Download HEARING CONSERVATION PROGRAM

HEARING
CONSERVATION
PROGRAM
REFERENCES
29 CFR 1910.95
HEARING LOSS
• HIGH LEVELS OF CONTINUOUS OR
IMPACT NOISE
- CUMULATIVE OVER TIME
- NOT NOTICEABLE UNTIL YEARS LATER
- DAMAGES HAIR-LIKE CELLS IN INNER EAR
- CAN NOT BE RECOVERED
- HEARING LOSS CAN BE PREVENTABLE
COMMON SOUNDS dB
Whisper
Barely Audible
10
Normal Conversation
Audible
78
Air Conditioner
Slightly Loud
81
Lawn Mower
Moderately Loud
92
Rock Concert
Uncomfortably
Loud
120
Jet (taking off)
Pain Threshold
140
BASIC ELEMENTS
• IDENTIFY NOISE HAZARDS PROCESSES/ AREAS VIA
THE IH SURVEY
• WHEN FEASIBLE WORKPLACES SHALL BE
MODIFIED TO REDUCE NOISE LEVEL TO
ACCEPTABLE LEVELS SUCH AS:
- ENGINEERING CONTROLS
- ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS
- PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
• PERIODIC HEARING TEST SHALL BE CONDUCTED TO
MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM
• TRAINING
• RESPONSIBILITIES
NOISE MEASUREMENTS
• IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY
CONTROL NOISE, IT IS
NECESSARY THAT THE NOISE BE
MEASURED AND PROPERLY
EVALUATED BY INDUSTRIAL
HYGIENE
MONITORING OF NOISE
• NOISE MEASUREMENTS
- PERSONAL
- AREA
Sound Level
Meter
• 84 dB(A) 8 hr-TWA for a 40 hour work
week
• FOR IMPACT OR IMPULSE NOISE
140 dB PEAK
LABELING OF HAZARDOUS NOISE
AREAS AND EQUIPMENT
• DESIGNATED HAZARDOUS NOISE
AREAS SHALL BE LABELED WITH:
- NAVMED 6260/2 HAZARDOUS NOISE WARNING
DECAL 8” X 10.5” NSN 0105-LF-004-7200
- NAVMED 6260/2A HAZARDOUS NOISE LABELS
(HAND TOOLS), 1” X 1.5” NSN 0105-LF-004-7800
- “HEARING PROTECTION REQUIRED” CAUTION SIGNS
10” X 14” COG/NSN 9Q/9905-01-100-8205
HEARING TEST
• ALL MILITARY SHALL RECEIVE A
BASELINE AUDIOGRAM UPON
ENTRY INTO THE MARINE CORPS
• PERSONNEL ROUTINELY
EXPOSED TO HAZARDOUS NOISE
THAT ARE DESIGNATED IN THE
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE NOISE
PROGRAM SHALL RECEIVE THEIR
AN ANNUAL HEARING TEST
MONITORING
AUDIOGRAM
• ANNUAL HEARING TEST SHALL BE
COMPARED TO THE BASELEINE
AUDIOGRAM TO DETERMINE IF A
SIGNIFICANT THRESHOLD SHIFT HAS
OCCURRED
15 HOUR
• PERSONNEL WHO DEMONSTRATE A
SIGNIFICANT THRESHOLD SHIFT ON
THEIR ANNUAL HEARING TEST
SHALL BE RETESTED AFTER THEY
HAVE REMAINED “NOISE FREE”
FROM ALL NOISE EXPOSURE
EXCEEDING 80 dB FOR 15 HOURS
• INCLUDES ALL OFF-DUTY
ACTIVITIES
40 HOUR
• OCCASIONALLY A SIGNIFICANT
THRESHOLD SHIFT STILL IS EVIDENT
FOLLOWING THE 15 HOUR “NOISE
FREE” PERIOD. IF THIS OCCURS, THEN
THE PERSONNEL MUST BE KEPT FREE
OF ALL NOISE EXPOSURE FOR A
PERIOD OF 40 HOURS BEFORE BEING
TESTED AGAIN
• INCLUDES OFF-DUTY ACTIVITIES
EXCLUSION FROM
FUTURE NOISE EXPOSURE
• PERSONNEL WHO EXHIBIT A
PROGRESSIVE SERIES OF
PERMANENT THRESHOLD SHIFTS
MUST BE CONSIDERED AS HIGH
RISK FOR FUTURE HEARING
DETERIORATION. THEY MUST BE
GIVEN SPECIAL CONSIDRATION
UNDER THIS PROGRAM
TERMINATION
AUDIOGRAM
• ALL PERSONNEL WHO NO LONGER WORK WITH NOISE
HAZARDOUS EQUIPMENT OR LOCATIONS SHALL RECEIVE A
TERMINATION AUDIOGRAM TO DOCUMENT ANY HEARING
LOSS AT THAT TIME
• UPON TERMINATION OF SERVICE, MILITARY PERSONNEL
SHALL RECEIVE A TERMINATION AUDIOGRAM TO DOCUMENT
HEARING LOSS (IF ANY) REGARDLESS OF BEING IN THE
HEARING CONSERVATION PROGRAM
PERSONAL HEARING
DEVICES
• HEARING PROTECTIVE DEVICES SHALL BE WORN BY ALL
PERSONNEL WHERE LEVELS AT OR GREATER THAN 84
dB(A) (CONTINUOUS) OR 140 dB IMPULSE/ IMPACT NOISE
LEVELS
• A COMBINATION OF INSERT-TYPE AND CIRCUMURAL
MUFFS (DOUBLE PROTECTION) SHALL BE WORN WHERE
LEVELS EXCEED 103 dB(A)
• ALL PERSONNEL EXPOSED TO GUN FIRE, ARTILLERY OR
MISSILE FIRING IN A TRAINING SITUATION SHALL WEAR
HEARING PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- TO ACHIEVE SUFFICIENT REDUCTION TO NOISE LEVELS ABOVE
104 dB(A) ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS OF SHALL
IMPLEMENTATED IN THE PROGRAM
MINIMUM
PROTECTION
• AT A MINIMUM, HEARING
PROTECTIVE DEVICES SHALL BE
- COMPLY WITH ANSI Z87.1-1989
- ADEQUATE EYE PROTECTION
AGAINST THE PARTICULAR HAZARD
- DURABLE
- EASY TO CLEAN
- CAPABLE OF BEING
DISINFECTED
- EASILY REPAIRED
HEARING PROTECTION
RECORD
KEEPING
• ALL RECORDS OF HEARING
TEST SHALL BE KEPT IN
INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL
RECORDS UNTIL A NEW
AUDIOGRAM WILL REPLACE IT
• ALL NOISE MEASUREMENTS
SHALL BE KEPT FOR THE
DURATION OF EMPLOYEE’S
SERVICE PLUS 30 YEARS
TRAINING
• ALL PERSONNEL IN THE HEARING CONSERVATION
PROGRAM SHALL BE NOTIFIED AND RECEIVE
TRAINING IN
- THE ELEMENTS AND RATIONAL FOR A HEARING
CONSERVATION PROGRAM
- PROPER WEARING AND MAINTENANCE OF
HEARING DEVICES
- COMMAND INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY IN PROTECTING
THEIR OWN HEARING
- OFF-DUTY PRACTICES
- HOW HEARING LOSS EFFECTS EMPLOYABILITY,
RETENTION, JOB PERFORMANCE AND CAREER
PROGRESSION
ABATEMENT OF NOISE
HAZARDS
• ENGINEERING DESIGN TO ELIMINATE OR
REDUCE NOISE LEVELS
• DAMPING THE NOISE BY MEANS OF
MUFFLERS, MOUNTINGS, COUPLINGS,
INSULATIONS, ETC.
• ACOUSTICAL ENCLOSURES
• ISOLATION
• SUBSTITION OF A LESS NOISY OPERATION
• ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS TO LIMIT
EXPOSURE TIME
FUNDING
• PERSONNEL EXPOSED TO
NOISE HAZARDOUS AREAS
SHALL BE PROVIDED WITH
ADEQUATE PROTECTION AT
GOVERNMENT EXPENSE
• USE OF OPERATIONAL AND
MAINTENANCE FUNDS BY
UNITS
CONCLUSION
• IDENTIFY ALL NOISE HAZARDOUS
PROCESSES/AREAS
• PROVIDE PERSONAL WITH
HEARING PROTECTION
• ENSURE MEDICAL SCREENING
• POST WARNING SIGNS IN ALL NOISE
HAZARDOUS AREAS
• ENFORCEMENT OF THE PROGRAM