HEARING CONSERVATION

PROGRAM

REFERENCES29 CFR 1910.95

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

COMMON SOUNDSWhisper

Normal Conversation

Air Conditioner

Lawn Mower

Rock Concert

Jet (taking off)

Barely Audible

Audible

Slightly Loud

Moderately Loud

Uncomfortably Loud

Pain Threshold

10

78

81

92

120

140

dB

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

NOISE MEASUREMENTS• IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY

CONTROL NOISE, IT IS NECESSARY THAT THE NOISE BE MEASURED AND PROPERLY EVALUATED BY INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

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

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

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

MONITORING AUDIOGRAM

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

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

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

• 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

EXCLUSION FROM FUTURE NOISE EXPOSURE

• 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

TERMINATION AUDIOGRAM

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

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

HEARING PROTECTION

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 EMPLOYEE’S SERVICE PLUS 30 YEARS

• 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

TRAINING

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

FUNDING

• PERSONNEL EXPOSED TO NOISE HAZARDOUS AREAS SHALL BE PROVIDED WITH ADEQUATE PROTECTION AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE

• USE OF OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE FUNDS BY UNITS

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