Listen Up—It's Hearing-Protection Month!
October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, so it’s a great time to assess the potential noise hazards in your recycling operations.
Noise-induced hearing loss is the most common type of hearing loss, and it can occur when employees are exposed to sounds that are too loud or that last too long. Noise may be a problem in your workplace if your employees:
■ Hear ringing or humming in their ears when they leave work.
■ Have to shout to be heard by a co-worker when standing an arm's length away.
■ Experience temporary hearing loss when leaving work.
OSHA requires employers to implement a hearing conservation program when noise exposure is at or above 85 decibels averaged over eight working hours or an eight-hour time-weighted average.
Under OSHA’s Noise Standard, employers must reduce noise exposure through engineering controls, administrative controls, or hearing protection devices. Ways to control worker exposure to excessive noise and prevent hearing loss include using quieter machines, isolating the noise source, limiting worker exposure, or using effective protective equipment.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Sound Level Meter is a free tool available to download on mobile iOS devices that measures sound levels in the workplace and provides noise exposure parameters to help reduce occupational noise-induced hearing loss.
Click HERE to review OSHA’s general noise-exposure information and to find links to other helpful resources.
Safety graphic by Seetwo from Vecteezy.
