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Noise standard coverage for cotton gins

Summary An attorney asked whether OSHA’s occupational noise standard applied to cotton gins. OSHA said a grower’s facility processing only that grower’s cotton was an agricultural operation outside the noise standard, while a facility not owned or leased by the grower was general industry and covered by the noise rule. OSHA now archives this letter as potentially outdated.
Document
Federal opinion letter
Agency
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Document number
1987-04-01
Date issued
April 1, 1987
Status
Archived by the agency
OSHA archives this document and says it may no longer represent OSHA policy.
Status last verified October 10, 2026
Topics
Workplace Safety OSHA 1910 Noise Coverage
Source
View the official document

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The current status of this document is unclear
OSHA archives this document and says it may no longer represent OSHA policy. It may no longer reflect the agency's current position. Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance, and verify current law before relying on anything here.
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NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only.

April 1, 1987

Mr. Jack O. Nelson, Jr.
Nelson & Nelson
Attorneys at Law
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Mr. Nelson:

This is in response to your letter of March 27 concerning the applicability of the standard for occupational noise exposure, 29 CFR 1910.95, to cotton gins.

A cotton ginning operation conducted at a facility owned or leased by a grower of cotton to process only the grower's own produce is an agricultural operation, and due to that fact, the standard for occupational noise exposure does not apply. However, a cotton ginning operation conducted at a facility that is not owned or leased by the grower of the cotton being processed is a general industry operation to which the standard for occupational noise exposure does apply.

I appreciate the opportunity to clarify this matter for you. Please feel free to contact me again if you have further questions.

Sincerely,
John A. Pendergrass
Assistant Secretary

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