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NOISE MONITORING 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 Hearing protection devices (HPDs) don’t block out sound completely, but they give you some protection by reducing the amount of sound reaching the ear. At the same time, you can 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. Recently, a peer who is a Corporate EHS Director for a large specialty contractor, share his company’s 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 16 Occupational Health & Safety | SEPTEMBER 2023 www.ohsonline.com Piotr Zajda/Shutterstock.com 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, employers must implement feasible engineering or administrative controls to eliminate or reduce hazardous noise levels, and must implement an effective hearing conservation program where controls are insufficient. OSHA’s occupational noise exposure standard at 1910.95 protects general industry employees, such as those in the manufacturing, utilities and service sectors. It does not cover the construction, oil and gas, well drilling and servicing industries. Evaluating Noise Exposure The first step toward solving any noise problem is to define it. Employers must determine the level of noise their employees are exposed to in the workplace to determine which control methods are needed to protect worker safety. When evaluating which employees are potentially covered by OSHA’s standard, remember that the rule applies to employees with even one day of exposure to noise levels at or above 85 decibels on an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA). Employees not exposed to noise levels equal to or exceeding 85 decibels (as an eight-hour TWA) for an entire year following their last annual audiogram may be removed from the hearing conservation program. The next step is to perform an assessment by performing a walk-around sound survey and sampling. Walk-around Sound Survey There is only one way to know if noise has reached a dangerous level — by having someone trained to conduct a sound survey. Anyone trained to use a sound level meter and a dosimeter and evaluate the data should be able to perform the survey. Employers should engage a trained individual to conduct a walk-around sound survey of their workplaces. The walk-around survey will screen for noise exposures and determine if more monitoring is required. When screening for noise exposures, sound-level meter measurements and estimates of the duration of exposure are sufficient. The resulting spot readings can determine the need for a complete evaluation. If the results of the walk-around survey indicate time-weighted average (TWA) exposures of 80 decibels or more, additional noise monitoring should be performed. Employers should consider the accuracy of the sound level meter when making this estimation. For example, a Type 2 sound level meter has an accuracy of plus or minus 2 decibels. The results of the sound survey will help with selecting the proper hearing protectors for your workers.