Noise Training Guide
(Taken from the "Tailgate Meetings that Work : A Guide
to Effective Construction Safety Training" series) |
|
Robin Baker, Robert
Downey, Mary Ruth Gross, Charles Reiter
Labor Occupational Health Program
(LOHP) School of Public Health,
University of California, Berkeley Ca.
These tailgate/toolbox
talks were developed for use under California OSHA regulations. The
complete set is available from the Labor Occupational Health Program
at UC Berkeley. For ordering information, visit the website (www.lohp.org)
The American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)
has adapted these talks to apply to federal OSHA regulations. To contact
ACGIH, visit its web site (www.acgih.org). |
Before you begin
the meeting...
- Does this topic
relate to the work the crew is doing? If not, choose another topic.
- Did you read
this Training Guide and fill in the blanks where the
appears? (To find the information you need, look over the Safety Walkaround
Checklist for this topic.)
- Did you bring
samples of hearing protection devices (earplugs and/or earmuffs) to
show the crew during the meeting?
Begin: (Try
mouthing the words to your introduction instead of speaking out loud,
so the crew can imagine what its like when someone cant hear.)
Do you ask people to speak louder so you can hear? Do you have to turn
the TV or radio up
so loud that other people complain? Years of work on a construction site
can rob you of your
hearing. These may be your warning signs that something is wrong.
Dont wait until you lose your hearing to do something about it.
Hearing loss usually occurs
little by little, but once its lost youll never get it back.
You or a crew member may want to add a personal story about noise or
hearing loss.
|
Next, discuss
with the crew what jobs and equipment may cause excessive noise
at this particular job site:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
|
ASK
THE CREW THESE QUESTIONS:
|
After each question,
give the crew time to suggest possible answers. Use the information
following each question to add points that no one mentions.
1. True or False?
Even if your hearing gets bad, all you need is some time off the job and
it will come back.
- False! Its
true that many construction workers experience temporary hearing
loss, which clears up if youre off the job for a while. But noise
can also cause permanent hearing loss. With this kind, you never
get back to normal. Even a hearing aid wont help much. Thats
why its so important to protect yourself from noise.
2. Dont
you have to work in construction for a long time to get permanent
hearing loss?
- Not always. A
very loud noise can begin to damage your hearing right away, even if
youre only exposed to it for a short time.
3. So is noise
dangerous only if its very loud?
- No. A moderate
level of noise can also cause permanent hearing loss if youre
exposed to it day after day for a period of months or years. It can
damage your hearing gradually, even if it doesnt seem that loud
to you.
- The louder the
noise and the longer you are exposed, the greater is the permanent damage
to your hearing.
4. Noise is measured
in decibels (dB). A noise above 120 dB is so loud that it causes pain
in your ears. Cal/OSHA says no worker may be exposed to more than 90 dB,
as an average over an 8-hour shift. This is called the permissible exposure
limit (PEL) for noise. What are some examples of noise on a construction
site that might be over 90 dB?
- Heavy trucks
(around 100 decibels)
- Power saws (around
110 decibels)
- Riveting on steel
(around 130 decibels)
5. What if you
only work around loud noise for a short timenot eight hours a
day? What do Cal/OSHA regulations say about that?
- Cal/OSHA says
you can be exposed to noise louder than 90 db if its just for
a short time. The louder the noise, the shorter the time you can work
in the area without damaging your hearing.
6. What are some
clues that there might be too much noise on the job?
- As a rule of
thumb, the decibel level could be above the legal limit if you
have to raise your voice to be heard one foot away.
- Other signs of
too much noise are temporary hearing loss or ringing in the
ears.
- Everyone is different.
Some workers will experience hearing loss even if noise is below the
legal limit. Since theres no way of telling if youre the
one whose hearing will be the first to go, its best to avoid noise
exposure whenever possible.
- If theres
any reason to think the noise level may be too high, the company can
have the level measured with instruments. This is called noise monitoring.
|
On this job
we ___have or ___have not done noise monitoring.
Results
(locations and dB levels):_______________________
_________________________________________________
|
7. What does Cal/OSHA
require us to do to protect against noise?
- Use quieter
equipment when possiblequieter models are available nowadays.
- Reduce noise
exposure as much as possible by using sound barriers, different
work processes, or regular rotation of workers out of noisy areas.
- Use effective
hearing protection (like ear plugs or ear muffs) when needed.
- Train
workers on:
- the hazards
of noise
- ways to prevent
hearing loss
- how to wear
ear protectors, change them, and clean them (if applicable).
8. When do you
need to use hearing protection?
- You need it whenever
noise levels are above the Cal/OSHA limit. But rules on ear
protection should be reasonable. Sometimes you need it and sometimes
you dont.
- The company is
responsible for supplying and maintaining hearing protectors.
|
Show the
crew the ear plugs and ear muffs you brought to the meeting. Demonstrate
how to use them. Explain where they are kept and any special instructions.
__________________________________________________
|
9. Arent
ear plugs uncomfortable? Cant it be dangerous to use them?
- Ear plugs dont
have to be uncomfortable. Cal/OSHA says that the company should make
sure ear protectors fit you and are reasonably comfortable.
- Some workers
believe that wearing ear plugs is awkward or even dangerous because
you cant hear voices, alarms, and warnings. But:
- Ear plugs
dont block out all soundyou should still be able to
hear loud voices or
warning noises.
- Better methods
of communication and warning can be used on the site, like louder
signals or flashing lights.
- Some new
hearing protectors contain a microphone. It reduces loud noises
but lets
normal voices and warning sounds through.
Explain:
Most of the safety measures weve talked about are required by Cal/OSHA.
We have to take these precautionsits the law. I have a Checklist
of the Cal/OSHA regulations on noise. If youd like to know more,
see me after the meeting.
(Only if applicable.)
Besides the Cal/OSHA regulations, we have some additional company
rules about noise.
|
Discuss
company rules:______________________________
_________________________________________________
|
Ask:
Do you have any
other concerns about noise? Do you see any problems on our job? (Let
the steward answer first, if there is one.)
What about other jobs youve worked on? Have you had any experience
with noise that might help us work safer on this job?
GENERAL
SAFETY DISCUSSION
|
This is a time
to discuss all safety concerns, not just today's topic. Keep your notes
on this page before, during and after the safety meeting.
Are you aware
of any hazards from other crews? Point out any hazards other crews
are creating that this crew should know about. Tell the crew what you
intend to do about those hazards.
Do we have any
old business? Discuss past issues/problems. Report progress of
investigations and action taken.
Any new business?
Any accidents/near misses/complaints? Discuss accidents, near misses,
and complaints that have happened since the last safety meting. Also recognize
the safety contributions made by members of the crew.
Please remember,
we want to hear from you about any health and safety issues that come
up. If we don't know about problems, we can't take action to fix them.
To complete the
training session:
- Circulate Sign-Off
Form.
- Assign one
or more crew member(s) to help with next safety meeting.
- Refer action
items for follow-up. (Use the sample Hazard Report Form in the
Reference Section of this binder, or your companys own form.)
Date Prepared:_________________________ |
By:______________________ |
Project
Name/No.______________________ |
Location:__________________ |
NAMES
OF THOSE WHO ATTENDED THIS SAFETY MEETING
|
Tailgate
Meetings That Work : Collection
Published in June, 1994 by: Labor Occupational Health Program, School
of Public Health, 2515 Channing Way, University of California, Berkeley,
CA 94720. Phone: (510) 642-5507.
Permission is granted to duplicate these materials for non-profit educational
purposes, provided that copies are not offered for sale.
This paper appears in the eLCOSH website with the permission of the author
and/or copyright holder and may not be reproduced without their consent.
eLCOSH is an information clearinghouse. eLCOSH and its sponsors are not
responsible for the accuracy of information provided on this web site,
nor for its use or misuse.
eLCOSH
| CDC | NIOSH
| Site Map | Search
| Links | Help
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy
|