Amanda Rawls presented on hearing conservation. Key points include: 1. Prolonged exposure to noise over 85 dB can cause permanent hearing loss. Tools and equipment are a main source of noise in workplaces like auto dealerships and body shops. 2. OSHA requires employers to monitor noise levels, provide engineering and administrative controls to reduce noise when feasible, provide hearing protection when needed, and implement a hearing conservation program for exposed employees. 3. A hearing conservation program includes baseline and annual audiometric testing, training, recordkeeping, and following up on employees who show signs of hearing loss. The goal is to monitor workers' hearing over time and prevent further deterioration.

1. Presented by Amanda Rawls
South Central District Team Leader

2. Amanda Rawls, SC Team Leader
• BS Environmental Science
• Master of Environmental Management
• 7 years of E&S Experience
• 4 years with KPA
• Lives in Austin, Texas

3. Hearing Conservation
Sound can be a health problem
Hearing loss can occur depending on:
1. The intensity of the noise
2. Duration of the noise

4. Hearing Conservation
Why does hazardous
noise matter?
Webinar Purpose:
• The ear and sound
• Effects on the body
• Personal Protective Equipment
• OSHA Regulations
• Hearing Conservation Program

5. The Facts About Hearing Loss
• Hearing loss is a leading occupational illness
• 15% of workers continuously exposed to noises
>85 dBA will develop hearing impairment
• Tools, equipment, and power tools are a main
source of noise exposure
• Occupational noise
control is possible!

6. How Much Do You Know?
True or False
Employees are responsible for providing their
own hearing protection devices?
False
A selection like ear plugs and
ear muffs must be provided at
employer’s expense

7. How Much Do You Know?
True or False
Noise induced hearing loss will affect an
employee’s ability to understand speech?
True
The first symptom is not being
able to hear high pitched noise

8. How Much Do You Know?
True or False
There are physical symptoms that can occur
when an employee is exposed to hazardous
noise levels?
True
Tinnitis (ringing in the ear)
Hearing Impairment

9. How Much Do You Know?
True or False
When using hearing protection an employee’s
ability to communicate with other workers is
greatly reduced or impaired?
False
Hearing protection reduces
environmental noise level AND
speech loudness level equally

10. How Much Do You Know?
True or False
Exposure to loud noise can cause negative
health effects other than hearing loss?
True
Sleep disorders
Stress reactions leading to fatigue
Increased hypertension
Increased heart rate
Metabolic changes

11. The Ear and Sound

12. The Ear and Sound
• Average person born with
40,000 hair cells
• Hair cells die naturally as
we age or through injury
and infection
• Hair cells are damaged by
noise when loudness and
length of time exposed
traumatize these cells
Hair cells in the cochlea

13. The Ear and Sound
Hazardous Noise -
Any noise that is louder than 85 decibels that the human ear
is exposed to for 8 or more hours.

14. • Sound loudness is
measured in decibels
(dB)
• A sound at 80 dB is
10x stronger than a
sound of 70 dB
The Ear and Sound

15. Effects of Loud Noise
Physical Symptoms of noise exposure:
Hypertension
Elevated Blood Pressure Levels
Balance Dysfunction
Impaired Equilibrium
Reduced effectiveness of audible warning devices
Increase threat of injury due to reduced communication

16. Effects of Noise on Hearing
Permanent Threshold Shift (PTS) –
Is like TTS except that recovery is not 100%. PTS can be
caused bye extremely loud noises or long durations of
moderately loud noises
Temporary Threshold Shift (TTS) –
Can be produced by a short exposure to
high level sound and will usually diminish
after several hours in a quite environment
Types of Hearing Impairment:

17. What does impaired hearing sound like?

18. Dealership Noise
Service Department
– Air Operated Tools
– Hammering
– Air Compressors
Detail Department
– Pressure Car Washers
– Vacuums
– Compressed Air Blow
Guns

19. Dealership Noise
Body Shop Department
– Grinding
– Air Operated Tools
– Hammering
– Orbital Sanders
– Chiseling
– Air Compressors

20. Prevention of Hearing Loss
Procedural Controls - First Line of Defense
Operating Procedures
• Buy and use tools & equipment that create less noise
(ex hand tools)
Employee Awareness
• Know what the noise levels are for equipment used
• Eliminate non-essential noise sources (ex stereos)

21. Prevention of Hearing Loss
How to choose which PPE works best for you?
1. Current hearing ability
2. Exposure to noise over the whole day
3. Your need to communicate on the job
4. Other PPE employees will wear, i.e. safety glasses
5. Temperature and climate
6. Physical constraints of work activity
7. Anatomical differences

22. Prevention of Hearing Injuries
Earplugs
• Disposable
• Provides minimum
protection
• Cost effective
Ear Muffs
• Re-usable
• Provides moderate
protection
• Best for high frequency
15-30 dBA reduction if fitted properly

23. Prevention of Hearing Injuries
Two things to remember: Fit and Care of PPE

24. Prevention of Hearing Injuries
Top Three Excuses:
1. It is not supplied
2. It is uncomfortable
3. It is not part of my routine

25. OSHA Hearing Conservation Program
OSHA’s Hearing Conservation Program Requires:
1. Monitor all work areas
2. Provide engineering controls to help reduce noise
3. Provide hearing tests for all noise-exposed
employees
4. Provide hearing protection to reduce the effects of
hazardous workplace noise

26. What monitoring is required?
Identify employees exposed to noise at or above 85
dB averaged over 8 working hours (TWA)
OSHA Hearing Conservation Program
Noise level must constantly be 85 dB!
• Exposure measurement includes all
continuous, intermittent, and impulsive
noise within an 80 dB and 130 dB range
• Must be a normal work day

27. What is audiometric testing?
Monitors an employee’s hearing over time
OSHA Hearing Conservation Program
Important Program Elements:
• Baseline Audiograms
• Annual Audiograms
• Training
• Following Up Procedures
• Testing must be free
Required for employees exposed to 85 dB or above,
8-hour TWA

28. Baseline Audiogram - The reference audiogram
which future audiograms are compared
– Provided within 6 months when exposed to 85 dB
OSHA Hearing Conservation Program
Annual Audiogram – Performed annually to identify
deterioration of hearing ability

29. Audiogram Follow Up:
• Must fit or refit any employee with a Standard
Threshold Shift (STS) adequate hearing protection
• Show employees how to use hearing protection
• Require employees to wear hearing protection
• Must notify employees within 21 days of STS
OSHA Hearing Conservation Program

30. When is an employer required to provide hearing
protection?
When workers are exposed to 8-hour TWA noise
levels of 85 dB or above
OSHA Hearing Conservation Program
Employees must wear hearing protection:
• For at least six months after initial exposure until their
baseline audiogram
• If they have incurred standard threshold shifts that
demonstrate they are susceptible to noise; and
• If exposed over the PEL of 90 dB over an 8-hour TWA

31. OSHA Hearing Conservation Program
What training is required?
Employers must train employees exposed to TWAs of
85 dB and above at least annually
Training includes:
• The effects of noise
• The purpose, advantages, and disadvantages of
various hearing protection
• The selection and fit of hearing protection
• Purpose and procedures of audiometric testing

32. What exposure and testing
records must be kept?
• Noise exposure measurement
records – 2 years
• Employee audiometric tests –
Until employee termination
• Record work-related hearing
loss cases
OSHA Hearing Conservation Program

33. PPE Hazard Assessment

34. – Needs to be filled out for each department
– Needs to be filed onsite
– PPE supplied at no cost to employee
PPE Hazard Assessment

35. iPods in the Shop
No OSHA regulation about headphones
Use phone to record initial noise levels
Apps to Measure Noise:
• dB Volume Meter
• Too Loud?
• DeciBel

36. Benefits of Hearing Protection
Stay healthy
– For family
– To keep working
Prevent fellow employee injuries
Lower insurance premiums

37. Q & A Session
Questions?