Hearing Conservation

1 HearingConservationOSHA 30742002 (Revised)This informational booklet providesa generic, non-exhaustive overview of aparticular topic related to OSHA does not alter or determine complianceresponsibilities in OSHA standards or theOccupational Safety and Health Act of interpretations and enforcementpolicy may change over time, you shouldconsult current administrative interpretationsand decisions by the Occupational Safety andHealth Review Commission and the Courtsfor additional guidance on OSHA publication is in the public domain andmay be reproduced, fully or partially, withoutpermission. Source credit is requested butnot information is available to sensoryimpaired individuals upon phone: (202) 693 1999;Teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889 Department of LaborElaine L. Chao, SecretaryOccupational Safety and Health AdministrationJohn L. Henshaw, Assistant SecretaryOSHA 30742002 (Revised)iiiiiContentsHearing ConservationWhat is occupational noise exposure?

2 1 What monitoring is required?.. 2 What is audiometric testing?.. 3 What is a baseline audiogram?.. 4 What are annual audiograms?.. 4 What is an employer required to dofollowing an audiogram evaluation?.. 5 When is an employer required toprovide Hearing protectors? .. 6 What training is required? .. 7 What exposure and testing recordsmust employers keep?.. 7 OSHA Assistance, Services, and ProgramsHow can OSHA help me?.. 9 How does safety and health management systemassistance help employers and employees?.. 9 What are state programs?.. 10 What is consultation assistance?.. 10 What is the Safety and Health AchievementRecognition Program (SHARP)?.. 10 What are the Voluntary ProtectionPrograms (VPPs)? .. 11 How can a partnership with OSHA improve worker safety and health?.. 12 What is OSHA s StrategicPartnership Program (OSPP)?

3 13 What occupational safety andhealth training does OSHA offer?.. 13ivWhat is the OSHA Training Grant Program?.. 14 What other assistance materialsdoes OSHA have available?.. 14 What do I do in case of anemergency or to file a complaint?.. 15 OSHA Regional andArea Office and Health Consultation Projects ..241 Hearing ConservationWhat is occupational noise exposure? noise , or unwanted sound, is one of the most pervasiveoccupational health problems. It is a by-product of manyindustrial processes. Sound consists of pressure changes ina medium (usually air), caused by vibration or pressure changes produce waves emanating awayfrom the turbulent or vibrating source. Exposure to highlevels of noise causes Hearing loss and may cause otherharmful health effects as well. The extent of damagedepends primarily on the intensity of the noise and theduration of the Hearing loss can be temporary orpermanent.

4 Temporary Hearing loss results from short-termexposures to noise , with normal Hearing returning afterperiod of rest. Generally, prolonged exposure to high noiselevels over a period of time gradually causes s Hearing Conservation program is designed toprotect workers with significant occupational noise exposuresfrom Hearing impairment even if they are subject to suchnoise exposures over their entire working publication summarizes the required component ofOSHA s Hearing Conservation program for general covers monitoring, audiometric testing, Hearing protectors,training, and recordkeeping What monitoring is required? The Hearing Conservation program requiresemployers to monitor noise exposure levels in a way thataccurately identifies employees exposed to noise at orabove 85 decibels (dB) averaged over 8 working hours,or an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA).

5 Employersmust monitor all employees whose noise exposure isequivalent to or greater than a noise exposure receivedin 8 hours where the noise level is constantly 85 exposure measurement must include all continuous,intermittent, and impulsive noise within an 80 dB to 130 dBrange and must be taken during a typical work requirement is performance-oriented because it allowsemployers to choose the monitoring method that best suitseach individual must repeat monitoring whenever changesin production, process, or controls increase noise changes may mean that more employees need to beincluded in the program or that their Hearing protectorsmay no longer provide adequate are entitled to observe monitoring proceduresand must receive notification of the results of exposuremonitoring. The method used to notify employees is left tothe employer s must carefully check or calibrate instrumentsused for monitoring employee exposures to ensure that themeasurements are accurate.

6 Calibration procedures areunique to specific instruments. employers should follow themanufacturer s instructions to determine when and howextensively to calibrate the is audiometric testing?Audiometric testing monitors an employee s Hearing overtime. It also provides an opportunity for employers to educateemployees about their Hearing and the need to protect employer must establish and maintain an audiometrictesting program. The important elements of the programinclude baseline audiograms, annual audiograms, training,and followup procedures. employers must make audiometrictesting available at no cost to all employees who are exposedto an action level of 85 dB or above, measured as an8-hour audiometric testing program followup shouldindicate whether the employer s Hearing conservationprogram is preventing Hearing loss. A licensed or certifiedaudiologist, otolaryngologist, or other physician mustbe responsible for the program.

7 Both professionals andtrained technicians may conduct audiometric professional in charge of the program does not haveto be present when a qualified technician conducts professional s responsibilities include overseeing theprogram and the work of the technicians, reviewing problemaudiograms, and determining whether referral is employee needs a referral for further testingwhen test results are questionable or when related medicalproblems are suspected. If additional testing is necessary orif the employer suspects a medical pathology of the ear thatis caused or aggravated by wearing Hearing protectors, theemployer must refer the employee for a clinical audiologicalevaluation or otological exam, as appropriate. There are twotypes of audiograms required in the Hearing conservationprogram: baseline and annual is a baseline audiogram?The baseline audiogram is the reference audiogramagainst which future audiograms are compared.

8 Employersmust provide baseline audiograms within 6 months of anemployee s first exposure at or above an 8-hour TWA of85 dB. An exception is allowed when the employer uses amobile test van for audiograms. In these instances, baselineaudiograms must be completed within 1 year after anemployee s first exposure to workplace noise at or above aTWA of 85 dB. Employees, however, must be fitted with,issued, and required to wear Hearing protectors wheneverthey are exposed to noise levels above a TWA of 85 dB forany period exceeding 6 months after their first exposureuntil the baseline audiogram is conducted. Baseline audiograms taken before the Hearing conservationprogram took effect in 1983 are acceptable if the professionalsupervisor determines that the audiogram is valid. Employeesshould not be exposed to workplace noise for 14 hoursbefore the baseline test or wear Hearing protectors duringthis time are annual audiograms?

9 employers must provide annual audiograms within1 year of the baseline. It is important to test workers hearingannually to identify deterioration in their Hearing ability asearly as possible. This enables employers to initiate protectivefollowup measures before Hearing loss progresses. Employersmust compare annual audiograms to baseline audiograms todetermine whether the audiogram is valid and whether theemployee has lost Hearing ability or experienced a standardthreshold shift (STS). An STS is an average shift in either earof 10 dB or more at 2,000, 3,000, and 4,000 is an employer required to dofollowing an audiogram evaluation?The employer must fit or refit any employee showing anSTS with adequate Hearing protectors, show the employeehow to use them, and require the employee to wear must notify employees within 21 days after thedetermination that their audiometric test results show an employees with an STS may need further testing if theprofessional determines that their test results are questionableor if they have an ear problem thought to be caused oraggravated by wearing Hearing protectors.

10 If the suspectedmedical problem is not thought to be related to wearinghearing protection, the employer must advise the employeeto see a physician. If subsequent audiometric tests show thatthe STS identified on a previous audiogram is not persistent,employees whose exposure to noise is less than a TWA of90 dB may stop wearing Hearing employer may substitute an annual audiogram forthe original baseline audiogram if the professional supervisingthe audiometric program determines that the employee sSTS is persistent. The employer must retain the originalbaseline audiogram, however, for the length of the employee semployment. This substitution will ensure that the same shiftis not repeatedly identified. The professional also may decideto revise the baseline audiogram if the employee s hearingimproves. This will ensure that the baseline reflects actualhearing thresholds to the extent possible.