Though often overlooked, damage to hearing through long term exposure to loud noises is an extremely common injury on the jobsite. This exposure most commonly comes from tools, but can come from any one of a number of other processes which provide extreme noise output. If you work in an industry which could expose you or your employees to excessive noise, it is important to be sure your company is following OSHA Standard 1910.95 which defines the parameters for an acceptable hearing conservation program.

The first thing this standard does is lay out exactly what constitutes a high noise area through a table that breaks down standard and atypical sound output via decibel and frequency levels. Next, it lays out how long per day an employee can be exposed to various sound levels before a hearing conservation program must be introduced. Finally, it discusses the details of a hearing conservation program should you have employees who require admission into such a program.

These programs require strict monitoring, requiring you to check hearing capabilities on a routine and regular basis. These tests must check to ensure there is no hearing loss over time from exposure to noise at the workplace. In addition to monitoring, a plan must be in place to help prevent long term damage to hearing. This generally will include some combination of personal protective equipment and limited exposure to high noise areas.

If you have not recently updated your hearing conservation program, or have not yet established such a program, please contact us and we will make sure your facility is up to code. If you have anything to add about the importance of a hearing conservation program, please leave a comment.