I. Policy
In order to protect employees and students from possible adverse effects KUMC will evaluate high noise areas to determine if hazardous noise levels exist. Where it is recognized that potentially hazardous noise levels do exist, the necessary control measures will be taken to protect employees from possible hearing loss. KUMC will also comply with all applicable standards considered reasonable within the medical industry. Where noise levels exist which are not considered hazardous but are considered irritating by employees, actions may be taken to reduce levels based upon management discretion. All applicable provisions of the Hearing Conservation Program shall be implemented when employee noise exposures equal or exceed the Action Level (AL) of an 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA) exposure to a sound level of 85 dBA.
II. Introduction
Recognizing that some work environments may have operations which produce levels of noise considered to be hazardous, the Environment, Health and Safety Office has establish a formal program to protect all employees and students from the possible adverse effects of such noise. This program is also designed to meet the requirements established by the Kansas Department of Human Resources, Division of Industrial Safety and Health. This state agency is requiring public sector employers in Kansas to fully comply with federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Hearing Conservation Program. The purpose of this Hearing Conservation Program is to ensure that employees, staff, and students at KUMC who are exposed to hazardous noise levels are adequately protected to prevent hearing loss.
III. Program Components
The fundamental components of an effective Hearing Conservation Program are as follows:
- Employee Exposure Monitoring
- Medical Surveillance
- Implementation of Noise Hazard Controls
- Employee Training Program
- Documentation of all activities related to the Hearing Conservation Program
- Program Maintenance
All employees and students shall comply with federal, state, local, and institutional regulations and guidelines when working in areas which have noise levels which could be considered to be potentially hazardous. Each employee is responsible for his own safety and health, the safety and health of the workers around him/her, and the protection of the environment.
Monitoring Strategy
The need for monitoring will be based on data collected via comprehensive industrial hygiene surveys conducted by the Environment, Health and Safety Office. Based on this information, an employee exposure monitoring strategy will then be developed and implemented. Monitoring shall be conducted in a manner approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Monitoring shall be repeated whenever there is a change in production level, processes, equipment, or noise controls that change employee noise exposures. The Safety Office shall notify employees, in writing, of results of exposure monitoring, and shall do so in a timely manner.
Medical Surveillance
Within 6 months of an employees exposure at or above the Action Level, as determined by employee exposure monitoring , the Employee Health Department shall establish a valid baseline against which subsequent audiograms will be compared. An audiogram is a hearing test that measures the ability of an individual to hear different pitches at different levels of loudness. The Employee Health Department shall conduct annual audiograms on all employees participating in the Hearing Conservation Program.
Where audiometric tests (audiograms) indicate unexplainable changes in an employees hearing, further investigation shall include, but need not be limited to, consultation with the KUMC Speech and Hearing Department.
It is each supervisors responsibility to ensure that employees who participate in the hearing conservation program have received the required annual medical surveillance from employee health and that this is properly documented
Employees shall be removed from the Hearing Conservation Program only when monitoring data has been obtained which indicates that these employees are no longer exposed to noise levels which exceed the Action Level. An employee may also be removed when changing to a job classification which is not required to participate in this program.
Noise Exposure Controls
KUMC shall ensure that exposure levels are reduced to a safe level using engineering, administrative, or personal protective equipment controls.
Where engineering or administrative controls are not economically or technically feasible, to reduce employee exposures to below the 8-hour TWA PEL of 85 dBA, KUMC shall provide a selection of hearing protectors to employees. This shall be done at no cost to employees.
Employees working in areas where there is equipment that produces noise levels of 85 dBA or greater shall wear adequate hearing protection, regardless of the employees full shift exposure levels. Also, these areas shall be designated and posted as hearing conservation areas.
Employees working with equipment which produces noise levels of 85 dBA or greater shall wear adequate hearing protection, regardless of full shift exposure.
Supervisors shall be responsible for ensuring that hearing protectors are readily available to, and are worn by employees during times of exposure to noise greater than 85 dBA.
Employees are responsible for caring for their hearing protection and wearing their hearing protection properly and when necessary.
The Environment, Health and Safety Office is responsible for recommending the appropriate hearing protection.
Training Program
KUMC shall institute a training program for all participants of the Hearing Conservation Program. This training will be conducted upon initial employment, and annually thereafter.
This training shall include at least the following information:
- The effects of noise on hearing
- The purpose of hearing protectors, the advantages, disadvantages, and attenuation of various types, and instructions on fitting
- How to select, use, and care for their hearing protective devices
- The purpose of audiometric testing and an explanation of the test procedures
- How employee exposure levels are determined
- How engineering and administrative controls are used to reduce noise exposures
Supervisors shall be responsible for ensuring that employees have attended this training as required.
Documentation
The Departments shall maintain written records showing employee participation in annual Hearing Conservation Training. Employee health shall maintain documentation of all medical surveillance including baseline and all subsequent audiometric testing. The Environment, Health and Safety Office shall maintain documentation of area and personnel noise monitoring.
Program Maintenance
The Environment, Health and Safety Office shall be responsible for revising the Kansas University Medical Center Hearing Conservation Program as needed.
