Hearing Conservation

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Occupational Noise Exposure Standard and Hearing Conservation Amendment is designed to protect employees from hearing damage that may occur from exposure to excessive sound pressure levels. The Occupational Noise Standard establishes exposure levels at which certain actions must be taken. In environments where sound pressure levels may equal or exceed an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 85 dBA an audiometric testing and monitoring program is made available to employees and the wearing of hearing protection is suggested. In environments with exposure levels equal to or greater than a 90 dBA TWA the use of hearing protection is required. At no time should an employee be exposed to impulsive or impact noise exceeding 140 dB peak sound pressure level.

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) routinely monitors high noise areas and conducts noise complaint surveys. EHS works with the Audiology and Speech Sciences Department (AUS) to administer base line and annual audiometric testing for employees exposed to high noise levels. For more information about the Hearing Conservation Program, contact EHS.