Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
according.to.the.type.of.hearing.protection.used.and.how.well.it.its..Hearing.protec-
tors.must.be.capable.of.achieving.the.attenuation.needed.to.reduce.the.employee's.
noise.exposure.to.within.the.acceptable.limits..OSHA's.regulation.in.Appendix.B.of.
29 CFR. 1910.95,. Occupational. Noise. Exposure,. describes. methods. for. estimating.
the.attenuation.of.a.particular.hearing.protector.based.on.the.device's.noise.reduction.
rating.(NRR)..Manufacturers.of.hearing.protection.devices.must.report.the.device's.
NRRs.on.the.product.packaging.
Train. your. employees. to. use. hearing. protection.. Once. hearing. protection. and.
training.in.how.to.use.it.has.been.provided.to.employees,.its.effectiveness.should.be.
monitored..If.employees.are.exposed.to.occupational.noise.at.or.above.85.dBA.aver-
aged.over.an.8-hour.period,.then.a.hearing.conservation.program.must.be.instituted.
that.includes.regular.testing.of.employees'.hearing.by.qualiied.professionals..The.
OSHA.occupational.noise.standard,.at.29.CFR.1910.95,.provides.the.requirements.
for.a.hearing.conservation.program.
resPIrAtory ProtectIon
In. the. respiratory. protection. program,. hazard. assessment. and. selection. of. proper.
respiratory.PPE.is.conducted.in.the.same.manner.as.for.other.types.of.PPE..To.con-
trol.those.occupational.diseases.caused.by.breathing.air.contaminated.with.harmful.
dusts,. fogs,. fumes,. mists,. gases,. smokes,. sprays,. or. vapors,. the. primary. objective.
shall. be. to. prevent. atmospheric. contamination.. This. should. be. accomplished. as.
far. as. feasible. by. accepted. engineering. control. measures. (e.g.,. enclosure. or. con-
inement. of. the. operation,. general. and. local. ventilation,. and. substitution. of. less.
toxic.materials)..When.effective.engineering.controls.are.not.feasible,.or.while.they.
are. being. instituted,. appropriate. respirators. must. be. used.. (See. OSHA. Standards.
Respiratory.Protection,.29.CFR.1910.134.)
Management. must. develop. a. respiratory. program,. then. implement. it. and. ensure.
that.workers.follow.its.requirements..OSHA.requires.that.voluntary.use.of.respirators,.
when.not.required.by.the.company,.must.be.controlled.as.strictly.as.under.required.
circumstances..To.prevent.violations.of.the.Respiratory.Protection.Standard,.employ-
ees.are.not.allowed.voluntary.use.of.their.own.or.company-supplied.respirators.of.any.
type..The.exception.is.employees.whose.only.use.of.respirators.involves.the.voluntary.
use.of.iltering.(nonsealing).face.pieces.(dust.masks).
Evaluations.of.the.workplace.are.necessary.to.ensure.that.the.written.respiratory.
protection. program. is. being. properly. implemented.. This. includes. consulting. with.
employees.to.ensure.that.they.are.using.the.respirators.properly..Evaluations.must.be.
conducted.as.necessary.to.ensure.that.the.provisions.of.the.current.written.program.
are.being.effectively.implemented.and.that.it.continues.to.be.effective.
Program. evaluation. includes. discussions. with. employees. required. to. use. respi-
rators.to.assess.the.employees'.views.on.program.effectiveness.and.to.identify.any.
problems..Any.problems.that.are.identiied.during.this.assessment.must.be.corrected..
Factors.to.be.assessed.include,.but.are.not.limited.to
.
1.. Respirator.it.(including.the.ability.to.use.the.respirator.without.interfering.
with.effective.workplace.performance)
