Protect Your Hearing from Hazardous Workplace Noise

October is National Protect Your Hearing Month. Nearly 30 million workers annually are exposed to noise levels capable of causing hearing loss that neither surgery nor a hearing aid can correct. Aside from the physical toll, excessive noise in the work environment increases psychological stress and inhibits communication which negatively impacts productivity. More importantly, it can lead to safety hazards if a worker cannot hear or heed warning signals. Lowering the incidence of occupational noise exposure is critical to both workers and their employers. With that in mind, here are some tips to help reduce/eliminate hazardous noise in the workplace:

1. If possible, choose low-noise machinery and tools (e.g., Buy Quiet Roadmap (NASA)).
2. Operate noisy machinery during shifts when fewer employees are exposed.
3. Enclose/isolate the noise source by placing a barrier such as sound walls or curtains between the noise source and employee(s).
4. Arrange the employee work area a suitable distance from noisy machinery. Noise is decreased by 6 dBA every time the distance between the worker and noise source is doubled in an open-space environment.
5. Use Hearing Protection Devices (HPDs) such as earmuffs and ear plugs.
6. Allow employees to seek relief in a quiet area where their hearing can recover.
7. Maintain and lubricate machinery and equipment to ensure the quietest possible operation.