Noise 29 CFR1910.95

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Noise29 CFR1910.95

• HEARING PROTECTION

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Hearing Protection

• Required when time-weighted average noise levels
  exceed 90 dBA

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FUNDAMENTALS OF NOISE

• What is sound?
• What is noise?
• How do we detect sound?
• sound waves outer ear middle
  ear
• inner ear brain sound!

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FUNDAMENTALS OF NOISE

• Properties of Sound
• Frequency (Hz)
• hearing range 20-20,000 Hz
• speech range 500-6000 Hz
• audiogram 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 6000 Hz
• Wavelength (m or ft)
• Sound Pressure (dB)
• Loudness (dBA)
• accounts for frequency and sound pressure

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FUNDAMANTALS OF NOISE

• Effects of Noise
• Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
• temporary threshold shift (TTS)
• permanent threshold shift (PTS)
• Other
• mental and physical stress
• communication problems

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FUNDAMENTALS OF NOISE

• Questions
• If one machine operates at 90 dBA and I add
  another machine that operates at 90 dBA to the
  room, what is the resultant noise level?
• What type of noise is harder to block, low
  frequency or high frequency noise?
• The early stages of noise-induced hearing loss
  are characterized by loss at what frequency?

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OSHA STANDARD

• Occupational Noise Exposure 29 CFR 1910.95
• PEL 90 dBA TWA
• Action Level 85 dBA TWA
• Requires a hearing conservation program
• Annual audiograms (OSHA 10 dB STS)
• Training
• OSHA 300 Log Recordkeeping 29 CFR 1904

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KEY ELEMENTS

• Employee Noise Exposure Assessment
• Noise Controls
• Audiometric Testing/Medical Surveillance
• Hearing Loss Investigation
• Training

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KEY ELEMENTS

• Employee Noise Exposure Assessment
• Initial monitoring requirements
• Employee rights
• Employee notification
• Monitoring data summary

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KEY ELEMENTS

• Noise Controls
• Noise abatement
• Hearing protection requirement
• Hearing protection attenuation
• Example Employee TWA exposure is 95 dBA, what
  ear plug can they use?
• Posting

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KEY ELEMENTS

• Audiometric Testing/Medical Surveillance
• Audiometric testing requirements
• Annual for 85 dBA TWA
• OSHA 10 dB STS requires 30 day retest
• OSHA 25 dB Shift requires 30 day retest
• Employee notification of testing results
• Medical referrals

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KEY ELEMENTS

• Training
• Annual Training
• employees exposed at or above 85 dBA
• OSHA Posting
• post copy of the OSHA standard in a prominent
  location

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Sources of Information

• www.oshainfo.gatech.edu
• www.osha.gov
• www.free-training.com
• www.aiha.org

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Questions

• Michelle L. Dunham
• [phone]
• michelle.dunham_at_gtri.gatech.edu