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Safety and Health Topics |
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| Noise and Hearing Conservation |
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In Focus |
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- National Hearing Conservation Association Aligns with OSHA. [More...]
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Every year, approximately 30 million people in the U.S.
are occupationally exposed to hazardous noise. Fortunately, the incidence of
noise-induced hearing loss can be reduced or eliminated through the successful application of engineering
controls and hearing conservation programs.
The following commonly asked
questions link to resources that provide useful safety and health information
about noise and hearing conservation in general industry.
Related Safety and Health Topics
Recognition
- OSHA
3074, Hearing Conservation. OSHA (2002, Revised), 160 KB PDF, 32 pages.
This is an informational
booklet that provides a generic, non-exhaustive overview of the issue.
- Noise-Induced
Hearing Loss. American College of Occupational and Environmental
Medicine (ACOEM) (2000). This position statement/guideline describes what
occupational noise-induced hearing loss is, its characteristics, and more.
- Work-Related
Hearing Loss. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH), 1 page. This is a brief discussion of the issue in terms of magnitude,
cost, and prevention.
- General
Estimates of Work-Related Noise. Department of Health and Human Services
(DHHS), NIOSH Publication No. 2001-104. This simple diagram allows the
viewer to put certain sounds they may experience into perspective. It includes
sound levels for some common noises experienced in everyday life and in the
work environment.
Evaluation
- NIOSH
Proceedings: Best Practices in Hearing Loss Prevention. DHHS (1999,
October 28), NIOSH Publication No. 2001-157, 820 KB PDF. This publication
provides an in-depth look at
topics such as measurement and control, evaluation, employee training and
motivation, the role of audiometric data management, and other hearing
protection issues.
- Health
Hazard Evaluations: Noise and Hearing Loss, 1986-1997. DHHS (1998,
November), NIOSH Publication No. 99-106, 12 pages. This document presents
summaries, by industry, of different health hazard evaluations relating to
noise.
- Hearing
Conservation Program Evaluation Checklist. NIOSH, 3 pages. This checlist
contains a useful list
of questions to help an employer or safety professional set up and evaluate
a hearing loss prevention program.
Control
-
Hearing Protector Device Compendium. (2003, June). The compendium includes
data about the mean attenuations and standard deviations of the attenuations
provided by the manufacturers on labeling required by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. It also provides data about protector construction,
materials, and other features that may aid in selection of protectors for
specific situations.
- The
Ardent Hearing Conservationalist. Elliott Berger, Aearo Company (2001,
June 01), 67 KB PDF. This document provides a review of 139 articles on motivating employees to
participate in hearing conservation programs.
- Safeworker:
Sound Advice - Protect Your Ears in Noisy Work Environments. National
Safety Council (NSC) (2000, February). This booklet, written in
collaboration by NSC and NIOSH, offers general guidance to workers about
protecting their hearing.
- Today's
Supervisor: Listen Up! Learn How to Protect your Hearing. NSC (2000,
February). This booklet, written in collaboration by NSC and NIOSH, assists
employers and supervisors in making decisions that will help prevent
noise-induced hearing loss among their employees.
- Preventing
Occupational Hearing Loss – A Practical Guide. DHHS (1996, June),
NIOSH Publication No. 96-110, 106 pages. This document provides guidance in
non-technical terms regarding the eight key components of an effective
hearing loss prevention program.
- Industrial
Noise Control Manual. DHHS (1978, December), NIOSH Publication No.
79-117, 9,550 KB PDF, 356 pages. This historic document, originally
published in 1975, contains essential information about noise control
technology, as well as a collection of 61 case histories describing
successful noise control projects.
- Noise
and Hearing Loss Prevention. NIOSH Safety and Health Topic page, 1 page.
Publications, presentations, research information, related links, and more.
- EARLog
Series. This index consists of 21 technical monographs and reference materials that
include the complete, current EARlog series.
Compliance
- Due to the large amount of information, the compliance
section is located on a separate page.
Training
References
- Noise-Vibration
Problem-Solution Workbook. Royster, L. and Royster, J. (2002). AIHA
Press. This teaching tool includes more than 400 solved problems and
detailed problem discussions.
- Bibliography
on Hearing Protection, Hearing Conservation, and Augural Care, Hygiene and
Philosophy 1831-2001. Berger, E. (2001, August 15), PDF Document.
This bibliography includes 2,838 articles and is updated annually.
- Hearing
Conservation Manual. Authored by Suter, A. and edited by Berger, E.
CAOHC. (2000). The 4th edition contains invaluable information and
significant revisions including how to set-up and maintain a hearing
conservation program, how the hearing conservation team works to prevent
hearing loss, updated and expanded regulatory information from OSHA &
MSHA, and more.
- The
Noise Manual, Fifth Edition. Edited by Berger, E; Royster, L.; Royster,
J.; Driscoll, D.; and Layne, M. (2000). AIHA Press. This classic noise
reference is used by many health and safety professionals and has been
authored by 17 experts in the field and peer-reviewed. Contains a 200+ item
appendix on references for good practice.
- Noise, Vibration, and Ultrasound. Bruce, R.; Bommer, A.; and Moritz, C.
Chapter 20 (pp. 424-489) of The
Occupational Environment - Its Evaluation and Control. Edited by DiNardi,
S. (1997). AIHA Press. This chapter of the "AIHA White Book"
covers nearly all aspects of occupational noise exposure.
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