Hazardous Noise Affects 30 Million U.S. Workers

Let employees know that according to OSHA regulations (29 CFR 1910.95), you will be conducting audiometric testing for employees whose exposures equal or exceed the action level, which is an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels or a dose of fifty percent. Within 6 months of an employee’s first exposure at or above the action level, they will get a valid baseline audiogram against which subsequent audiograms can be compared.

If testing shows that workers are exposed at or above OSHA’s action level, they will be provided with appropriate hearing protection. Review the types of hearing protection with your employees:

• Expandable foam plugs are made of a moldable material designed to expand and conform to the shape of each person’s ear canal. Users roll the expandable plugs into a thin, crease-free cylinder. What’s critical is the final result—a smooth tube thin enough so that about half the length will fit easily into the ear canal.
• Premolded, reusable plugs are made from silicone, plastic, or rubber and are manufactured as “one-size-fits-most” or in several sizes. A critical tip about premolded plugs is that a person may need a different size plug for each ear. The plugs should seal the ear canal without being uncomfortable. Advantages of premolded plugs are that they are relatively inexpensive, reusable, washable, convenient to carry, and come in a variety of sizes.
• Canal caps often resemble earplugs on a flexible plastic or metal band. Some have headbands that can be worn over the head, behind the neck, or under the chin. The main advantage of canal caps is convenience. When it’s quiet, employees can leave the band hanging around their necks. They can quickly insert the plug tips when hazardous noise starts again.
• Earmuffs come in many models designed to fit most people. They work to block out noise by completely covering the outer ear. Muffs can be “low profile” with small ear cups or large ear cups to hold extra deafening materials for use in extreme noise.

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In order for hearing protection to be the most effective, workers must follow the manufacturers’ instructions and safety procedures. Generally, workers need to:

• Check protection regularly for wear and tear.
• Replace ear cushions or plugs that are no longer pliable.
• Replace a unit when headbands are so stretched that they do not keep ear cushions snugly against the head.
• Disassemble and then wash earmuffs with a mild liquid detergent in warm water and rinse in clear, warm water. Make certain that sound-attenuating material inside the ear cushions does not get wet.
• Use a soft brush to remove skin oil and dirt that can harden ear cushions.
• Squeeze excess moisture from washable plugs or cushions and place them on a clean surface to air dry.

Ultimately, the degree of hearing hazard is related to both the level of the noise as well as to the duration of the exposure. However, this determination is like asking how long can people look at the sun without damaging their eyes. The safest thing to do is to ensure that workers always protect their ears by wearing hearing protectors any time they are working in hazardous sound levels.

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Why It Matters

• Approximately 30 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous sound levels on the job.
• Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common occupational injuries.
• It is often ignored and untreated. However, because it has no visible effects, it usually happens over a long time, and it is not usually painful.
• Noise-induced hearing loss is 100 percent preventable but once acquired, hearing loss is permanent and irreversible.

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