Question

If an employee is placed in a Hearing Conservation program, what four things must the employer provide of perform?

Answer 1

The hearing conservation program requires employers to monitor noise exposure levels in a way that accurately identifies employees exposed to noise at or above 85 decibels (dB) averaged over 8 working hours

Hearing conservation programs strive to prevent

1.initial occupational hearing loss

2.preserve and protect remaining hearing

3. equip workers with the knowledge and hearing protection devices necessary to safeguard themselves.

Role of Employer in the Hearing conservation Programme-

1.Monitoring The Employees-

Employers must monitor all employees whose noise exposure is equivalent to or greater than a noise exposure received in 8 hours where the noise level is constantly 85 dB.Employers must repeat monitoring whenever changes in production, process, or controls increase noise exposure.Employers must carefully check or calibrate instruments used for monitoring employee exposures to ensure that the measurements are accurate.

2.Audiometric Testing Programmes-

The employer must establish and maintain an audiometric testing program. The important elements of the program include baseline audiograms, annual audiograms, training, and followup procedures. Employers must make audiometric testing available at no cost to all employees who are exposed to an action level of 85 dB or above, measured as an 8-hour TWA.The baseline audiogram is the reference audiogram against which future audiograms are compared. Employers must provide baseline audiograms within 6 months of an employee’s first exposure at or above an 8-hour TWA of 85 dB.Employers must provide annual audiograms within 1 year of the baseline. It is important to test workers’ hearing annually to identify deterioration in their hearing ability as early as possible.

3Provide protective equipments-

.The employer must fit or refit any employee showing an STS (Standard threshold shift)with adequate hearing protectors, show the employee how to use them, and require the employee to wear them. Employers must notify employees within 21 days after the determination that their audiometric test results show an STS.Employers must provide hearing protectors to all workers exposed to 8-hour TWA noise levels of 85 dB or above.Employers must provide employees with a selection of at least one variety of hearing plug and one variety of hearing muff

4Proper Training of the Employees-

.Employers must train employees exposed to TWAs of 85 dB and above at least annually in the effects of noise; the purpose, advantages, and disadvantages of various types of hearing protectors; the selection, fit, and care of protectors; and the purpose and procedures of audiometric testing.

5.Keep the Record-

Employers must keep noise exposure measurement records for 2 years and maintain records of audiometric test results for the duration of the affected employee’s employment. Audiometric test records must include the employee’s name and job classification, date, examiner’s name, date of the last acoustic or exhaustive calibration, measurements of the background sound pressure levels in audiometric test rooms, and the employee’s most recent noise exposure measurement.