SAFETY TRAINING

1. S
Hearing Loss
Prevention
Oscar Anell
Elite Industrial Safety Consultants
Pico Rivera,CA.

2. Video
S https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxCku4GRUko

3. Do you know?
S Ten million Americans have
already suffered irreversible
damage from noise, and
thirty million more are
exposed to dangerous levels
of noise each day.
S Noise-induce hearing loss is
the number one occupational
disability.
Millennium Products Inc.

4. Hearing loss facts
S It is generally painless
S It is progressive over time
S It is permanent
S The good news? Is 100 %
preventable.
Millennium Products Inc.

5. What is NOISE?
S Any unwanted sound.
S A sound, especially one that
is loud, unpleasant,
unexpected or undesired or
that cause disturbance.
S Anything that interferes with,
slow down, or reduces the
clarity or accuracy of a
communication.
Millennium Products Inc.

6. When is noise too loud?
S Noise is measured in units of sound pressure called
decibels (dB) using A-weighted sound level (dBA)
S The “A”-weighted sounds levels closely match the
perception of loudness by the human ear.
S If two people 3 feet apart must shout to be heard, the
background noise is too loud (above 85 dBA)
S Noise above 140 dBA cause pain and immediate
hearing loss

7. How the ear works?
S When sound waves enter the outer
ear, the vibrations impact the ear
drum and are transmitted to the
middle and inner ear.
S In the middle ear 3 small bones
called the “malleus” or hammer,
the “incus” or anvil and the
“stapes” or stirrup amplify and
transmit the vibrations generated
by the sound to the inner ear
S The inner ear contains a snail-like
structure called the cochlea which
is filled with fluid and lined with
cells with very fine hairs.
S These microscopic hairs move with
the vibrations and convert the
sound waves into nerve impulses,
the result is the sound we hear.
Exposure to loud noise can destroy
these air cells and cause hearing
Millennium Products Inc.

8. Sounds Receptors

9. Long term exposure to noise
S Our ears can recover from
short exposure to loud noise,
but over time nerve damage
will occur
S The longer and louder the
noise, the greater chance
permanent damage will occur
S There is really no such thing
as “tough ears” or “getting
used to it”

10. Most common noises
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/noisemeter.html

11. Law requirements
S OSHA: Occupational, Safety
and Health Administration.
S Set legal limits on noise
exposure in the workplace.
S These limits are based on a
worker’s time weighted
average over 8 hour day.
S OSHA permissible exposure
limit is 90 dBA for all workers
for an 8 hour day.
S NIOSH: National Institute for
Occupational Safety and
Health.
S Recommend that all worker
exposures to noise should be
controlled below a level
equivalent to 85 dBA for 8
hours to minimize
occupational noise induced
hearing loss.

12. Chamber’s Noise Map

13. Hampton’s Noise Map

14. Pail Washer’s Room Noise
Map

15. What we can do to reduce the
hazard from noise
S Noise controls are the first line of defense against
excessive noise exposure.
S The use if these controls should aim to reduce the
hazardous exposure to the point where the risk to
hearing is eliminated or minimized
S There are several ways to control and reduce worker
exposure to noise in a workplace

16. Controls to reduce the hazard
from noise
S Engineering controls: Involve modifying or replacing
equipment, making related physical changes at the
noise source or along the transmission path to
reduce the noise level at the worker’s ear. (Choose
low-noise tools and machinery, maintain and
lubricate machinery and equipment, place a barrier
between the noise source and employee, enclose or
isolate the noise source)

17. Controls to reduce the hazard
from noise
S Administrative controls: Are changes in the
workplace that reduce or eliminated the worker
exposure to noise (e.g. Operating noisy machines on
different shifts, limiting the amount of time a person
spends at a noise source, restricting worker
presence to a suitable distance away from noisy
equipment)

18. Last resource to solve the
problem
S The last resource to reduce
the hazard from noise is the
use of Hearing Protection
Devices
S Is recommendable to wear it
when noise area exceed 85
dBA
S This devices reduce (not
eliminate) the level of sound
entering the ear.
S To be effective must fit
properly

19. Hearing Protection Devices
S There are 3 types
S Ear muffs, earplugs and ear caps
S Ear muff and ear plugs provide
about equal protection, ear caps
somewhat less.
S All are designed to reduce the
intensity of noise
S All 3 types have advantages &
disadvantages
S People vary on which they prefer
to use.

20. Noise reduction of hearing
protection
S The “Noise Reduction
Rating” (NRR) of hearing
protection is measured in
decibels (dBA)
S The NRR is found on the
earplug package. The
higher the number the
greater the protection.

21. Millennium hearing protection
devices (HPDs)
30 NRR
32 NRR
33 NRR
30 NRR

22. Noise Reduction Rating on
Millennium
NRR = 33 – 7 = 26 Noise 93 – 26 = 67 dBA
NRR= 32 – 7 = 25 Noise 93 – 25 = 68 dBA
NRR = 30 – 7 = 23 Noise 93 – 23 = 70 dBA

23. Some reasons why employees
don’t want to use HPD
S They cause infections in the ear
S You can hurt your eardrum if you
put them in too far
S I can’t hear my co-workers or my
radio when I wear them
S I need to hear my machine noise
and alarms
S My ears have grown accustomed
to the noise
S If I lose my hearing, I can always
get a hearing aid

24. Why Hearing Protection is
important to you?
S Can reduce noise exposure
and lessen the amount of
noise-induced hearing loss
S May help to reduce Tinnitus
(Ringing in the ears)
S Can improve communication
S Can prevent job performance
deffects

25. Inserting foam earplugs

26. Inserting Pre-molded earplugs

27. Employee Responsibility
S Understand the need for
hearing protection devices
S Wear HPDs and seek
replacements
S Encourages co-workers to
wear HPDs
S Communicate problems to
supervisors

28. Management Responsibility
S Provide occupational noise
training
S Provide hearing protection
devices
S Demonstrate commitment-
wear HPDs
S Enforce the use of HPDs
S Encourage questions and
resolve problems

29. Quiz
S Hearing loss is
preventable?
S What is Noise?
S Noise is to loud if above
75 dBA
S Name of the measure unit
of noise
S Where is required to wear
earplugs at Millennium?
S Yes
S An unwanted sound
S No
S Decibels
S Hampton’s and Chamber’s
packing area and Pail washer
room