• OSHA’s hearing conservation program applies to employers in General Industry whose employees are exposed to noise at a certain level.
• Employers must develop and administer an effective hearing conservation program for all employees who are exposed to noise at a certain level, to include providing hearing protectors at no charge.
• Employers must establish and maintain an audiometric testing program where excessive noise is present in the workplace.

Noise, or unwanted sound, is one of the most pervasive occupational health problems. Noise is a by-product of many industrial processes. Sound consists of pressure changes in a medium (usually air) that are caused by vibration or turbulence. These pressure changes produce waves emanating away from the turbulent or vibrating source. Exposure to high levels of noise causes hearing loss and may cause other harmful health effects as well. The extent of damage depends primarily on the intensity of the noise and the duration of the exposure.

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) requires employers to determine if workers are exposed to excessive noise in the workplace and, if so, to implement feasible engineering or administrative controls to eliminate or reduce hazardous levels of noise. Where controls are not sufficient, employers must implement an effective hearing conservation program.

OSHA’s standard for hearing protection in the workplace is detailed in 1910.95.

What are the PPE requirements for hearing protection?

OSHA’s hearing conservation program is designed to protect general industry employees, such as those working in the manufacturing, utilities, and service sectors. It does not cover the construction or the oil and gas well drilling and servicing industries. General industry employers with certain noise levels are required to take certain actions:

• Time-weighted average (TWA) exposures at or above the action level of 85 dBA or, equivalently, a dose of 50 percent, require a hearing conservation program.
• Time-weighted average (TWA) exposures exceeding the PEL (90 dBA as an eight-hour TWA, see Table G-16) require feasible engineering or administrative controls to be implemented.

Who must comply?

Employers must provide employees with hearing protection if they will be exposed to excessive noise in the workplace. To be in compliance, employers should:

• Administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program IF employee noise exposures equal or exceed an eight-hour time-weighted average sound level (TWA) of 85 decibels measured on the A scale (slow response); OR equivalently, a dose of 50 percent.
• Institute a training program for all employees who are exposed to noise at or above an eight-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels, and ensure employee participation in such program.
• Make copies of 1910.95 available to affected employees or their representatives and post a copy in the workplace.
• Use feasible administrative or engineering controls where needed.
• Establish and maintain an audiometric testing program by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed an eight-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels.
• Develop and implement a monitoring program if information indicates that any employee’s exposure may equal or exceed an eight-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels.
• Maintain an accurate record of all employee exposure measurements required.
• Make hearing protectors available, at no cost, to all employees exposed to an eight-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels or greater.
• Evaluate hearing protector attenuation for the specific noise environments in which the protector will be used.