About 22 million people a year are exposed to potentially hazardous noise levels on the job. That attention-getting statistic was reported in an April 2013 article in The Hearing Journal. OSHA's concern in this area got one Texas limestone fabricator's attention. On September 11, 2014, OSHA laid some heavy fines because the employer failed to list the warning signs emitted by the noisy machinery on their shop floor.
In addition to other health and safety infractions, OSHA found serious violations of 29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1). Specifically, the employer failed to administer "a continuing, effective, hearing conservation program."
OSHA inspectors also found that the employer "did not ensure that employees were wearing hearing protectors when exposed to noise levels exceeding 85dB(A). Employees were using a variety of saws, push hammers, and a planner machine either with defective or inadequate hearing protection, or no protection at all.
The company was fined $12,600 for the two serious violations and an additional $5,400 for not doing the workplace hazard assessment and posting a written certification as required by 29 CFR 1910.132(d)(2).
In the willful violation category, OSHA cited the employer for failing to "establish and maintain an audiometric testing program" and not making hearing tests available for several employees who were operating the aforementioned equipment. This penalty was another hefty $63,000.
Any employer who knows that its workers’ exposure "may be equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85dB…shall develop and implement a monitoring program." OSHA recommends the following approaches:
OSHA oversees and enforces a hearing conservation program for employers in the general industry, where, as mentioned previously, noise on the job equals or exceeds 85dB(A) over an 8-hour exposure.
The program's goals are to prevent occupational hearing loss, preserve existing hearing levels, and educate workers on what they need to do and what equipment they should use to protect themselves on the job.
The following are the key elements of what OSHA considers an effective hearing conservation program.
The employer must:
The program must be repeated annually and be kept up to date "consistent with changes in the protective equipment and work processes."
Each employee must be briefed on:
There are working environments--at mines, construction sites, forestry work, etc.--where engineering controls are impractical and administrative controls will not be fully effective. Supervisors and workers need to communicate face to face in a high-noise environment, without the encumbrance of heavy short-lived battery packs.
Each industry has different needs, and communication-enabled devices--both in-ear and headsets-- provide a variety of solutions in every environment where lack of communication could jeopardize safety.
This is where Sensear offers help. Our new SM1R Series headsets are specifically built for two-way radio in both regular and intrinsically safe high-noise environments. They are powered by the radio, so no battery is required, making the headsets lighter and giving the users only one device to charge. In addition to this, we have various communication solutions for Bluetooth, Cellular, and Short Range work teams or tour groups within high-noise environments.
For additional info on best practices for hearing programs and high-noise communication solutions. Contact us and we'll call you within one business day. Fill out our contact form and our experts will be in touch. We're looking forward to hearing from you.