HEARING CONSERVATION PROGRAM

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HEARING CONSERVATIONPROGRAM

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REFERENCES

• 29 CFR 1910.95

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HEARING LOSS

• HIGH LEVELS OF CONTINUOUS OR IMPACT NOISE
• - CUMULATIVE OVER TIME
• - NOT NOTICEABLE UNTIL YEARS LATER
• - DAMAGES HAIR-LIKE CELLS IN INNER EAR
• - CAN NOT BE RECOVERED
• - HEARING LOSS CAN BE PREVENTABLE

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COMMON SOUNDS
dB
Whisper
Barely Audible Audible Slightly
Loud Moderately Loud Uncomfortably Loud Pain
Threshold
10 78 81 92 120 140
Normal Conversation
Air Conditioner
Lawn Mower Rock Concert Jet (taking
off)
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BASIC ELEMENTS

• IDENTIFY NOISE HAZARDS PROCESSES/ AREAS VIA THE
  IH SURVEY
• WHEN FEASIBLE WORKPLACES SHALL BE MODIFIED TO
  REDUCE NOISE LEVEL TO ACCEPTABLE LEVELS SUCH AS
• - ENGINEERING CONTROLS
• - ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS
• - PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
• PERIODIC HEARING TEST SHALL BE CONDUCTED TO
  MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM
• TRAINING
• RESPONSIBILITIES

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NOISE MEASUREMENTS

• IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY CONTROL NOISE, IT IS
  NECESSARY THAT THE NOISE BE MEASURED AND PROPERLY
  EVALUATED BY INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

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MONITORING OF NOISE

• NOISE MEASUREMENTS
• - PERSONAL
• - AREA
• 84 dB(A) 8 hr-TWA for a 40 hour work week
• FOR IMPACT OR IMPULSE NOISE
• 140 dB PEAK

Sound Level Meter
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LABELING OF HAZARDOUS NOISE AREAS AND EQUIPMENT

• DESIGNATED HAZARDOUS NOISE AREAS SHALL BE LABELED
  WITH
• - NAVMED 6260/2 HAZARDOUS NOISE WARNING
• DECAL 8 X 10.5 NSN 0105-LF-004-7200
• - NAVMED 6260/2A HAZARDOUS NOISE LABELS
• (HAND TOOLS), 1 X 1.5 NSN
  0105-LF-004-7800
• - HEARING PROTECTION REQUIRED CAUTION SIGNS
• 10 X 14 COG/NSN 9Q/9905-01-100-8205

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HEARING TEST

• ALL MILITARY SHALL RECEIVE A BASELINE AUDIOGRAM
  UPON ENTRY INTO THE MARINE CORPS
• PERSONNEL ROUTINELY EXPOSED TO HAZARDOUS NOISE
  THAT ARE DESIGNATED IN THE MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
  NOISE PROGRAM SHALL RECEIVE THEIR AN ANNUAL
  HEARING TEST

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MONITORING AUDIOGRAM

• ANNUAL HEARING TEST SHALL BE COMPARED TO THE
  BASELEINE AUDIOGRAM TO DETERMINE IF A SIGNIFICANT
  THRESHOLD SHIFT HAS OCCURRED

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15 HOUR

• PERSONNEL WHO DEMONSTRATE A SIGNIFICANT THRESHOLD
  SHIFT ON THEIR ANNUAL HEARING TEST SHALL BE
  RETESTED AFTER THEY HAVE REMAINED NOISE FREE
  FROM ALL NOISE EXPOSURE EXCEEDING 80 dB FOR 15
  HOURS
• INCLUDES ALL OFF-DUTY ACTIVITIES

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40 HOUR

• OCCASIONALLY A SIGNIFICANT THRESHOLD SHIFT STILL
  IS EVIDENT FOLLOWING THE 15 HOUR NOISE FREE
  PERIOD. IF THIS OCCURS, THEN THE PERSONNEL MUST
  BE KEPT FREE OF ALL NOISE EXPOSURE FOR A PERIOD
  OF 40 HOURS BEFORE BEING TESTED AGAIN
• INCLUDES OFF-DUTY ACTIVITIES

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EXCLUSION FROM FUTURE NOISE EXPOSURE

• PERSONNEL WHO EXHIBIT A PROGRESSIVE SERIES OF
  PERMANENT THRESHOLD SHIFTS MUST BE CONSIDERED AS
  HIGH RISK FOR FUTURE HEARING DETERIORATION. THEY
  MUST BE GIVEN SPECIAL CONSIDRATION UNDER THIS
  PROGRAM

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TERMINATION AUDIOGRAM

• ALL PERSONNEL WHO NO LONGER WORK WITH NOISE
  HAZARDOUS EQUIPMENT OR LOCATIONS SHALL RECEIVE A
  TERMINATION AUDIOGRAM TO DOCUMENT ANY HEARING
  LOSS AT THAT TIME
• UPON TERMINATION OF SERVICE, MILITARY PERSONNEL
  SHALL RECEIVE A TERMINATION AUDIOGRAM TO DOCUMENT
  HEARING LOSS (IF ANY) REGARDLESS OF BEING IN THE
  HEARING CONSERVATION PROGRAM

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PERSONAL HEARING DEVICES

• HEARING PROTECTIVE DEVICES SHALL BE WORN BY ALL
  PERSONNEL WHERE LEVELS AT OR GREATER THAN 84
  dB(A) (CONTINUOUS) OR 140 dB IMPULSE/ IMPACT
  NOISE LEVELS
• A COMBINATION OF INSERT-TYPE AND CIRCUMURAL MUFFS
  (DOUBLE PROTECTION) SHALL BE WORN WHERE LEVELS
  EXCEED 103 dB(A)
• ALL PERSONNEL EXPOSED TO GUN FIRE, ARTILLERY OR
  MISSILE FIRING IN A TRAINING SITUATION SHALL WEAR
  HEARING PROTECTIVE DEVICES
• - TO ACHIEVE SUFFICIENT REDUCTION TO NOISE
  LEVELS ABOVE
• 104 dB(A) ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS OF SHALL
• IMPLEMENTATED IN THE PROGRAM

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MINIMUM PROTECTION

• AT A MINIMUM, HEARING PROTECTIVE DEVICES SHALL BE
• - COMPLY WITH ANSI Z87.1-1989
• - ADEQUATE EYE PROTECTION AGAINST THE
  PARTICULAR HAZARD
• - DURABLE
• - EASY TO CLEAN
• - CAPABLE OF BEING DISINFECTED
• - EASILY REPAIRED

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HEARING PROTECTION
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RECORD KEEPING

• ALL RECORDS OF HEARING TEST SHALL BE KEPT IN
  INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL RECORDS UNTIL A NEW AUDIOGRAM
  WILL REPLACE IT
• ALL NOISE MEASUREMENTS SHALL BE KEPT FOR THE
  DURATION OF EMPLOYEES SERVICE PLUS 30 YEARS

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TRAINING

• ALL PERSONNEL IN THE HEARING CONSERVATION PROGRAM
  SHALL BE NOTIFIED AND RECEIVE TRAINING IN
• - THE ELEMENTS AND RATIONAL FOR A HEARING
• CONSERVATION PROGRAM
• - PROPER WEARING AND MAINTENANCE OF
• HEARING DEVICES
• - COMMAND INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES
• - INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY IN PROTECTING
• THEIR OWN HEARING
• - OFF-DUTY PRACTICES
• - HOW HEARING LOSS EFFECTS EMPLOYABILITY,
• RETENTION, JOB PERFORMANCE AND CAREER
• PROGRESSION

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ABATEMENT OF NOISE HAZARDS

• ENGINEERING DESIGN TO ELIMINATE OR REDUCE NOISE
  LEVELS
• DAMPING THE NOISE BY MEANS OF MUFFLERS,
  MOUNTINGS, COUPLINGS, INSULATIONS, ETC.
• ACOUSTICAL ENCLOSURES
• ISOLATION
• SUBSTITION OF A LESS NOISY OPERATION
• ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS TO LIMIT EXPOSURE TIME

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FUNDING

• PERSONNEL EXPOSED TO NOISE HAZARDOUS AREAS SHALL
  BE PROVIDED WITH ADEQUATE PROTECTION AT
  GOVERNMENT EXPENSE
• USE OF OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE FUNDS BY UNITS

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CONCLUSION

• IDENTIFY ALL NOISE HAZARDOUS PROCESSES/AREAS
• PROVIDE PERSONAL WITH HEARING PROTECTION
• ENSURE MEDICAL SCREENING
• POST WARNING SIGNS IN ALL NOISE HAZARDOUS AREAS
• ENFORCEMENT OF THE PROGRAM