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Hearing Conservation

Introduction to Cal/OSHA regulations requiring an effective Hearing Conservation Program to prevent noise-induced hearing loss, including program components, ear anatomy, noise measurements, and more.

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Hearing Conservation

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  1. Hearing Conservation Personnel Department Occupational Safety and Health Division

  2. Introduction Cal/OSHA regulations require employers to establish an effective Hearing Conservation Program to protect employees against noise induced hearing loss.

  3. Program Administrator Each Department/Bureau/Division needs to designate a program administrator to coordinate all aspects of the program and audit the effectiveness of the program

  4. Program Components • Noise Exposure Monitoring • Engineering and Administrative Control • Audiometric Evaluation • Hearing Protection Devices • Training and Motivation • Record Keeping • Program Audit

  5. Ear Anatomy

  6. Noise Measurements Sound Intensity level Reference 10-12 Watts/m2 Sound power level Reference 10-12 Watts/m2 Sound Pressure level Reference 2x10-5 N/ m2 Velocity Air 1130 /sec. Water 4700 ft./sec Wood 13000 ft./sec Steel 16500 ft./sec

  7. Noise Measurements • Hearing range • decibel Scale, decibel • Sound pressure level in dB • Sound level Intensity Level in dB

  8. A. Noise Exposure Monitoring Noise Types: • Continuous • Intermittent • Impulse Sampling Types: • Area Monitoring • Personal Sampling

  9. Combining Decibel Levels of Noises with Random Frequency Characteristic

  10. B. Engineering and Administrative Controls Engineering and/or administrative controls must utilized first.

  11. C. Audiometric Evaluation Audiometric (hearing) testing should be available to all employees whose exposures are known to equal or exceed the “Action Level”.

  12. D. Hearing Protection Devices Departments shall make hearing protectors available to all employees exposed to an 8 hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels or greater at no cost to the employees.

  13. E. Training and Motivation Participating departments shall institute a training program for all employees exposed at or above the “Action Level” and shall ensure employee participation in such program.

  14. F. Record Keeping Each element of the Hearing Conservation Program generates its own type of record.

  15. G. Program Audit A thorough audit of all the Hearing Conservation Program’s components is necessary to determine the extent to which the program is really working.

  16. Responsibilities • Program Administrator Responsibilities • Medical Service Responsibilities • Employee responsibilities

  17. Summary • Noise is all around us and increasing in many aspects of our lives. Noise or unwanted sound is one of the most pervasive occupational health problems. • All the City departments with employees who fall within the scope of the City’s Hearing Conservation Program shall comply with the applicable components of the City Hearing Conservation Program. • Program Components. • Responsibilities.

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