SAFETY TOPICS
Help Save Your Employees from Hearing Loss
According to the National Safety Council, potentially damaging noise is a threat to about 22 million workers per year in the U.S. If your employees are exposed to noisy work environments, proper protection can help prevent hearing loss and should be part of your workplace safety program.1
What noise levels are dangerous?
Sound intensity is the amount of sound energy in a confined space and is measured in decibels (dB). Here are some examples to help you understand the range of noise levels:2
- A whisper = 30 dB
- Normal conversation = 60 dB
- Motorcycle engine running = 95 dB
More than 70 dB over a prolonged time period could harm an employee’s hearing. Loud sounds above 120 dB can cause instant damage to the ears.2 Sounds that come from tools such as jackhammers or chainsaws—approximately 115 to 125 dB—can cause hearing loss in less than 30 seconds. Repeated exposure to machines such as lawn mowers or forklifts, around 85 dB, lasting eight hours or longer, can damage hearing.1
Is noise a problem at my workplace?
To better understand the sound intensity in your workplace, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration says there are several sound-measuring instruments on the market, including sound level meters, noise dosimeters, and octave band analyzers. In some cases, it may be apparent that there’s a problem. For instance, if you have to shout to be heard by a coworker who is a few feet away from you, or if you hear ringing or humming in your ears when you leave work, these are indicators that noise is an issue.3
How to choose hearing protection
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that employers not rely solely on personal protective equipment (PPE) to control hazards when other effective options are available. These options might include engineering controls, such as quieter machines or sound barriers, and administrative controls, like schedule changes to reduce worker exposure. The lesson here is that PPE is usually less effective than elimination, substitution, or isolating the noise source.4,5
When you can’t eliminate or significantly reduce the noise, PPE can be effective when chosen carefully, used consistently, and you have a good fit. There are many styles, materials and sizes of hearing protection to choose from. The most common types are:4
- Earplugs: Slide snugly into the ear canal; can be formable or custom.
- Earmuffs: Completely surround the outer area of the ear and are held in place by a headband or attached to a hardhat.
- Canal caps: Cover the entrance to the ear canals and are held in place by a lightweight band.
Some protectors have special features that help with certain types of noise or work situations. An example is communication technology, such as built-in microphones and speakers that make it easier to talk to others in a noisy space.4
Finally, regardless of any preventive measures that you’ve put in place, if your employees have been exposed to dangerous noise levels, you should encourage them to have regular hearing tests.1
Online safety training videos
Our policyholders and agents have access to an extensive library of safety training videos. For videos on hearing protection, click visit Streamery and enter your username and password. Search Hearing Conservation to view the available training videos. Policyholders and agents can request login credentials by emailing [email protected]. (Videos provided through JER HR Group LLC, dba Training Network, a Summit vendor.)
Footnotes
- National Safety Council. Listen Up. www.nsc.org/getmedia/db301f60-8cdd-4da8-b1f7-37a6bc808204/hearing-safety-english.pdf.aspx (Accessed 09/19/2023).
- “What Noises Cause Hearing Loss?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Serv., last reviewed Nov. 8, 2022, www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html#:~:text=Sound%20is%20measured%20in%20decibels,immediate%20harm%20to%20your%20ears (Accessed 09/19/2023).
- “Occupational Noise Exposure.” Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, www.osha.gov/noise#:~:text=Examples%20of%20inexpensive%2C%20effective%20engineering,%2C%20sound%20walls%20or%20curtains (Accessed 09/19/2023).
- “Provide Hearing Protection.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Serv., last reviewed May 3, 2023, www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/preventoccunoise/provide.html (Accessed 09/19/2023).
- Occupational Noise Exposures & Controls.” Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, www.osha.gov/noise/exposure-controls (Accessed 09/19/2023).
Disclaimer
The information presented in this publication is intended to provide guidance and is not intended as a legal interpretation of any federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations applicable to your business. The loss prevention information provided is intended only to assist policyholders of Summit managed insurers in the management of potential loss producing conditions involving their premises and/or operations based on generally accepted safe practices. In providing such information, Summit Consulting LLC does not warrant that all potential hazards or conditions have been evaluated or can be controlled. It is not intended as an offer to write insurance for such conditions or exposures. The liability of Summit Consulting LLC and its managed insurers is limited to the terms, limits and conditions of the insurance policies underwritten by any of them.