PPE Appendix G

Environmental Health & Safety has developed a Hearing Conservation Program to comply with OSHA regulations and to coordinate efforts to reduce occupational noise exposures and prevent occupational hearing loss. All employees with an 85 dBA Time Weighted Average (TWA) or higher must attend hearing conservation training annually at Environmental Health & Safety. Hearing protection devices must comply with ANSI standards.

Environmental Health & Safety must conduct noise measurements to determine if employees are being overexposed to noise and to identify the machine(s) or work process(s) that are contributing to the exposure. If a worker is exposed to an excessive amount of noise, measurements are needed to determine the proper hearing protection device (HPD) that should be used. Accurate exposure measurements are also needed so that affected employees can be included in the Hearing Conservation Program if they are exposed to excessive noise levels.

Note: Engineering and administrative controls are the most effective and preferred methods to prevent noise-induced hearing loss.

The employee's department shall pay for, and continue to provide, any required HPD to the employee at no cost to the employee.

To prevent noise-induced hearing loss, hearing protection devices must reduce noise exposure to time-weighted average (TWA) levels of 90 dBA or below, or to 85 dBA or below for those workers who have suffered a standard threshold shift (STS). HPDs reduce the amount of noise; however, they cannot eliminate all of the noise reaching the ear since noise can take many routes into the ear. The two most commonly used types of HPDs at Virginia Tech are:

• Ear plugs, which are inserted into the ear canal to reduce the amount of noise that reaches the ear via that route. There are two types - disposable and reusable.
• Ear muffs, which are worn over the ear to reduce the amount of noise.

Environmental Health & Safety will make recommendations for appropriate hearing protection devices (HPD) for individuals based on noise attenuation requirements and HPD fittings. If you are not already enrolled in the Hearing Conservation Program, contact Environmental Health & Safety at 540-231-3080 for more information. Those already enrolled in the program will be notified by Environmental Health & Safety to attend annual training and testing.

Follow manufacturer's recommendations for storage, use, and care.