Page 62 - Occupational Health & Safety, May 2018

HEARING PROTECTION
chemicals can occur through inhalation, ingestion, or skin absorp- tion. Workers’ risk of hearing loss is increased when they’re ex- posed to the chemicals while working around elevated noise levels, it says, adding that the hearing loss may be temporary or perma- nent, depending on the level of noise, the dose of the chemical, and the duration of exposure, and such impairment affects many industries and occupations, from machinists to firefighters.
“Several studies have suggested that some ototoxic chemicals, such as certain solvents, might exacerbate noise-induced hearing loss even though the noise level is below OSHA’s Permissible Expo- sure Limit (PEL),” it says.
The document relies on and cites a 2009 literature review from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, “Combined Exposure to Noise and Ototoxic Substances,” that is available on- line.2 This 62-page resource contains a table of chemical agents, described as major sources of exposure, and their major uses by industry; the chemicals include toluene, styrene, trichloroethylene, n-Hexane, mercury, manganese, arsenic, and cadmium.
Industries that use potential ototoxicants include manufacturing, mining, utilities, construction, and agriculture.
Industries More Likely to Have Ototoxicants
ing, mining, utilities, construction, and agriculture. Manufactur- ing industry subsectors in which they are used, according to the guidance document, may include:
■ Fabricated metal
■ Machinery
■ Leather and allied products
■ Textile and apparel
■ Petroleum
■ Paper
■ Chemicals (including paints)
■ Furniture and related products
■ Transportation equipment (e.g., ship and boat building)
■ Electrical equipment, appliance and component (e.g.,
batteries)
■ Solar cells
It says work activities that often have high noise exposure and could add synergistic effects—defined in this document as a “great- er-than-additive” effect—when combined with ototoxicant expo- sure may include:
■ Printing ■ Painting
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■ Firefighting
■ Firing weapons
■ Pesticide spraying
Review Safety Data Sheets to identify ototoxic substances or chemicals— specifically Section 11 of an SDS that addresses toxicological information.
Preventing Harm
The guidance document recommends reviewing the Safety Data Sheets to identify ototoxic substances or chemicals—specifically Section 11 of an SDS that addresses toxicological information. The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard requires employers to provide training to workers who are exposed to hazardous materi- als, including ototoxic chemicals.
The next steps recommended in the document follow the famil- iar hierarchy of controls, beginning with elimination or substitu- tion before moving on to administrative controls (such as eliminat- ing unnecessary tasks that cause noise or ototoxicant exposure or operating noisy equipment when employees aren’t near it) and PPE (such as respiratory protection, chemical-protective gloves, sleeves, aprons, and hearing protection).
Jerry Laws is the editor of Occupational Health & Safety.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2018-124/pdfs/2018-124.pdf
2. https://osha.europa.eu/en/tools-and-publications/publications/litera-
ture_reviews/combined-exposure-to-noise-and-ototoxic-substances/view
Industries that use potential ototoxicants include manufactur-
Construction
■
■ Manufacturing
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