2. BIO
AMI Environmental
AMI Environmental is a full-service environmental consulting and
remediation firm, specializing in facility-based environmental problems
affecting facility operations, renovation and demolition activities.
Established in 1986 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, AMI
services clients nationally and internationally.
Dan Taylor, CEO
Over 25 years Environmental Health &
Safety Experience
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3. SUMMARY
How We Got Here
1969-DOL issued the Walsh-Healey noise standard 90 dBA for 8
exp. Federal contracts of $10,000 or more.
1970- DOL issues Bulletin 334. “Continuous, Effective
Conservation Program”
1970 Congress passes OSH Act. “Every Man and Women”
1971-OSHA made the Walsh-Healey noise standard an OSHA
standard.
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4. DID YOU KNOW?
Noise induced hearing loss is the most common
occupational hazard for American workers.
Hearing loss from noise is slow and painless; you
can develop a disability before you notice it.
If you must raise your voice to speak
with someone only 3 feet away, you are
in high (hazardous) noise.
It is 100% preventable.
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5. WHAT IS NOISE?
Noise is defined as:
• Sound or a sound that is
loud, unpleasant, unexpected, or undesired.
• By product of many industrial processes (ex.
operating machinery)
• Exposure to high levels of
noise may lead to
hearing loss
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6. HOW MUCH NOISE IS TOO MUCH?
85 Decibels (dB) - the "Action Level" where hearing
protection is required.
90 dB - the OSHA, 8 hour average exposure limit.
100 dB - exposures longer than 15 minutes are not
recommended.
110 dB - regular exposure of more than 1 minute
risks permanent hearing loss
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7. NOISE PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE
LIMITS
(PEL)
• Utilize administrative or engineering controls
when sound levels exceed Noise
permissible Exposure Levels.
(8 hours permitted duration per workday for
90 dBA sound level)
• Provide hearing protection if above controls
fail to reduce sound levels within
Permissible exposure levels
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9. HEARING CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Implemented whenever employee noise exposures equal or
exceed an 8 hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 85 dBA
without attenuation from use of hearing protection.
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10. ELEMENTS OF HEARING
CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Noise Monitoring
Hearing Protection
Audiometric Testing
Training
Record Keeping
HEARING CONSERVATION PROGRAM GUIDELINE
OSHA Noise Standard and Hearing Conservation Amendment 29
CFR 1910.95
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12. RULE OF THUMB
When you feel the need to shout
in order to be heard 3 feet
away, the noise levels are
probably 85 dB or more and
hearing protection is
recommended.
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14. SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL
Definition: the local pressure deviation from the ambient (average, or equilibrium)
atmospheric pressure caused by a sound wave.
Sound waves are energy produced by vibrating objects
The larynx vibrates to produce the voice
The vibrations create a pattern, which the ear translates
into sound
As you double the distance from a noise source loudness
decreased by half
Strong vibrations from very loud noises can damage the ear
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15. HOW WE HEAR SOUNDS
Sound waves enter the ear canal striking the eardrum.
When the eardrum vibrates, ossicles conduct vibrations to the
cochlea.
Tiny hair like cells in cochlea respond to vibrations by generating
nerve impulses.
Healthy hair cells are the key to good hearing. Although, some die off
naturally as you age, many more are killed early from unprotected
exposure to hazardous noise.
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16. EFFECTS OF NOISE ON HEARING
How quickly hearing loss takes place depends on the intensity of
the noise, its duration, and how often the exposure occurs.
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17. SYMPTOMS OF OVEREXPOSURE TO
NOISE
Temporary Threshold Shift
Muffled sound after noise exposure
If continued overexposure, this can worsen and become permanent.
Tinnitus
Ringing in the ears
If continued overexposure, this can become permanent.
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18. HOW HEARING IS DAMAGED
Hair like cells are flattened
You don’t get used to noise; you gradually loose your hearing
Once hearing is damaged it can not be repaired.
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19. SIGNS OF HEARING LOSS
Difficulty hearing people speak
Inability to hear certain high pitched or soft sounds
Noise or ringing in the ears
Complaints that the
radio or tv is too loud
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20. TYPES OF HEARING LOSS
Conductive
Caused by something that stops sound from reaching the outer
or middle ear (infection, foreign
bodies, fluid, earwax, malformation of ear)
Sensorineural
Hearing loss that occurs when there is a problem with the
nerve in the middle ear.
Caused by birth injury, disease, noise exposure, trauma, and
ageing
Mixed
Hearing loss that includes both conductive and sensorineural
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21. NOISE INDUCED HEARING LOSS
Noise induced hearing loss occurs from exposure to loud noises.
Constant exposure over a period of time
Exposed to sound levels over 140 dBA
Tinnitus
Age induced hearing loss
Hereditary
Nerve damage
Exposure to high sound levels
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22. OCCUPATIONAL/NON OCCUPATIONAL
HEARING LOSS
Occupational Hearing Loss
Results from constant exposure to sound levels above 85 dBA
TWA
Damage to hair cells in cochlea
Non-Occupational Hearing Loss
Results from constant exposure to sound levels above 85 dBA
TWA
Results from damage to outer, middle or inner
ear, hereditary, ototoxic drugs
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23. STATISTICS ON OCCUPATIONAL
HEARING LOSS
Four million workers go to work each day in damaging noise. Ten
million people in the U.S. have a noise-related hearing loss. Twenty-
two million workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise each
year.
In 2008, approximately 2 million U.S. workers were exposed to noise
levels at work that put them at risk of hearing loss.
In 2007, approximately 23,000 cases were reported of occupational
hearing loss that was great enough to cause hearing impairment.
Reported cases of hearing loss accounted for 14% of occupational
illness in 2007.
In 2007, approximately 82% of the cases involving occupational
hearing loss were reported among workers in the manufacturing
sector.
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31. IMPACT OR IMPULSIVE NOISE
Exposure to impact of impulsive noise should not exceed
140 dB peak
sound pressure level.
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32. AFFECTED EMPLOYEES
Employees subjected to noise exceeding permissible noise limits
shall be provided hearing protection devices, if feasible
administrative or engineering controls failed to reduce noise
levels.
Employee exposed to noise at or above the 8 hour TWA of 85
dB, or equivalently, a dose of 50% shall be notified and enrolled in
HCP.
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33. NOISE CONTROL
Administrative Control
Engineering Control
Personal Protective Equipment (hearing protective devices)
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34. ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL
Operate noisy equipment on second or third shifts.
Rotate employees through high noise areas.
Modify existing machinery
Place noise limit specs on new equipment
Maintain equipment, keep in good condition
Report noisy equipment to supervisor for repair.
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35. ENGINEERING CONTROLS
Reduce noise at the source
Interrupt the noise path
Reduce reverberation and structural vibration
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36. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
(HEARING PROTECTION DEVICES HPD)
Employers shall provide employees exposed to 8 hr TWA of 85
dB at no cost.
Employers shall ensure being worn:
By employees exposed to 8 hr TWA of 90 dB or greater
By employees exposed to 8 hr TWA of 85 dB or greater and
Whose baseline audiogram has not been established
Who have experienced a threshold shift
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37. HEARING PROTECTION DEVICE HPD
NOISE REDUCTION
HPD must reduce employee noise exposure below PEL (8 hr
TWA of 90 dB)
Employees with standard threshold shift (STS) HPD must reduce
employees noise exposure below an 8 hr TWA of 85 dB.
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38. HEARING PROTECTION USE
Voluntary Use
Exposed to an 8 hr TWA of 85 dB
Mandatory Use
Exposed to an 8 hr TWA of 90 dB
Exposed to an 8 hr TWA of 85 dB but have not had a baseline hearing test
Employees who have suffered STS hearing loss an dare exposed to an 8 hr
TWA of 85 dBA
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39. EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITY
Understand the need for hearing protection devices
Wear HPDs and seek replacements
Encourage co workers to wear HPDs
Communicate problems to supervisors
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40. MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY
Provide occupational noise training
Provide hearing protection devices
Demonstrate commitment (wear HPDs)
Enforce the use of HPDS
Keep up to date with HPD selection and use.
Encourage questions and resolve problems.
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41. PURPOSE OF HEARING PROTECTORS
Reduction of sound waves traveling to the inner ear.
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42. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF HEARING
PROTECTORS
Earplugs Earmuffs
Advantages
Small & easily carried, convenient to
use with other PPE, more
comfortable in hot, humid work
areas and convenient for use in
confined work areas.
Advantages
Less attenuation variably among
users, designed so that one size fits
most hat sizes, may be worn with
minor ear infections and not easily
misplaced or lost.
Disadvantages
Require more time to fit, difficult to
insert or remove, may irritate the ear
canal, easily misplace, more difficult
to see and monitor use, get dirty
when your hands are dirty.
Disadvantages
Heavier, less portable, inconvenient
for use with other PPE,
uncomfortable in hot humid work
areas, inconvenient for use in
confined areas.
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43. ATTENUATION OF DIFFERENT TYPES
OF HEARING PROTECTORS
Ear Plugs
Reduce noise by as much as 30 decibels
Ear Canals
Reduce noise by as much as 30 decibels
Used when individual is unable to use traditional ear plugs
Ear Muffs
reduce noise by as much as 15-30 decibels
Use in conjunction with ear plugs when exposed to high noise levels (105+
decibels)
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44. INSTRUCTIONS ON
SELECTION, FITTING, USE, AND CARE
OF HEARING PROTECTORS
Earplugs
Keep clean and free of materials
Wash in mild liquid detergent and warm water
Squeeze excess water and air dry
Discard plugs when hardened or do not re expand
Ear Canals
Clean like normal ear plugs
Do not tamper with the headband and the acoustic seal
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45. INSTRUCTIONS ON
SELECTION, FITTING, USE, AND CARE
OF HEARING PROTECTORS
Ear Muffs
Keep clean and free of debris
Clean cushions with warm soapy water
Do not tamper with the acoustic seal between the cushions and the headband
Do not modify the ear muffs in any way
Do not stretch or abuse the headband
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46. TRAINING
Provide annually to employees who are exposed to noise at or
above 8 hr TWA of 85 dB.
Topics must include
Effects of Noise on Hearing
Purpose of Hearing protectors
Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Types of Hearing Protectors
Instruction on Selection, Fitting, Use, of Hearing Protectors
Purpose of Audiometric Testing
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