Hearing Conservation Plan
Environmental Health, Safety, and Risk Management Department
Box 6113, SFA Station
Nacogdoches, Texas 75962-6113
Created April 2010
Revised: January 2011
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Purpose
It is the objective of the Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management Department
(Safety Department) to institute an Occupational Hearing Conservation Plan to prevent
any temporary or permanent noise-induced hearing loss to Stephen F. Austin State
University (SFASU) employees, and to comply with Federal OSHA Standard 29 CFR
1910.95.
Monitoring
1. The Safety Department or contracted consultant (insurance carrier, other qualified
individual) will monitor and identify workplace noise levels using a calibrated sound
level meter on an as needed basis, or whenever there is a change in equipment, or
controls. Monitoring is performed to determine which employees in shops are
exposed to excessive noise and fall under the hearing conservation program whenever
employee’s noise exposures equals or exceeds an eight-hour time-weighted average
sound level (TWA) of 85 decibels.
2. The Physical Plant and Housing Operation Managers and all SFASU Supervisors will
notify the Safety Department of upcoming equipment purchases or modifications,
which may affect sound levels. When the equipment purchase or modification is
nearing its final decision phase, the Safety Department is to be notified. If necessary,
on-site visits or vendor contacts will be coordinated to monitor noise levels and also
assess any potential safety/ergonomic issues, which may affect employees. The
Safety Department will also work with Procurement to obtain the necessary technical
specifications.
3. Warning signs will be posted in conspicuous locations near the high noise levels areas
to ensure that hearing protection is required when operating machinery or generators.
4. The Safety Department will measure noise levels in the mechanical rooms and
generator rooms and maintain a file.
5. A log will be maintained in the Safety Department office of all readings that are
performed.
Audiometric Testing Plan
1. The Safety Department will schedule audiometric testing for any employee in the
hearing conservation program. This testing will be done whenever changes occur that
result in increased noise levels, in employee job transfer situations into or out of a
department in the hearing conservation program, and in termination/layoff situations.
2. A licensed/certified audiologist, technician, or any other qualified individual will
perform audiometric testing. All testing will be done at the Stephen F. Austin State
University Hearing Clinic.
3. The Safety Department will inform employees prior to their scheduled testing.
Employees must have 14 hours of non-exposure to workplace noise, prior to the
actual testing. Protective hearing equipment may be substituted for the necessary
waiting period.
4. If an employee’s audiogram suggests that a standard threshold shift has occurred, the
employee will be notified in writing within 21 days. He/she will be retested within 30
days via a clinical audio logical evaluation or an ontological examination. The new
audiogram will be considered as the baseline audiogram for any future testing. The
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occurrence will be recorded and placed in their safety file and Human Resources
Department will be notified.
5. Audiometric testing will be conducted on an annual basis for those employees
requesting or those that are exposed to 85 decibels that is equal to or exceeds an
eight-hour time-weighted average. All testing will be conducted at the SFASU
Hearing Clinic.
Hearing Protection
1. The employees department is responsible for making sure adequate hearing protection
is available for employees. All employees subject to work in those areas must be
provided with appropriate hearing protection devices from the following types listed
in the table below. Most hearing protection is available at Central Stores located at
the Physical Plant compound.
2. Employees are required to wear company-provided hearing protection and at no time
must an employee tamper with, or modify any hearing protection equipment.
Damaged or defective equipment must be discarded and replaced.
3. Supervisors are required to enforce the hearing conservation plan in their area of
responsibility.
4. The OSHA standard requires SFASU to provide a variety of hearing protection
devices to persons who are required to wear them. The types of protective devices
available include:
Type of Hearing
Protection
Ear Muffs
(ANSI approved)
Advantages
One size fits most adults.
Can easily be seen at a distance.
Can be put on, adjusted, etc. while
wearing gloves.
Can be warming to the ears in cold
environments.
Ear Plugs
(2 types: preformed and
expandable)
Have highest noise reduction rating and
are very effective in protecting your
hearing when worn properly.
Do not interfere with work in close
quarters.
Are easily carried and stored when not
in use.
Compatible with glasses or any other
type of headgear without affecting
Disadvantages
Usually have a lower noise
reduction rating than earplugs, but still
provide effective protection.
They are bulky and cannot fit into
pockets or stored in tool kits.
May interfere with and not sit
properly with glasses, hearing aids, etc.
because of their size, may not be
suitable for the work quarters.
Excessive heat and sweat
accumulation may make uncomfortable
to wear in hot locations.
Are more difficult to clean than
earplugs.
Fitting can be complicated. Ear
canals vary in diameter and the left and
right ear canals are not necessarily
similar in size, shape, or position.
Can be easily left in other work
clothes or fall out of jacket or shirt
pocket and become lost.
Cannot be seen at a distance, which
makes it difficult to evaluate if person
is wearing them.
Gloves must be removed and hands
washed prior to putting in earplugs.
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performance.
Can be easily cleaned.
It has been determined that hearing protection is required in the Mechanical and
Generator Rooms.
In addition, hearing protection is required for maintenance staff when using:
• Lawn equipment
• Diesel pump operation
• Grinders
• When staff members are in designated mechanical and generator rooms
Training and Information
The Safety Department will ensure that each employee in the hearing conservation
program or any employee requesting training receives it in a reasonable time frame.
Retraining will be conducted on an annual basis. Information provided in the retraining
program will be updated to be consistent with changes in work processes and/or
protective equipment.
Record-keeping
1. The Senior Safety Officer will maintain accurate records for all noise level surveys
and employee exposures.
2. Employees’ baseline/annual audiograms and any other records will be retained in a
separate file in the employee’s file located at Human Resources for the duration of
employment plus 30 years after termination.
3. Records will be provided to employees, former employees, or designated
representatives thereof, upon written request to the Human Resource Department.
Noise
Noise is a common problem in many industry settings, and carries the very serious health
hazard of permanent hearing loss. It has been determined that hearing loss occurs if a
particular sound is loud enough and long enough; specifically, if the sound intensity
exceeds an average of 85 decibels over an eight-hour shift. Here are some decibel
readings to give you an example of the level involved.
Noise
Average Factory
Decibel Level
80-90 dB
Lawn mowing with power mower
91 dB
Rock concert
105 dB
Jet engine, gunfire, and explosives
Above 140 dB
The chart below illustrates permissible noise exposures.
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PERMISSIBLE NOISE EXPOSURES
Duration per day, hours
Sound levels dBA slow response.
8………………………………
90
6………………………………
92
4………………………………
95
3………………………………
97
2………………………………
100
1 ½……………………………
102
1………………………………
105
½……………………………...
110
¼ or less……………………....
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Noise – Induced hearing loss can’t be cured, so the only way to avoid hearing damage is
to prevent excessive noise exposure. OSHA has developed a regulation to address such
noise exposure in the work environment. The regulation governing hearing conservation,
hearing protection, and occupational noise exposure, are found in the Occupational Noise
Exposure standard at 29 CFR 1910.95. If noise exposure exceeds certain limits as laid out
by OSHA, Noise Exposure Levels Limits, then specific requirements for a hearing
conservation program includes:
• Noise monitoring,
• Audiometric testing, and
• Employee use of hearing protection devices.
Currently, the employees in the following shops may participate in the hearing
conservation program, which might include mandatory audiometric testing:
Distribution
Shipping and Receiving
PPD Plumbing Department
Maintenance
Physical Plant. Supervisors
PPD Grounds &Transportation
Physical Plant Managers
A/C Shop
Carpenter Shop
Electrician Shop
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Stephen F. Austin
State University
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, SAFETY & RISK MANAGEMENT
HEARING CONSERVATION PLAN
Employee Sign-Off Sheet
I acknowledge I have been given a copy of the Hearing Conservation Plan, I have read
and understand it’s contents , and I accept the plan as a working document that I will
support and follow in my daily work at Stephen F. Austin State University.
Employee Signature
Date
Supervisor’s Signature
Department
Senior Safety Officer Signature
Date
(This form may be used to document employee training/information)