OCCUSAFE UPDATE
Monthly Round Up of Important Ideas and Standards in
Industrial Hygiene and Safety
July 2014
- Estimated Exposure = Noise Level (dBC) – NRR
- Estimated Exposure = Noise Level (dBA) – NRR – 7 dB
- The most widely used earplugs, compressible foam earplugs, are often poorly fitted. Users are generally unaware of how to properly insert them. As a result, incorrectly compressed earplugs may give virtually no attenuation.
- Hearing protectors may become lost, dirty, or damaged and replacements may not be readily available.
- Eye wear or other personal protective equipment affects the seal of earmuffs.
- Environmental factors such as heat or humidity affect effectiveness and usage for both earplugs and muffs.
- Lack of employee recognition of the noise hazard or the importance of hearing protection impacts usage.
- Reduce noise at the source to lessen the need for hearing protection.
- Determine the jobs or areas where hearing protection is needed.
- Provide a selection of hearing protectors and demonstrate their proper use.
- Monitor the use of hearing protection and make them readily available.
- Provide training on the hazards of noise and how employees can protect themselves against the effects of noise.
Noise is a significant hazard to workers in many industries. The CDC estimates that four million workers go to work each day in damaging noise. It is important employers recognize the hazards of noise and provide an effective hearing conservation program which should include the proper use of hearing protection.
For more information on this topic and to discuss your company’s safety and industrial hygiene needs callOccuSafe at (214) 662-6005 or visit us at www.occusafeinc.com.
OccuSafe Industrial Hygiene & Safety, Inc. provides skills and expertise to recognize, evaluate and control hazards and injuries in the areas of industrial hygiene, occupational safety and health. OccuSafe services companies of all sizes in a range of industries.
This newsletter is published monthly by OccuSafe Industrial Hygiene & Safety Services, Inc. Feel free to forward it to friends and colleagues.
Comments are closed.