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Hearing Protection
The OSHA Noise Standard requires the
use of hearing protection whenever engineering or administrative
controls fail to keep an employee’s noise exposure
below 90 decibels (dBA) over an 8-hour time-weighted
average (TWA), whenever an employee with a standard
threshold shift is exposed to 85 dBA 8-hour TWA, or
whenever an employee is exposed to 85 dBA 8-hour TWA
before they have received a baseline audiogram.
Protection must be made available when exposures are
greater than 85 dBA 8-hour TWA. When selecting hearing
protection, consideration should be given to comfort
and attenuation. Since hearing protectors are an integral
part of the Hearing Conservation Program, you should
be aware of some of the advantages and disadvantages
of the different types available. The advantages and
disadvantages of different types of hearing protection
are summarized in Table 1.
Table 1
|
Types |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
| Disposable Ear Plugs |
1. Comfortable
2. Easy to store
3. Fits most ears
4. Does not interfere with other safety equipment
|
1. Sometimes must be properly shaped before insertion
2. Can pick up dirt easily and contaminate ear canal
3. Can be expensive if used once then discarded |
| Non-disposable ear plugs |
1. Easy to store
2. Washable with soap and water
3. Do not interfere with safety equipment
4. Usually good attenuation
|
1. Easy to lose
2. Must be fitted individually
3. Should not be worn if ear infection is present
4. If dirty, can contaminate ear canal
|
| Muffs |
1. One size fits most adults
2. Easy to take on and off
3. Easy to observe and supervise use
4. Generally provide good attenuation, except for
low frequency noise
|
1. Easy to lose
2. Must be fitted individually
3. Should not be worn if ear infection is present
4. If dirty, can contaminate ear canal
|
Hearing protection attenuation
To verify that the type of hearing protector used by
employees is adequate, it is necessary to estimate the
in-ear noise levels when wearing the protection. In-ear
8-hour time-weighted average levels must be less than
90 dBA (85 dBA for employees with a standard threshold
shift) when wearing the protectors. Methods included
in Appendix B of the OSHA Noise Standard use the Noise
Reduction Rating (NRR) to estimate in-ear levels. The
packaging of most hearing protectors is labeled with
the NRR. To estimate the employees’ noise exposure,
subtract seven from the NRR, then subtract 50% of this
value from the 8-hour TWA to estimate the employees’
exposure to noise. Other methods of estimating attenuation
are included in the Noise Standard and can be used.
Higher NRR values indicate greater noise reduction
potential provided by the protectors. The actual protection
experienced by the employee will depend upon proper
fitting and wearing of the device.
It is important for employers to know the noise levels
present within their work areas not only for compliance
reasons, but also for the general health of employees.
When developing and implementing a Hearing Conservation
Program, the following areas must be covered:
- Noise Monitoring
- Noise Control Analysis
- Employee Training
- Hearing Conservation Plan Development
XL Environmental • Risk Control Division •
520 Eagleview Boulevard, PO Box 636, Exton, PA 19341
• Phone: 800-327-1414 • Fax: 610-458-7285
• xlenvironmental.com
XL Environmental is a division of XL Specialty Insurance
Company.
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