http://www.ishn.com/Articles/Industry_News/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000920175
This article about persistent, loud noise in the workplace being related to increased heart disease just makes common sense. How many times have we all experienced overhearing people arguing, kids screaming, or tools such as hammering that have distracted us and caused headaches? We become more anxious and irritable - stressed. We want to escape and go for a walk or find a quiet place to relax. Destressing from work may be trying to relax on the drive home. If we are driving along a noisy highway, we close the windows and turn on music to adjust the noise around us, making a more appealing listening environment.
Constant, loud noise can put a strain on your mental state that should be minimized at the source. There are numerous engineering controls to help decrease noise on machines or sound barriers to minimize noise in specific areas. However, engineering controls are only part of the correction. In some circumstances, the addition of PPE is needed. It is important to recognize that PPE can add something to that worker's quality of life. Convincing a worker who has been doing his job without PPE everyday for years may be necessary and for his best interest. If he has become content with the way he does his job because that is the way he has always done it, we may need to persuade him that there are always ways to improve what we are doing. Comfort and appearance should no longer be an issue as PPE has improved over the years and is more comfortable to wear and more aesthetic. And getting the employee involved with PPE selection may be advantageous in purchasing something they will use.
The official comment period for the proposed "Interpretation of OSHA's Provisions for Feasible Administrative or Engineering Controls of Occupational Noise" has been postponed to March 21, 2011. The notice is intented to be a response to the increasing number of hearing loss cases among employees across the US. Emphasis is placed on "feasible administrative and engineering controls". The standard is available on OSHA's website at https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9735
ReplyDeleteOn January 19, 2011, OSHA announced that it is withdrawing its it proposed interpretation because it requires more input, resources and thorough evaluation than previously thought.
ReplyDelete"Hearing loss caused by excessive noise levels remains a serious occupational health problem in this country," said OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels in a news release. "However, it is clear from the concerns raised about this proposal that addressing this problem requires much more public outreach and many more resources than we had originally anticipated. We are sensitive to the possible costs associated with improving worker protection and have decided to suspend work on this proposed modification while we study other approaches to abating workplace noise hazards."