Hearing Conservation Program
Our Hearing Conservation Program is designed to help you protect your hearing. OSHA mandates hearing protection programs for workers exposed to loud noise.
Hearing conservation
Hearing conservation begins with measuring the noise in the workplace to discover which workers are exposed to noise and at what levels.
Workers exposed to noise must be:
- educated about noise and hearing loss
- provided with annual hearing tests (audiograms) to measure hearing loss that may develop
- supplied with hearing protection devices (earplugs or earmuffs) to be worn in noisy environments.
Sound is measured in terms of frequency (high or low pitch) and intensity (loud or soft quality).
Examples of frequencies
Examples of low frequency sounds would be a foghorn or a train locomotive horn; examples of high frequencies would include a bird's chirp or a whistle.
Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz), and intensity is measured in decibels (dB). A normal human ear can hear sounds as low as 10 dB. Normal conversation is in the area of 60 dB; noise at 100 dB is considered annoying, and noise above 120 dB is usually painful.
The louder the sound, the less exposure it takes to damage the ear’s hearing mechanism.
OSHA has set 85 dB averaged over a workday as the level for inclusion into a hearing protection program.
Noise exposure occurs at home and leisure activities just as it does in the workplace. You might be surprised at how loud some "normal" sounds are. For example:
| vacuum cleaner | 95 dB |
| power lawnmower | 96 dB |
| chainsaw | 100 dB |
| garbage disposal | 100 dB |
| rock concert | 100+ dB |
Hearing protectors
Hearing protectors offer a barrier between your ear and sound. The most common kinds of hearing protectors are disposable or reusable earplugs and earmuffs.
At work, your supervisor should advise you on the kind of hearing protectors available and best suited to protect you from on-the-job noise.
At home, if you choose protectors that are comfortable and easy to wear, you will use them more regularly.
Annual audiograms
An audiogram is a simple, painless test that measures how well you can hear sounds from a variety of frequencies. It enables a hearing protection specialist to detect early changes in your hearing that can save you from further damage.
In order to get an accurate reading on the audiogram, refrain from loud noise exposure (at home or work) for 14 hours before the audiogram. It is best to have the test before you start your shift or on a day when you do not anticipate exposure to loud noise.
For more information
For more information regarding noise, hearing loss and hearing protection, call EHS at 734-764-8021 or Safety Management Services at 734-764-4427.
