1/05

Hearing Hazards

2

Notice

This presentation is provided to all Educational Service District 101 (ESD 101) schools at no cost.

This presentation contains copyrighted materials purchased by ESD 101 for the exclusive use of training school personnel within ESD 101.

This presentation may not be reproduced except to print “handouts” or “notes pages” for use during training within ESD 101 school districts.

If the school district does not have Microsoft’s PowerPoint software available, a PowerPoint viewer can be downloaded from the internet at no cost.

Questions may be directed to the ESD 101 Risk Manager.

3

Effects of noise

Causes hearing loss

Amount of damage depends upon the intensity of the noise and duration of exposure

Noise-induced hearing loss can be temporary or permanent

4

Effects of noise

Prolonged exposure generally causes permanent damage

Noise-induced permanent threshold shift is not reversible/cannot be medically treated

5

Effects of noise

Noise-induced hearing loss typically starts with hearing threshold shifts in the higher frequencies

The type of hearing loss can be identified and measured with audiometric examination

6

Noise hazards

Noise is unwanted/unpleasant sound that may have a negative effect depending on:• loudness/frequency•duration of exposure•how old/healthy person is

7

Noise hazards

Sound is measured by:• frequency• intensity

8

Noise hazards

Noise types include:•wide band•narrow band• impulse

9

Noise hazards

Hearing protection must be provided when noise exceeds an eight-hour time-weighted average of 85db

10

Noise hazards can cause:

Drowsiness and irritability

Inability to hear important instructions

High blood pressure, ulcers, headaches

11

Noise hazards can cause:

Sleeping disorders

Temporary or permanent hearing loss

12

Engineering controls

Isolate noisy machinery in a separate area

Place machinery on rubber mountings

Use sound-absorbing acoustical tiles

13

Engineering controls

Arrange work schedules to reduce employee exposure to noise

Inform supervisors of unpleasant/unacceptable noise levels

14

Hearing protection

Factors taken into account when selecting hearing protection devices include:•noise hazards•noise frequencies• fit and comfort•noise reduction rating

15

Purpose/procedure for audiometric testing

Checks a person’s hearing

Trained technician uses an audiometer to send sounds through headphones

16

Purpose/procedure for audiometric testing

Person being tested responds to the sounds when they are first heard

Chart records responses

17

Hearing protection makes common sense

You are ultimately responsible for your own hearing

You have the most to lose if you suffer hearing loss

Make sure earplugs fit properly

18

Hearing protection makes common sense

Have an annual hearing test

Keep hearing protection devices in good operation

19

Hearing protection makes common sense

Don’t use homemade hearing protection devices

Wear hearing protection devices at work as required