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The Occupational Hygiene Training Association (OHTA), has created a new website, www.OHLearning.com, where free course materials for international occupational hygiene training modules are posted. Find training materials, learn about occupational hygiene, or develop your existing skillset. Modules currently available include: Noise Asbestos Measurement of Hazardous Substances Health Effects of Hazardous Substances Control of Hazardous [...] Have you checked out AIHA’s Safe & Sound Podcast lately? Very good information being delivered by Craig & Melissa at AIHA. Take a listen at home, work, or in the car (all files are .mp3 format). Some of the latest highlights include: Combustible Dust John Astad, Director and Research Analyst of the Combustible Dust [...]
Loud noise can permanently damage your hearing. It especially affects the sounds that help you understand speech. Earmuffs, earplugs, and other hearing protection devices can reduce your risk of hearing loss, but only if you get a good fit and wear them properly. Follow the instructions for the sound player on the right side of this page to perform a quick test of whether you are getting at least a minimal 15 decibel (dB) level of protection. How it Works The test sounds are bands of random noise with a center frequency of 1000 Hz. This is the same type of sound used in standard hearing protector ratings including the “American National Standard Methods for Measuring the Real-Ear Attenuation of Hearing Protectors” (ANSI S12.6). Both tracks are the same, but the second track is 15 decibels (dB) louder than the first. Most hearing protectors will block or “attenuate” sound by more than 15 dB if they are the right size and shape to fit your ears and are worn correctly. A sound that is barely audible at your threshold of hearing without hearing protection should be inaudible though hearing protection even if it’s boosted by 15 dB. Online or Offline Testing: You can also download the test sounds to check your hearing protection offline with an MP3 player or computer multimedia player. Download or play online, these two tracks: Track 1: Without Hearing Protection NIOSH QuickFit Without HPD For online testing, click the links, goto the .mp3 page, then click the file. Quicktime (or the program you have installed on your computer) will play the file. To download the files for offline testing, right-click the link and choose “Save File As…” or similar selection from the menu. Continue Reading for the Instructions… Continue reading Online Tool: Is Your Hearing Protection Providing Adequate Attenuation? Ask the Expert: Elliott Berger, author and editor of The Noise Manual (available at AIHA press or Amazon), recently commented on the use of low attenuation ear plugs for use in industry on the Yahoo Groups AIHA listserv. In looking over recent posts on low-attenuation earplugs I was pleased to see awareness of [...]
Citing the fact that nearly 22 million American workers are exposed to hazardous noise on a daily basis and that occupational hearing loss continues to plague industry, the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) has made a request to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to reduce the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for noise exposures. “Noise-induced hearing loss is an insidious, permanent, and irreversible disease which has a tremendous negative impact on people’s lives. The good news is that this disease is 100% preventable,” said Rick Neitzel, PhD, CIH, NHCA President. “The bad news is that OSHA’s 30-year-old noise exposure regulation is not consistent with current scientific knowledge, is not uniformly applied across all industries, and has not proven effective in preventing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).” NHCA has requested that OSHA lower the PEL in the Occupation Noise Standard 29 CFR 1910.95 from 90 dBA to 85 dBA, and the Action Level from 85 to 80 dBA. Citing recent research by NIOSH and other organizations, American workers face a considerable risk of NIHL associated with long-term work at the current PEL of 90 dBA and a 5 dB time/intensity exchange rate. NHCA has also requested that the time/intensity exchange rate be reduced from 5 to 3 dB. What You Will Learn: Quest Technologies, a 3M company, invites you to learn how to look beyond noise exposure to apply noise measurements as part of a hearing conservation solution. Upon completion of this webinar, attendees will have an increased understanding of how to apply four core components to answer the questions below [...] NIOSH has developed an online database of sound levels and vibration forces for various power tools typically used in the occupational setting. Developed by NIOSH researchers, the database provides information for over 120 power tools from manufactures such as Black & Decker, Mikita and Dewalt. According to NIOSH, “The database is particularly helpful in [...] AIHA, in a letter to Jordan Barab of OSHA, strongly encouraged OSHA to consider reducing the 8-hour TWA for noise from 90 dBA to 85 dBA and a 3 decibel exchange rate. A copy of the letter, dated April 28, 2009, can be found HERE. The letter is very similar to one AIHA submitted [...] The purpose of this memorandum is to resolve issues concerning adjustments of the PEL during extended work shifts. This applies for exposures to the noise levels of Table G-16 of 29 CFR 1910.95 or substances found in Subpart Z. Current OSHA policy requires only the action level to be reduced for exposures to noise [...] |
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