OSHA Guide to Noise and Hearing Safety, Health And Conservation

One of the occupational hazards of living in theprotection program as the "Hearing conservation
modern industrial age is noise exposure, both in andprogram". This program has five operational parts
away from the workplace. Acoustic noise can bemandated: (1) Noise monitoring (2) Audiometric Testing
defined as unwanted sound and sounds louder than 80(3) Employee Training (4) Hearing Protectors and (5)
decibels (dB) are considered potentially dangerous.Record Keeping.
According to the National Institute on Deafness andNoise monitoring
Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), more thanSound levels in the workplace must be measured to
30 million Americans are regularly exposed toascertain which employees to include in the program,
hazardous sound levels. According to the EPA thethe need for hearing protection equipment and its
number of people exposed to work induced noisesuitability.
damage is around 9 million.Audiometric Testing
Noise is considered a necessary evil and the insidiousAll employees in the program must be subjected to a
effects of exposure above acceptable levels arebase line audiometric test to determine pre-existing
generally not realized, mostly because there are nohearing loss, if any. Annual tests are to be carried out
visible effects. The primary effect of excessive noisethereafter to asses the effectiveness of the program
is hearing loss, either temporary or permanent,and for appropriate remedial action as necessary. The
depending on the level and duration of exposure. Whatstandard specifically requires that the audiometric tests
is even less well known are the secondary effectsbe carried out by duly qualified personnel under the
ranging from sleep disturbances: stress and fatigue,supervision of an audiologist, otolaryngologist or
irritability, annoyance and lack of concentration. Noisephysician.
induced lack of attention and the consequent loss inEmployee Training
efficiency are matters of prime concern in theAll employees in the program must receive annual
workplace. Not only is productivity impaired, buttraining on the effects of noise on hearing, hearing
chances of accidents, impinging on worker andprotection devices and the purpose of audiometric
workplace safety, are also increased.testing.
The federal Occupational Safety and HealthHearing Protectors
Administration (OSHA) has developed regulations forHearing protection devices must be made accessible
acceptable threshold limits of noise in the workplaceto all employees in the program.
and mitigation of excessive noise. The 29 CFRRecord Keeping
standards 1910.95 Occupational noise exposure, laysRecords of employee exposure (sound
down permissible exposure limits for different durationsmeasurement), acoustic or exhaustive audiometer
of exposure. The recommend exposure level, as percalibration, and audiometric test records must be
the standard, is 85 dB A on an 8-hour time-weightedupdated. These records are to be maintained for
average (TWA) basis. If this limit is exceeded, feasiblespecific periods of time.
administrative or engineering controls are to be utilized.Experience has shown that effective hearing loss
If such controls fail to reduce sound levels within theprotection programs are universally beneficial and that
permissible exposure limits, personal protectiveboth employer and employees stand to gain from the
equipment (PPE) is to be provided. Further, irrespectiveprograms. The employees are protected from hearing
of the reduction of noise exposure to 85 dB A orloss, fatigue and general debility. The employer benefits
below with the use of PPE, the employer is tofrom improvement in employee morale and
implement a hearing loss protection program.productivity and will also enjoy reduced medical and
The 1910.95 standard refers to the mandated hearingworker compensation costs.