HearingConservation

Introduction:

Noiseinducedhearinglossisthemostcommonoccupationalhazardforworkersandis100%preventable.OSHA’sHearingConservationProgramisdesignedtoprotectworkerswithsignificantoccupationalnoiseexposuresfromhearingimpairment,andinvolvesnoiselevelmonitoringtoidentifyallnoiseatorabove85dBA.

Operatingmanysourcesofequipmentatworkincludingaforklift,acircularsaworworkingnearagenerator,requirestheemployeetoweartheappropriatehearingprotection,andparticipateinahearingconservationprogram.

DiscussionPoints:

• WhatisOccupationalNoiseExposure?

• IdentifyPotentialSourcesofNoiseExposure

• HowareNoiseLevelsMeasured?

• RequiredMonitoringandAudiograms

• HowtoPreventHearingLossatWork?

Discussion:

Monitoringmustbeperformedwhenthereisanincreaseinproductionorequipmentisaddedthatcouldincreasenoiselevel,andAudiogramsarerequiredeveryyeartoidentifyiftherehasbeenahearingloss.

NoisecontrolrequirestheuseofPersonalProtectiveEquipment(PPE),whichincludesearplugsandearmuffs,andmustbeusedincompliancewithOSHA’sstandard29CFR1910.132andallotherapplicablehealthandsafetystandardsalongwithuserinstructions,warningsandlimitationsthataccompanythePPEusedwhileatwork.Ifyoudon’tprotectyourhearing,youwillloseit.

Asalways,besafeoutthere!

January28,2019