Hearing Conservation
Hearing Conservation Programs from World of Hearing
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) imposes a permissible exposure limit of 90 decibels per a normal eight-hour shift. If the noise at your site is 90 decibels or more, you will be required to provide your employees with a hearing conservation program that will help protect them while on the job site.
Elements of an Effective Hearing Conservation Program
World of Hearing can help your company continue to line up with regulations for hearing conservation programs laid out by OSHA. Below are some effective methods for making sure that you and your employees are safe while on the job site.
Noise Monitoring
Maintaining levels throughout your job site is critical to the hearing conservation program. Sound level meters and dosimeters are alternative tools that you can use to help measure noise. They can measure sound intensity at a moment in time and measure the average exposure over time. Another approach is to conduct risk assessments to evaluate the level of noise generated by each specific task at your site.
Noise Controls
Once sound intensity measurements have been obtained, the next step is to mitigate them. You can do this by purchasing quitter equipment, limiting the time spent working with noisy equipment or isolating the worker by using a fully enclosed cab.
Hearing Protection
If a cab is not an option, then equipment is necessary. World of Hearing can help with fit testing. This is important to help makes sure that the equipment fits properly and works appropriately.
Audiometric Testing & Evaluation
Testing your equipment annually will ensure that it is up to standards. You should also have your employees be tested for any hearing loss. If you notice that your long-term employees are suffering from hearing loss, then you should be updating your hearing conservation program.
Training & Education
Noise protection should be communicated with your employees frequently. This helps them understand the risks of noise hazards and how they can protect themselves.
Questions? We’re Here to Help
World of Hearing is here to help you with any questions you may have about completing the program. We can help find equipment and perform any testing that may be needed to keep your company in regulation with OSHA. Visit us today to see how we can help you.