When Does Noise Become Harmful To Your Hearing?
While noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) can occur quickly,
it usually takes place over a period of several years. In fact, a person often
notices the loss gradually as they become aware that they can no longer hear
certain sounds, experience a ringing in their ears, or have difficulty
understanding conversations. Usually there is no warning and no pain as the
noise slowly destroys your hearing. In fact, people exposed to persistent high
levels of noise forget it's there. Since damage to your hearing cannot be
reversed, the loss becomes permanent.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) offers the following estimates of work-related noises for guidance. (dB = decibels)
Loudest
tone possible 194 dB Impact wrench 103 dB
Rocket
launch 180
dB Hand drill 98 dB
12-gauge shotgun 165 dB Tractor 96 dB
Jet engine takeoff 140 dB Belt sander 93 dB
Ambulance siren 120 dB Hair dryer / Power lawn motor 90 dB
Pneumatic percussion drill 119 dB Ringing
telephone 80 dB
Hammer drill 114 dB
Chain saw 110 dB Whisper 30 dB
Continuous miner 108 dB Weakest
sound detected
Bulldozer 105 dB by human ear 0 dB
NIOSH reminds us that noise exposures greater than 85 dB may cause hearing loss. When noise exposure is expected to exceed 90 dB for an 8-hour period, OSHA requires that hearing protection such as earplugs or muffs be worn.
Do you have to shout to talk to someone who is just two or three feet away? If the answer is yes, you need to move away from the noise source or use hearing protection. Do you hear a ringing in your ears after performing certain tasks with tools or equipment or when working in noisy areas? Then you should wear hearing protection to perform these tasks. You should heed the ringing sensation as a warning because it is an indication that hearing loss is taking place, which can be temporary or permanent depending upon the level of exposure.
Like to listen to radio, tapes or CDs with headphones?
Keep the volume down or don’t wear
the headphones too long. It is easy to exceed a 110 dB level with
headphones, which is equivalent to the noise level of a chain saw. If
others can hear the sound from your headphones when you are wearing them, it is
very likely the noise is damaging your hearing.
Enjoy rock concerts, auto racing, powerboats, target/skeet
shooting, working with power tools?
Wear hearing protection because
all of these activities generate noise levels that exceed safe levels. If you
were exposed to these same noise levels at work, you would be required to wear
hearing protection because they exceed the permissible exposure levels
established by OSHA for workplace safety and health.
Practice
good hearing protection hygiene
Wash
hearing protectors with soap and water daily
Wash
hands before inserting earplugs
Discard
single use earplugs after use
Get your
hearing tested periodically if you are exposed to high noise levels frequently.
A
hearing test for your children is also recommended
Select hearing protection that will provide adequate
protection for the task you will perform.
All approved hearing protection is labeled with a numerical Noise Reduction Rating (NRR). The highest NRR currently available is a NRR 36. To use the NRR as a guide to select hearing protection, divide the NRR number by 2 to estimate the level of hearing protection it will provide. For example, earplugs labeled with “NRR 36” when used correctly will reduce the dB level by approximately 18 dB (NRR 36 / 2 = 18). If you planned to use these earplugs for protection while operating a chain saw producing a 110 dB noise level, the earplugs would reduce the noise entering the ear to at least 92 dB. Unless you used the chain saw continuously for 8 hours, this level of hearing protection would be more than adequate to protect your hearing.
Noise exposure can be reduced or eliminated in the following
ways:
Include
noise reduction in equipment purchasing criteria.
Isolate
noisy equipment in sound-absorbing rooms.
Use
acoustic material, carpet and baffles to reduce noise.
Add sound
barriers and deflectors to machinery. Use wood or metal panels lined with
acoustic material in front of or around noisy machinery.
Replace
noisy metal parts with plastic or rubber components.
Eliminate
vibration noise by placing heavy equipment on resilient pads.
Tighten
or adjust large vibrating surfaces such as panels, covers or guards.
Maintain equipment with regular lubrication and
alignment in order to reduce friction between rotating, sliding or moving
parts.
Run
equipment at lower speeds when possible to reduce noise levels.
Balance
rotating machinery parts to reduce or prevent vibration.
Limit
access to noisy areas.
Limit
your exposure to noisy areas.
Use
hearing protection – even for short exposures to loud noises
Not
Convinced That Hearing Loss Prevention Is Necessary?
I strongly recommend that you enroll in one of the College’s sign language courses because you may need it some day in the future!
Have you ever noticed that as soon as you think you’ve come up
with a foolproof safety procedure someone invents a better fool?
What Are The Costs for Workplace Injuries and Illnesses?
In the time it takes to read this sentence, two (2)
workers somewhere in the
The National Safety Council reminds us that an average of 14 people are killed and more than 10,400
people are disabled each day at work. The workplace death toll is
equivalent to a major airline disaster every two weeks. Yet even
these staggering numbers are dwarfed by estimates that job-related diseases
cause as many as 60,000 deaths a year, according to a study entitled Occupational
Injury & Illnesses in the United States by J. Paul Leigh and
colleagues, published in 1997, and sponsored by the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Economic Policy Institute.
The cost to the economy of job related
injuries alone was estimated at more than $122 billion in 1999.
This amount exceeds the combined profits of the top 17 Fortune 500
companies in 1999.
Preventing accidents is everybody’s responsibility.
Accidents don’t just happen out of the blue. Accidents are either the result of
an unsafe act, an unsafe condition or some combination of the two.
1. If it looks unsafe, it probably is unsafe.
2.
Immediately report all accidents, unsafe conditions
and close calls.
3.
Don’t perform any task unless you have been trained
and authorized.
4.
Use the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
for the job.
5.
Inspect all tools and machinery before using. Never
use damaged tools or machinery.
6.
Stay focused on the job. Prohibit horseplay.
7.
If you need help to do a job, don’t hesitate to ask
for it.
8.
Don’t rush any task.
9.
Follow all safety rules.
10.
Know the hazards associated with each task and
control them.
Unsafe Acts – Most accidents are caused by an
unsafe act. Some examples include; operating tools or equipment without training
or permission, failure to use Lockout/Tagout
procedures, horseplay, rushing, running, failure to
inspect equipment, attempting unauthorized repairs, not following safety
procedures, improper lifting, not using PPE, or improper use of chemicals.
Unsafe Conditions – Unsafe
conditions can cause or contribute to the cause of accidents. Some examples
include; damaged equipment or tools, poor lighting, slippery walking surfaces,
missing machine guards, inadequate training or supervision, exposed electrical
circuits, worn or damaged PPE, improper storage, trash accumulation, overloaded
electrical circuits, congested walkways, trip hazards, missing hazard warning
signs, unlabeled chemicals, and improper storage of chemicals.
Accidents are preventable. Stay alert for hazards, determine ways to eliminate or control hazards and fix the cause before an accident occurs.
sOMEONE IS EXPECTING YOU
HOME TODAY.
Questions about environmental,
safety and health?
Contact us
by phone or email: Dennis Mosser,
Safety/Environmental Manager - Ext. 3385
Anna
Gillman, Environmental Specialist - Ext 3314
Elaine
Campagna, Staff Assistant – Ext. 3192
Submitted