Every
year, approximately 30 million people in the U.S. are occupationally
exposed to hazardous noise. Fortunately, the incidence of noise-induced
hearing loss can be reduced or eliminated through the successful
application of engineering controls and hearing conservation programs.
The following commonly asked questions link to resources that provide
useful safety and health information about noise and hearing conservation
in general industry.
Related Safety and Health Topics
Recognition
- OSHA
3074, Hearing Conservation. OSHA (2002, Revised), 160 KB PDF, 32
pages. This is an informational booklet that provides a generic,
non-exhaustive overview of the issue.
- Noise-Induced
Hearing Loss. American College of Occupational and Environmental
Medicine (ACOEM) (2000). This position statement/guideline describes
what occupational noise-induced hearing loss is, its characteristics,
and more.
- Work-Related
Hearing Loss. National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH), 1 page. This is a brief discussion of the issue in
terms of magnitude, cost, and prevention.
- General
Estimates of Work-Related Noise. Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS), NIOSH Publication No. 2001-104. This simple diagram
allows the viewer to put certain sounds they may experience into
perspective. It includes sound levels for some common noises
experienced in everyday life and in the work environment.
Evaluation
- NIOSH
Proceedings: Best Practices in Hearing Loss Prevention. DHHS
(1999, October 28), NIOSH Publication No. 2001-157, 820 KB PDF. This
publication provides an in-depth look at topics such as measurement
and control, evaluation, employee training and motivation, the role of
audiometric data management, and other hearing protection issues.
- Health
Hazard Evaluations: Noise and Hearing Loss, 1986-1997. DHHS (1998,
November), NIOSH Publication No. 99-106, 12 pages. This document
presents summaries, by industry, of different health hazard
evaluations relating to noise.
- Hearing
Conservation Program Evaluation Checklist. NIOSH, 3 pages. This
checlist contains a useful list of questions to help an employer or
safety professional set up and evaluate a hearing loss prevention
program.
Control
- The
Ardent Hearing Conservationalist. Elliott Berger, Aearo Company
(2001, June 01), 67 KB PDF. This document provides a review of 139
articles on motivating employees to participate in hearing
conservation programs.
- Safeworker:
Sound Advice - Protect Your Ears in Noisy Work Environments.
National Safety Council (NSC) (2000, February). This booklet, written
in collaboration by NSC and NIOSH, offers general guidance to workers
about protecting their hearing.
- Today's
Supervisor: Listen Up! Learn How to Protect your Hearing. NSC
(2000, February). This booklet, written in collaboration by NSC and
NIOSH, assists employers and supervisors in making decisions that will
help prevent noise-induced hearing loss among their employees.
- Preventing
Occupational Hearing Loss – A Practical Guide. DHHS (1996,
June), NIOSH Publication No. 96-110, 106 pages. This document provides
guidance in non-technical terms regarding the eight key components of
an effective hearing loss prevention program.
- The
NIOSH Compendium of Hearing Protective Devices. DHHS (1994,
October), NIOSH Publication No. 95-105, 4,802 KB PDF, 83 pages. This
publication includes information on different types of protective
hearing devices, including rating systems and procedures for selection
and use.
- Industrial
Noise Control Manual. DHHS (1978, December), NIOSH Publication No.
79-117, 9,550 KB PDF, 356 pages. This historic document, originally
published in 1975, contains essential information about noise control
technology, as well as a collection of 61 case histories describing
successful noise control projects.
- Noise
and Hearing Loss Prevention. NIOSH Safety and Health Topic page, 1
page. Publications, presentations, research information, related
links, and more.
- EARLog
Series. This index consists of 21 technical monographs and
reference materials that include the complete, current EARlog series.
Compliance
- Due to the large
amount of information, the compliance
section is located on a separate page.
Training
- Intro
to Ind. Hygiene for Safety Personnel. This course introduces the
student to the general concepts of industrial hygiene. Topics include
the recognition of common health hazards such as air contaminants and
noise, hazard evaluation through screening and sampling, control
methods for health hazards including ventilation and personal
protective equipment, and criteria for referral to IH personnel.
Course features laboratories in the calibration and use of sampling
and monitoring instruments. (September 2003, 9 days)
- Council
for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC). As
the principal accrediting body for occupational hearing
conservationalists, CAOHC provides information on certification,
courses, publications and teaching tools, and more.
References
- Noise-Vibration
Problem-Solution Workbook. Royster, L. and Royster, J. (2002).
AIHA Press. This teaching tool includes more than 400 solved problems
and detailed problem discussions.
- Bibliography
on Hearing Protection, Hearing Conservation, and Augural Care, Hygiene
and Philosophy 1831-2001. Berger, E. (2001, August 15), PDF
Document. This bibliography includes 2,838 articles and is updated
annually.
- Hearing
Conservation Manual. Authored by Suter, A. and edited by Berger,
E. CAOHC. (2000). The 4th edition contains invaluable information and
significant revisions including how to set-up and maintain a hearing
conservation program, how the hearing conservation team works to
prevent hearing loss, updated and expanded regulatory information from
OSHA & MSHA, and more.
- The
Noise Manual, Fifth Edition. Edited by Berger, E; Royster, L.;
Royster, J.; Driscoll, D.; and Layne, M. (2000). AIHA Press. This
classic noise reference is used by many health and safety
professionals and has been authored by 17 experts in the field and
peer-reviewed. Contains a 200+ item appendix on references for good
practice.
- Noise,
Vibration, and Ultrasound. Bruce, R.; Bommer, A.; and Moritz,
C. Chapter 20 (pp. 424-489) of The Occupational
Environment - Its Evaluation and Control. Edited by DiNardi, S.
(1997). AIHA Press. This chapter of the "AIHA White Book"
covers nearly all aspects of occupational noise exposure.
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Noise & Hearing Conservation