Sample Hearing Conservation Program: Purpose

Sample Hearing Conservation Program
Purpose:
The purpose of this plan is to establish a program and procedures for hearing conservation at
_(Organization Name)_. This program applies to all areas that have operations that produce
employee noise exposures equal to or in excess of 85 dBA (decibels, A-weighting), as an 8-hour
time-weighted average (TWA).
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration Occupational Noise Exposure Standards 29
CFR 1910.95 (General Industry) and 29 CFR 1926.52 (Construction Industry) and the Mine
Safety and Health Administration Occupational Noise Exposure Standard 30 CFR Part 62 call for
the development, implementation and maintenance of a hearing conservation program when
employee exposure to noise is equal to or exceeds an 8-hour TWA of 85 dBA. The written
hearing conservation program will include and address the following categories in order to satisfy
the minimum requirements of the applicable Occupational Noise Exposure Standard:
 Noise exposure monitoring (area and/or personal)

 Audiometric testing for employees exposed to noise equal to or in excess of 85 dBA, as an 8-
hour TWA
 Hearing protection provided and utilized
 Employee training
 Record keeping
The hearing conservation program will include the following:
 Identification of personnel responsible for the program.

 How noise levels and employee exposures will be measured.
 How audiometric testing will be performed.
 How hearing protection will be selected, provided, replaced and use enforced.
 How training will be performed.
 Procedures to evaluate and update the program.
 How records will be maintained.
___________________________ ______________________________
President, CEO Safety Coordinator
___________________________ ______________________________
Date Date
Responsibilities:
The safety coordinator, ______(Name, Title)________, is responsible for administering the
hearing conservation program.
This person is also responsible for:
 Monitoring noise via sound-level measurements or dosimetry in order to determine employee

exposure to noise.
 Making available to employees copies of the applicable Occupational Noise Exposure
Standard and posting a copy of the standard in the workplace, such as on the employee
bulletin board.
 Administering the audiometric testing program.
 Providing annual training for employees.
 Notifying employees of noise monitoring and audiometric testing results.
 Maintaining noise exposure monitoring, audiometric testing and training records.
 Reviewing the effectiveness of the hearing conservation program and making sure that it
satisfies the requirements of all applicable federal, state or local hearing conservation
requirements.
The safety coordinator, along with management, is responsible for the following aspects of the
hearing conservation program:
 Enforcing the use of hearing protection by employees required to wear it.

 Ensuring that the hearing protectors are in good condition and are fitted and used correctly.
 Ensuring that hearing protectors provide adequate attenuation (i.e., the noise reduction rating
is adequate).
 Enforcing administrative and engineering controls within the facility to reduce employee noise
exposure.
 Proper care of hearing protection, including location of supply, and proper use and
replacement of hearing protection equipment.
Employees are responsible for the following aspects of the hearing conservation program:
 Wearing hearing protection in work areas requiring it.

 Knowledge and understanding of the consequences associated with not following company
policy concerning the proper use of hearing protection.
 Proper care of hearing protection, including proper use, routine care and cleaning, storage,
and replacement.
Determination of Sound Levels:

To determine employee exposure, noise monitoring will be conducted and repeated whenever
there is a change in the work environment, such as changes in production, process, equipment
and/or controls.
Noise exposure monitoring will be conducted using the following methods:

 Area monitoring - Measuring the noise levels in an area by use of a sound level meter.
 Personal monitoring - Measuring an employee’s noise exposure by use of a dosimeter. A

dosimeter is worn by an employee for a representative time frame in order to evaluate noise
levels that the employee is exposed to when doing his or her particular job.
Audiometric Testing:
The purpose of audiometric testing is to determine each employee’s hearing threshold by
determining the employee’s response to noise at several frequencies. A baseline audiogram will
be conducted within six months of the employee’s first exposure to noise at or above the action
level. If a mobile test van is used, the baseline audiogram will be conducted within one year of an
employee’s first exposure to noise at or above the action level. (Note: Where baseline
audiograms are obtained more than six months after the employee’s first exposure to noise at or
above the action level, employees must wear hearing protectors for any period exceeding six
months after first exposure until the baseline audiogram is obtained.)
The initial audiogram will be used as a baseline measurement to which all subsequent
audiograms will be compared. Audiometric testing will be completed annually for all employees
whose exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour TWA of 85 dBA.
Audiometric testing will be performed by either ___(Testing Agency Name)___, the designated
medical provider, or by a contracted and accredited audiometric testing company.
The audiometric testing will be performed at no cost to the employee.
Employees who are to receive audiograms during a workday must wear hearing protection prior
to their tests or have been exempt from workplace noise for a period of 14 hours prior to the
testing procedures. During the 14 hours prior to the testing, the employees shall refrain from any
noisy non-work exposures such as listening to loud music, mowing the lawn, target practice and
woodworking.
The annual audiogram will be compared to the baseline audiogram to determine if the audiogram
is valid and if a standard threshold shift (STS) has occurred. An STS is defined as the average
hearing loss of 10 dB or more at the tested frequencies of 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 Hz in either
ear.
If an STS is identified, the following steps will be taken:
1. Employees will be notified of the results in writing within 21 days (miners

must be notified within 10 days) of the determination. Employees will also
be fitted and trained in the use of hearing protection equipment.
2. Employees already wearing hearing protection will be refitted and retrained in

the proper use of hearing protection. Hearing protection offering greater noise
reduction will be provided to the affected employees.
3. An employee may be referred for a clinical audiological evaluation or an

otological examination for additional testing.
4. The safety coordinator, along with management, will review the effectiveness
of any engineering and administrative controls to identify and correct any
deficiencies.
Evaluation of the results of the audiograms will be performed by the testing agency (either the
designated medical provider or the contracted company). __Organization Name__ will follow all
recommendations made for each employee by the tester.
If the results of the audiogram demonstrate an STS, the company reserves the right to conduct a
second audiogram within 30 days and consider these results as the annual audiogram.
Hearing Protection:
Employees included in the hearing conservation program will be provided with hearing protection
as follows:
 Hearing protection will be provided at no cost to employees
 Employees will be able to select their hearing protection from a variety of suitable hearing
protectors (Note: Employees must be provided with a choice of at least one type of ear plug
and one type of earmuffs at the very minimum)
 Employees will receive training in the use and care of hearing protection
 The use of hearing protection will be required for employees who have not yet had a baseline
audiogram, who have experienced an STS, or whose exposures exceed an 8-hour TWA of
85 dBA
Training:
Employees included in the hearing conservation program will receive the following annual
training:
 The effects of noise on the human ear and hearing
 The purpose of hearing protection, including the advantages and disadvantages of various
types of hearing protection
 The proper selection, fitting, use and care of hearing protection
 The purpose and value of noise exposure monitoring and audiometric testing and a summary
of the procedures
 The company’s and employees’ respective tasks for maintaining noise controls
Recordkeeping:
The safety coordinator will maintain records pertaining to the hearing conservation program in a
confidential manner. Any requests for records should be directed to him or her. The safety
coordinator will keep the following records:
 Noise exposure monitoring results
 Audiometric testing records
 Certificates of training
 Warnings issued to employees for not following the hearing conservation program
I, ___(Print Employee’s Name)___ have read and understand the hearing conservation program
at ___(Organization Name)___.
Employee Signature: _________________________________ Date:_______________

Sample Hearing Conservation Program: Purpose

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Sample Hearing Conservation Program

 Noise exposure monitoring (area and/or personal)

The hearing conservation program will include the following:

 Identification of personnel responsible for the program.

This person is also responsible for:

 Monitoring noise via sound-level measurements or dosimetry in order to determine employee

 Enforcing the use of hearing protection by employees required to wear it.

 Wearing hearing protection in work areas requiring it.

Determination of Sound Levels:

Noise exposure monitoring will be conducted using the following methods:

 Personal monitoring - Measuring an employee’s noise exposure by use of a dosimeter. A

The audiometric testing will be performed at no cost to the employee.

If an STS is identified, the following steps will be taken:

1. Employees will be notified of the results in writing within 21 days (miners

2. Employees already wearing hearing protection will be refitted and retrained in

3. An employee may be referred for a clinical audiological evaluation or an

Employee Signature: ___________________ Date:_

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