The Hearing Conservation Program
An effective hearing conservation program can prevent hearing loss, improve employee morale and a general feeling of well-being, increase quality of production, and reduce the incidence of stress-related disease.
A Hearing Conservation Program should allow employees to select the HPD they use.
The employer should administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program whenever employee noise exposures are at or above an eight hour time-weighted average (TWA) sound level of 85 decibels or, equivalently, a dose of 50 percent.
Program Elements
As detailed in OSHA's 1910.95 rule, the elements of an effective hearing conservation program are:
- Monitoring Program: When any employee's exposure may equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels, the employer must develop and implement a monitoring program.
- Audiometric Testing Program: Establish and maintain an audiometric testing program by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed the "action level" - 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels.
- Hearing Protection Devices (HPDs): Employers must make hearing protectors available to all employees exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels or greater at no cost to the employees.
- Employee Training and Education: The employer must train each employee who is exposed to noise at or above an 8-hour time weighted average of 85 decibels. The employer must institute a training program and ensure employee participation in the program.
- Recordkeeping: The employer shall maintain an accurate record of all employee exposure measurements.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-9. When must the employer institute a hearing conservation program?
You forgot to answer the question!