Safety Tidbit 2.36 - Hearing Tests

Safety Tidbit 2.36 – Hearing Tests

Reference:       OSHA Hearing Conservation Standard 29CFR1910.95

This week I received a question that struck me as a little odd. See if you can catch the subtle second part of question. A client called and presented the following: “Does our part-time, retired truck driver need to get hearing tests with the rest of our mill staff?  He only works one or two days per week.” My question to the client: “Does the truck driver’s job expose him to excessive levels of noise (e.g., greater than 85 dBA)?”

As 1910.95)(c)(1) states:

“The employer shall administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program, as described in paragraphs (c) through (o) of this section, whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level (TWA) of 85 decibels measured on the A scale (slow response) or, equivalently, a dose of fifty percent. For purposes of the hearing conservation program, employee noise exposures shall be computed in accordance with appendix A and Table G-16a, and without regard to any attenuation provided by the use of personal protective equipment.”

Furthermore, section (g)(1) of the Hearing Conservation Program requires the employer to establish and maintain an audiometric testing program by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels. Notice there is no mention as to how many days per year the exposure can exceed 85 decibels before enrollment begins. Also, part-time employees are to be protected the same as full-time employees. This is the subtle second part of the client’s question.

Some points about the audiograms:

·      The audiogram shall be provided at no cost to employees.

·      Within 6 months of an employee's first exposure at or above the action level, the employer shall establish a valid baseline audiogram against which subsequent audiograms can be compared. (within one year if using a mobile test van).

·      Baseline audiograms must be preceded by at least 14 hours without noise exposure. (interestingly, OSHA permits the use of hearing protectors to reduce the noise exposure)

·      Audiograms must be repeated annually and compared to the baseline audiogram.

·      In determining whether a standard threshold shift has occurred, allowance may be made for the contribution of aging (presbycusis) to the change in hearing level by correcting the annual audiogram according to the procedure described in Appendix F: "Calculation and Application of Age Correction to Audiograms."

·      If there is a shift in their hearing follow-up within 30 days to confirm the loss of hearing.

Bottom line, evaluate the noise levels in your workplace. If workers are exposed above 85 dBA continuously (or equivalently) for 8 hours then they must be enrolled in the hearing conservation program, whether the exposure be every day or one day a year.

Hope this was helpful and thanks for reading my Safety Tidbits ~ Bryan