Worked with 105s and 155s when I was in the Corps; don’t believe we were issued and particular brand of hearing protection, and when fire missions really got hot and fast I don’t recall any OSHA pukes around to tell us how to handle powder bags or projectiles, or how to clean our guns.
I still collect wheel weights and old automotive batteries to smelt in the back yard for casting material, allways have to add a little tin to harden the lead, makes for a cleaner bullet. I have used every solvent known to man to clean my weapons, Hoppes is good but I think chlorosolve does a better job.
63 years old and still no lead lead poisoning and haven’t grown a third eye yet from the chemicals. OSHA can kiss my ass, the faster they are defunded the better off the world will be.
PS: My hearing is just fine. I hear just what I want to; as for the chemical exposure I can smell a quail or chukar partridge 100 meters away.
The military issues hearing protection now. I was at a site guarded by Army kids, and they all had a little plastic container looped through a buttonhole or something. I asked about it, and one said they were earplugs. I joked, so you put in the earplugs when you are attacked? No, Sir, we take cover as appropriate, THEN put in the plugs, then identify the enemy and enemy location before returning fire. Oh, OK.
I agree with your OSHA feelings. Way over the top and beyond the task Nixon had for them.
You are exposing yourself to lead and chemicals and noise voluntarily, though. If you were doing it as part of your job so you had little choice about where, when, and how much you were exposed, you may feel differently.