Protecting Workers from Loud Noises A Three Pronged Approach
Protecting workers from hazardous occupational noise exposure requires understanding the exposure, taking the right PPE approach, and ensuring worker buy-in.
- By Ray Chishti
- Sep 06, 2023
Hearing protection devices (HPDs) don’t block out sound completely, but they give you some protection by reducing the amount of sound reaching your ear. At the same time, you will be able to hear speech and important machinery sounds. Employers must attempt to reduce workers’ noise exposure by using engineering and administrative controls. If any hazardous noise exposure remains, then workers need to use HPDs.
Ensuring your workers are protected in their work environment from hazardous occupational noise exposures might prevent unnecessary enforcement actions. I recently had a peer, a Corporate EHS Director for a large specialty contractor, share his company’s recent experience with me about an OSHA inspection.
Workers complained they were not comfortable at work, saying noise levels were distracting and loud. Although the company did not violate any Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and provided workers with adequate hearing protectors, it had difficulty explaining to OSHA how it performed assessments to evaluate noise exposures.
Hearing Protection
Under OSHA section §1910.95, Occupational Noise Exposure, employers must allow workers to select from a variety of suitable hearing protection devices. Employers must also pay for hearing protection too. The noise reduction rating (NRR) indicates how much noise reduction hearing protector provides.
Employers must “make hearing protectors available to all employees exposed to an eight-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels or greater at no cost to the employees.” This is the exposure level at which hearing protectors must be available. Employees must wear the hearing protectors when exposures are at or above 90 decibels as an eight-hour time-weighted average.
Also, employees exposed at or above 85 decibels as an eight-hour time-weighted average must wear hearing protectors if they have not yet had a baseline audiogram established or have experienced a standard threshold shift in their hearing.
Most employers must implement some elements of an IH or occupational health program depending on their work activities and workers’ exposures. Here is some guidance on how to evaluate noise exposures by performing a walk-around survey.
OSHA requires employers to determine if workers are exposed to excessive workplace noise. If so, the employer must implement feasible engineering or administrative controls to eliminate or reduce hazardous noise levels. Employers must implement an effective hearing conservation program where controls are insufficient.
This article originally appeared in the September 2023 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.