HearingConservationOSHA 30742002 (Revised)

This informational booklet providesa generic, non-exhaustive overview of aparticular topic related to OSHA standards.It does not alter or determine complianceresponsibilities in OSHA standards or theOccupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.Because interpretations and enforcementpolicy may change over time, you shouldconsult current administrative interpretationsand decisions by the Occupational Safety andHealth Review Commission and the Courtsfor additional guidance on OSHA compliancerequirements.

This publication is in the public domain andmay be reproduced, fully or partially, withoutpermission. Source credit is requested butnot required.

This information is available to sensoryimpaired individuals upon request.

Voice phone: (202) 6931999;Teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 8895627.

iHearingConservationU.S. Department of LaborElaine L. Chao, Secretary

Occupational Safety and Health AdministrationJohn L. Henshaw, Assistant Secretary

OSHA 30742002 (Revised)

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Contents

Hearing ConservationWhat is occupational noise exposure? ............................................. 1

What monitoring is required? ......................................................... 2

What is audiometric testing? .......................................................... 3

What is a baseline audiogram? ....................................................... 4

What are annual audiograms? ........................................................ 4

What is an employer required to dofollowing an audiogram evaluation? ............................................... 5

When is an employer required toprovide hearing protectors? ............................................................ 6

What training is required? .............................................................. 7

What exposure and testing recordsmust employers keep? .................................................................... 7

OSHA Assistance, Services, and ProgramsHow can OSHA help me? .............................................................. 9

How does safety and health management systemassistance help employers and employees? ...................................... 9

What are state programs? ............................................................ 10

What is consultation assistance? ................................................... 10

What is the Safety and Health AchievementRecognition Program (SHARP)? .................................................. 10

What are the Voluntary ProtectionPrograms (VPPs)? ......................................................................... 11

How can a partnership with OSHAimprove worker safety and health? ............................................... 12

What is OSHAs StrategicPartnership Program (OSPP)? ....................................................... 13

What occupational safety andhealth training does OSHA offer?................................................. 13

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What is the OSHA Training Grant Program? ............................... 14

What other assistance materialsdoes OSHA have available? ......................................................... 14

What do I do in case of anemergency or to file a complaint? ................................................. 15

OSHA Regional andArea Office Directory ............................................ 16

OSHA-ApprovedSafety and Health Plans ...................................... 20

OSHA Consultation Projects ............................... 24

1Hearing Conservation

What is occupational noise exposure?

Noise, or unwanted sound, is one of the most pervasiveoccupational health problems. It is a by-product of manyindustrial processes. Sound consists of pressure changes ina medium (usually air), caused by vibration or turbulence.These pressure changes produce waves emanating awayfrom the turbulent or vibrating source. Exposure to highlevels of noise causes hearing loss and may cause otherharmful health effects as well. The extent of damagedepends primarily on the intensity of the noise and theduration of the exposure.

Noise-induced hearing loss can be temporary orpermanent. Temporary hearing loss results from short-termexposures to noise, with normal hearing returning afterperiod of rest. Generally, prolonged exposure to high noiselevels over a period of time gradually causes permanentdamage.

OSHAs hearing conservation program is designed toprotect workers with significant occupational noise exposuresfrom hearing impairment even if they are subject to suchnoise exposures over their entire working lifetimes.

This publication summarizes the required component ofOSHAs hearing conservation program for general industry.It covers monitoring, audiometric testing, hearing protectors,training, and recordkeeping requirements.

2 What monitoring is required?

The hearing conservation program requiresemployers to monitor noise exposure levels in a way thataccurately identifies employees exposed to noise at orabove 85 decibels (dB) averaged over 8 working hours,or an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). Employersmust monitor all employees whose noise exposure isequivalent to or greater than a noise exposure receivedin 8 hours where the noise level is constantly 85 dB.The exposure measurement must include all continuous,intermittent, and impulsive noise within an 80 dB to 130 dBrange and must be taken during a typical work situation.This requirement is performance-oriented because it allowsemployers to choose the monitoring method that best suitseach individual situation.

Employers must repeat monitoring whenever changesin production, process, or controls increase noise exposure.These changes may mean that more employees need to beincluded in the program or that their hearing protectorsmay no longer provide adequate protection.

Employees are entitled to observe monitoring proceduresand must receive notification of the results of exposuremonitoring. The method used to notify employees is left tothe employers discretion.

Employers must carefully check or calibrate instrumentsused for monitoring employee exposures to ensure that themeasurements are accurate. Calibration procedures areunique to specific instruments. Employers should follow themanufacturers instructions to determine when and howextensively to calibrate the instrument.

3What is audiometric testing?

Audiometric testing monitors an employees hearing overtime. It also provides an opportunity for employers to educateemployees about their hearing and the need to protect it.

The employer must establish and maintain an audiometrictesting program. The important elements of the programinclude baseline audiograms, annual audiograms, training,and followup procedures. Employers must make audiometrictesting available at no cost to all employees who are exposedto an action level of 85 dB or above, measured as an8-hour TWA.

The audiometric testing program followup shouldindicate whether the employers hearing conservationprogram is preventing hearing loss. A licensed or certifiedaudiologist, otolaryngologist, or other physician mustbe responsible for the program. Both professionals andtrained technicians may conduct audiometric testing.The professional in charge of the program does not haveto be present when a qualified technician conducts tests.The professionals responsibilities include overseeing theprogram and the work of the technicians, reviewing problemaudiograms, and determining whether referral is necessary.

The employee needs a referral for further testingwhen test results are questionable or when related medicalproblems are suspected. If additional testing is necessary orif the employer suspects a medical pathology of the ear thatis caused or aggravated by wearing hearing protectors, theemployer must refer the employee for a clinical audiologicalevaluation or otological exam, as appropriate. There are twotypes of audiograms required in the hearing conservationprogram: baseline and annual audiograms.

4What is a baseline audiogram?

The baseline audiogram is the reference audiogramagainst which future audiograms are compared. Employersmust provide baseline audiograms within 6 months of anemployees first exposure at or above an 8-hour TWA of85 dB. An exception is allowed when the employer uses amobile test van for audiograms. In these instances, baselineaudiograms must be completed within 1 year after anemployees first exposure to workplace noise at or above aTWA of 85 dB. Employees, however, must be fitted with,issued, and required to wear hearing protectors wheneverthey are exposed to noise levels above a TWA of 85 dB forany period exceeding 6 months after their first exposureuntil the baseline audiogram is conducted.

Baseline audiograms taken before the hearing conservationprogram took effect in 1983 are acceptable if the professionalsupervisor determines that the audiogram is valid. Employeesshould not be exposed to workplace noise for 14 hoursbefore the baseline test or wear hearing protectors duringthis time period.

What are annual audiograms?

Employers must provide annual audiograms within1 year of the baseline. It is important to test workers hearingannually to identify deterioration in their hearing ability asearly as possible. This enables employers to initiate protectivefollowup measures before hearing loss progresses. Employersmust compare annual audiograms to baseline audiograms todetermine whether the audiogram is valid and whether theemployee has lost hearing ability or experienced a standardthreshold shift (STS). An STS is an average shift in either earof 10 dB or more at 2,000, 3,000, and 4,000 hertz.

5What is an employer required to dofollowing an audiogram evaluation?

The employer must fit or refit any employee showing anSTS with adequate hearing protectors, show the employeehow to use them, and require the employee to wear them.Employers must notify employees within 21 days after thedetermination that their audiometric test results show an STS.Some employees with an STS may need further testing if theprofessional determines that their test results are questionableor if they have an ear problem thought to be caused oraggravated by wearing hearing protectors. If the suspectedmedical problem is not thought to be related to wearinghearing protection, the employer must advise the employeeto see a physician. If subsequent audiometric tests show thatthe STS identified on a previous audiogram is not persistent,employees whose exposure to noise is less than a TWA of90 dB may stop wearing hearing protectors.

The employer may substitute an annual audiogram forthe original baseline audiogram if the professional supervisingthe audiometric program determines that the employeesSTS is persistent. The employer must retain the originalbaseline audiogram, however, for the length of the employeesemployment. This substitution will ensure that the same shiftis not repeatedly identified. The professional also may decideto revise the baseline audiogram if the employees hearingimproves. This will ensure that the baseline reflects actualhearing thresholds to the extent possible. Employers mustconduct audiometric tests in a room meeting specificbackground levels and with calibrated audiometers thatmeet American National Standard Institute (ANSI)specifications of SC-1969.

6When is an employer requiredto provide hearing protectors?

Employers must provide hearing protectors to allworkers exposed to 8-hour TWA noise levels of 85 dB orabove. This requirement ensures that employees have accessto protectors before they experience any hearing loss.

Employees must wear hearing protectors:

For any period exceeding 6 months from the time they arefirst exposed to 8-hour TWA noise levels of 85 dB or above,until they receive their baseline audiograms if these testsare delayed due to mobile test van scheduling;

If they have incurred standard threshold shifts thatdemonstrate they are susceptible to noise; and

If they are exposed to noise over the permissible exposurelimit of 90 dB over an 8-hour TWA.

Employers must provide employees with a selectionof at least one variety of hearing plug and one variety ofhearing muff. Employees should decide, with the help of aperson trained to fit hearing protectors, which size and typeprotector is most suitable for the working environment.The protector selected should be comfortable to wear andoffer sufficient protection to prevent hearing loss.

Hearing protectors must adequately reduce the noiselevel for each employees work environment. Most employersuse the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) that represents theprotectors ability to reduce noise under ideal laboratoryconditions. The employer then adjusts the NRR to reflectnoise reduction in the actual working environment.

The employer must reevaluate the suitability of theemployees hearing protector whenever a change in working

7conditions may make it inadequate. If workplace noise levelsincrease, employees must give employees more effectiveprotectors. The protector must reduce employee exposuresto at least 90 dB and to 85 dB when an STS already hasoccurred in the workers hearing. Employers must showemployees how to use and care for their protectors andsupervise them on the job to ensure that they continue towear them correctly.

What training is required?

Employee training is very important. Workers whounderstand the reasons for the hearing conservationprograms and the need to protect their hearing will be moremotivated to wear their protectors and take audiometric tests.Employers must train employees exposed to TWAs of 85 dBand above at least annually in the effects of noise; thepurpose, advantages, and disadvantages of various types ofhearing protectors; the selection, fit, and care of protectors;and the purpose and procedures of audiometric testing.The training program may be structured in any format, withdifferent portions conducted by different individuals and atdifferent times, as long as the required topics are covered.

What exposure and testing recordsmust employers keep?

Employers must keep noise exposure measurement recordsfor 2 years and maintain records of audiometric test resultsfor the duration of the affected employees employment.Audiometric test records must include the employees nameand job classification, date, examiners name, date of thelast acoustic or exhaustive calibration, measurements of thebackground sound pressure levels in audiometric test rooms,and the employees most recent noise exposure measurement.

8Beginning January 1, 2003, employers also will berequired to record work-related hearing loss cases when anemployees hearing test shows a marked decrease in overallhearing. Employers will be able to make adjustments forhearing loss caused by aging, seek the advice of a physicianor licensed health-care professional to determine if the loss iswork-related, and perform additional hearing tests to verifythe persistence of the hearing loss.

9OSHA Assistance,Services, and Programs

How can OSHA help me?

OSHA can provide extensive help through a varietyof programs, including assistance about safety and healthprograms, state plans, workplace consultations, voluntaryprotection programs, strategic partnerships, alliances, andtraining and education. An overall commitment to workplacesafety and health can add value to your business, to yourworkplace, and to your life.

How does safety and healthmanagement system assistancehelp employers and employees?

Working in a safe and healthful environment can stimulateinnovation and creativity and result in increased performanceand higher productivity. The key to a safe and healthfulwork environment is a comprehensive safety and healthmanagement system.

OSHA has electronic compliance assistance tools, oreTools, on its website that walk users through the stepsrequired to develop a comprehensive safety and healthprogram. The eTools are posted at www.osha.gov, andare based on guidelines that identify four general elementscritical to a successful safety and health management system:

Management leadership and employee involvement,

Worksite analysis,

Hazard prevention and control, and

Safety and health training.

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What are state programs?

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHAct) encourages states to develop and operate their own jobsafety and health plans. OSHA approves and monitors theseplans and funds up to 50 percent of each programs operatingcosts. State plans must provide standards and enforcementprograms, as well as voluntary compliance activities, thatare at least as effective as Federal OSHAs.

Currently, 26 states and territories have their own plans.Twenty-three cover both private and public (state and localgovernment) employees and three states, Connecticut,New Jersey, and New York, cover only the public sector.For more information on state plans, see the list at the end ofthis publication, or visit OSHAs website at www.osha.gov.

What is consultation assistance?

Consultation assistance is available on request toemployers who want help establishing and maintaining asafe and healthful workplace. Funded largely by OSHA,the service is provided at no cost to small employers and isdelivered by state authorities through professional safetyand health consultants.

What is the Safety and Health AchievementRecognition Program (SHARP)?

Under the consultation program, certain exemplaryemployers may request participation in OSHAs Safetyand Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).Eligibility for participation includes, but is not limited to,receiving a full-service, comprehensive consultation visit,correcting all identified hazards, and developing an effectivesafety and health program management program.

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Employers accepted into SHARP may receive anexemption from programmed inspections (not complaintor accident investigation inspections) for 1 year initially,or 2 years upon renewal. For more information aboutconsultation assistance, see the list of consultation projectsat the end of this publication.

What are the Voluntary ProtectionPrograms (VPPs)?

Voluntary Protection Programs are designed to recognizeoutstanding achievements by companies that have developedand implemented effective safety and health managementprograms. There are three levels of VPPs: Star, Merit,and Demonstration. All are designed to achieve thefollowing goals:

Recognize employers that have successfully developedand implemented effective and comprehensive safety andhealth management programs;

Encourage these employers to continuously improvetheir safety and health management programs;

Motivate other employers to achieve excellent safetyand health results in the same outstanding way; and

Establish a cooperative relationship between employers,employees, and OSHA.

VPP participation can bring many benefits to employersand employees, including fewer worker fatalities, injuries,and illnesses; lost-workday case rates generally 50 percentbelow industry averages; and lower workers compensationand other injury- and illness-related costs. In addition, manyVPP sites report improved employee motivation to worksafely, leading to a better quality of life at work; positive

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community recognition and interaction; further improvementand revitalization of already-good safety and healthprograms; and a positive relationship with OSHA.

After a site applies for the program, OSHA reviewsan employers VPP application and conducts a VPP onsiteevaluation to verify that the sites safety and healthmanagement programs are operating effectively. OSHAconducts onsite evaluations on a regular basis, annually forparticipants at the demonstration level, every 18 monthsfor Merit, and every 3 to 5 years for Star. Once a year, allparticipants must send a copy of their most recent annualinternal evaluation to their OSHA regional office. Thisevaluation must include the worksites record of injuriesand illnesses for the past year.

Sites participating in VPP are not scheduled for regular,programmed inspections. OSHA does, however, handleany employee complaints, serious accidents, or significantchemical releases that may occur at VPP sites accordingto routine enforcement procedures.

Additional information on VPP is available from OSHAnational, regional, and area offices listed at the end of thisbooklet. Also, see Cooperative Programs on OSHAswebsite.

How can a partnership with OSHAimprove worker safety and health?

OSHA has learned firsthand that voluntary, cooperativepartnerships with employers, employees, and unions can be auseful alternative to traditional enforcement and an effectiveway to reduce worker deaths, injuries, and illnesses. This isespecially true when a partnership leads to the developmentand implementation of a comprehensive workplace safetyand health management program.

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What is OSHAs StrategicPartnership Program (OSPP)?

OSHA Strategic Partnerships are agreements amonglabor, management, and government to improve workplacesafety and health. These partnerships encourage, assist, andrecognize the efforts of the partners to eliminate seriousworkplace hazards and achieve a high level of worker safetyand health. Whereas OSHAs Consultation Program and VPPentail one-on-one relationships between OSHA and individualworksites, most strategic partnerships build cooperativerelationships with groups of employers and employees.

There are two major types of OSPPs. Comprehensivepartnerships focus on establishing comprehensive safetyand health management systems at partnering worksites.Limited partnerships help identify and eliminate hazardsassociated with worker deaths, injuries, and illnesses, orhave goals other than establishing comprehensive worksitesafety and health programs.

For more information about this program, contactyour nearest OSHA office or visit the agencys website.

What occupational safety andhealth training does OSHA offer?

The OSHA Training Institute in Arlington Heights, IL,provides basic and advanced training and education in safetyand health for federal and state compliance officers, stateconsultants, other federal agency personnel, and private-sector employers, employees, and their representatives.

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What is the OSHA Training Grant Program?

OSHA awards grants to nonprofit organizationsto provide safety and health training and education toemployers and workers in the workplace. Grants oftenfocus on high-risk activities or hazards or may helpnonprofit organizations in training, education, and outreach.

OSHA expects each grantee to develop a program thataddresses a safety and health topic named by OSHA, recruitworkers and employers for the training, and conduct thetraining. Grantees are also expected to follow up withstudents to find out how they applied the training in theirworkplaces.

For more information contact OSHA Office of Trainingand Education, 2020 Arlington Heights Road, ArlingtonHeights, IL 60005; or call (847) 297 4810.

What other assistance materialsdoes OSHA have available?

OSHA has a variety of materials and tools on its websiteat www.osha.gov. These include eTools such as ExpertAdvisors and Electronic Compliance Assistance Tools,information on specific health and safety topics, regulations,directives, publications, videos, and other information foremployers and employees.

OSHA also has an extensive publications program.For a list of free or sales items, visit OSHAs website atwww.osha.gov or contact the OSHA Publications Office,U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW,N-3101, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone (202) 6931888or fax to (202) 6932498.

In addition, OSHAs CD-ROM includes standards,interpretations, directives, and more. It is available for sale

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from the U.S. Government Printing Office. To order, write tothe Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government PrintingOffice, Washington, DC 20402, or phone (202) 5121800.

What do I do in case of anemergency or to file a complaint?

To report an emergency, file a complaint, or seek OSHAadvice, assistance, or products, call (800) 321OSHA orcontact your nearest OSHA regional, area, state plan,or consultation office listed at the end of this publication.The teletypewriter (TTY) number is (877) 8895627.

Employees can also file a complaint online and get moreinformation on OSHA federal and state programs by visitingOSHAs website at www.osha.gov.