Laserfiche WebLink
� J <br /> 3.24.1 Introduction <br /> Hearing loss may be the result of one or more factors including aging, disease, injury or <br /> prolonged exposure to loud noise. The hearing loss due to exposure to excessive noise is the <br /> result of nerve cell damage in the inner ear. <br /> Noise has long been recognized as a cause of occupational loss of hearing. Hearing loss <br /> can be either temporary or permanent. The hearing loss first experienced after being exposed to <br /> loud noise is called a temporary threshold shift if the ear is able to recover after a quiet period of <br /> a few minutes, hours or days. <br /> However, if exposure to loud noise is severe enough or continues day after day, the <br /> temporary shift in hearing ability can and will probably become permanent. Regardless of <br /> recovery time, a permanent hearing loss cannot be repaired. <br /> The Site Safety and Health Officer is responsible for administering the Hearing <br /> Conservation Program. <br /> 3.24.2 Employee Monitoring <br /> Employees who may be exposed to high noise levels must be monitored periodically to <br /> determine their average workday noise exposure. In some cases, only a few people will be <br /> selected for monitoring when their jobs are representative of those for a group of employees. <br /> After initial determination of an employee's 8-hour time-weighted average noise <br /> exposure, it is required that these monitoring procedures be repeated for all job classifications <br /> periodically on a continuing basis. Noise monitoring may be discontinued if the initial <br /> determinations or actual exposure measurements indicate that employee's TWA noise exposures <br /> are less than 85 dBA. <br /> 32 <br />