit. This is especially relevant where production changes, maintenance work, or contractor activity can raise exposure levels.
For procurement and EHS teams, the practical question is whether current controls, hearing protection, and training are aligned with the sites’ actual noise profile and the specific NAICS coverage in the Dallas Region.
Related Products
Frequently Asked Questions
Which industries are covered by the renewed Dallas high-noise REP?
The report lists wood product manufacturing (321), plastics and rubber products manufacturing (326), cement and concrete product manufacturing (3273), nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing (327), and cut stone and stone product manufacturing (327991).
How long will the program run?
OSHA said the renewed REP is scheduled to run through March 2029.
Are consultation services available to affected employers?
Yes. The report said the Dallas Region’s 21(d) Consultation Project Offices in Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas will provide outreach, consultation services, and training as requested.