BWA Resourses HCP 2007

This resourse is intended as a guide and should not be used to replace the OSHA regulations

§5097. Hearing Conservation Program.

(a) General.
The employer shall administer a continuing, effective hearing conservation program, as described in this section, whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level (TWA) of 85 decibels measured on the A-scale (slow response) or, equivalently, a dose of fifty percent.

Audiometric Testing Program.

(1) The employer shall establish and maintain an audiometric testing program as provided in this section by making audiometric testing available to all employees whose exposures equal or exceed the action level.

(2) The program shall be provided at no cost to employees.

(3) Audiometric tests shall be performed by a licensed or certified audiologist, otolaryngologist, or other physician, or by a technician who is certified by the Council of Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation, or who has satisfactorily demonstrated competence in administering audiometric examinations, obtaining valid audiograms, and properly using, maintaining and checking calibration and proper functioning of the audiometers being used. A technician who performs audiometric tests must be responsible to an audiologist, otolaryngologist or physician.
(4) All audiograms obtained pursuant to this section shall meet the requirements of Appendix B: Audiometric Measuring Instruments.
(5) The employer shall establish for each employee exposed at or above the action level a valid baseline audiogram against which subsequent audiograms can be compared.
(6) Testing to establish a baseline audiogram shall be preceded by at least 14 hours without exposure to workplace noise. This requirement may be met by wearing hearing protectors which will reduce the employee's exposure to a sound level of 80 dBA or below.
(7) The employer shall notify employees of the need to avoid high levels of non-occupational noise exposure during the 14-hour period immediately preceding the audiometric examination.

BWA
Personel noise exposure ( Dosimetry) should be performed on employees exposed to high noise areas. This will detremine who should be in the Hearing conservation program.
NOTE: Performing hearing annual tests and offering hearing protection to employees without knowing what noise levels they are exposed to, defeats the whole object of the Hearing Conservation Program.Make sure these exposure measurements are performed. They should be redone when any changes are made in the work area. ( new equipment changes etc.)

BWA
The employer must provide the annual hearing tests to all employees who are over exposed to noise and are in the Hearing Conservation Program. BWA recommends that technicians who perform the hearing test be CAOHC certified. The CAOHC course gives the technician excellent training and information pertinant to the OSHA regulations.
A baseline test ( First test performed on that employee ) should be performed and annual tests performed and compared to the base line test.

Evaluation of Audiogram.

(1) Each employee's annual audiogram shall be compared to that employee's baseline audiogram to determine if the audiogram is valid and if a standard threshold shift, as defined in Section 5097(d)(8), has occurred. This comparison may be done by a technician.
(2) If the annual audiogram shows that an employee has suffered a standard threshold shift, the employer may obtain a retest within 30 days and consider the results of the retest as the annual audiogram.
(3) An audiologist, otolaryngologist or physician shall review problem audiograms and shall determine whether there is a need for further evaluation. The employer shall provide to the person performing this evaluation the following information:

(A) A copy of the requirements for hearing conservation as set forth in Sections 5097, 5098, 5099 and 5100.
(B) The baseline audiogram and most recent audiogram of the employee to be evaluated.
(C) Measurements of background sound pressure levels in the audiometric test room as required in Appendix C, Audiometric Test Rooms.
(D) Records of audiometric calibrations required by paragraph (f) of this section.

(4) If a comparison of the annual audiogram to the baseline audiogram indicates a standard threshold shift as defined by Section 5097(d)(8), the employee shall be informed of this fact, in writing, within 21 days of the determination.

BWA:
To Determine if there has been a Standard Threshold Test (STS), the current audiogram average at 2000,3000,4000hz must be compared to the Baseline audiogram average at the same frequencies. If there is a change in the average of 10 dBHL or more this is a Standard Threshold Shift ( STS). If there is a shift then the employer must retest the employee within 30 days. This test is now considered the current annual audiogram and a comparison to baseline redone to confirm the STS.If the STS is confirmed by either a Audiologist Physician or Otolaryngologist, the employee must be informed within 21 days.
There are many software programs on the market to day. they will allow automatic downloading of the hearing tests in to a data base which will do STS ( and OSHA recordable) calculations for you and alert you to the STS. They are full OSHA compliant programs such as HTPro from Tremetrics, OHM, HearTrac etc.

BWA:
The audiometer used must be able to test 500. 1000, 2000, 3000,4000,6000 hz ( 8000hz optional). and meet the requirements of ANSI S3.6-1969. NOTE: Most manual and automatic audiometers on the market today meet the ANSI 1996 requirements which excced the OSHA requirements.

Annual calibration of the audiometer must be performed every year and an exhaustive calibration every two years. (Realistically most companies who provide calibration services perform exhaustive calibrations every year).

Daily calibration CHECKS must be performed everyday prior to testing. A listeninhg check of the tones etc. should be performed aswell. Using a person who you have a baseline audiogram to compare to should be used. Any changes of 10dB or more require that you have the audiometer checked and recalibrated or repaired as nessesary before testing.
NOTE: There a couple of Bio acoustic simulators on the market ( Quest Bio-Betty and the Tremetrics OSCAR). These are very reliable and give you a quick and consistant daily calibration check.

OSHA has included a method to determine whether a STS is recordable on the 300 Log, click on the button to view a chart to determine if a audiogram is recordable

Audiometric Test Requirements.

(1) Audiometric tests shall be pure tone, air conduction, hearing threshold examinations, with test frequencies including as a minimum 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 and 6000 Hz. Tests at each frequency shall be taken separately for each ear.
(2) Audiometric tests shall be conducted with audiometers (including microprocessor audiometers) that meet the specifications of, and are maintained and used in accordance with, ANSI S3.6-1969.
(3) Pulsed-tone and self-recording audiometers, if used, shall meet the requirements specified in Appendix B, Audiometric Measuring Instruments.
(4) Audiometric examinations shall be administered in a room meeting the requirements listed in Appendix C, Audiometric Test Rooms.

Audiometer Calibration.

(1) The functional operation of the audiometer shall be checked before each day's use by testing a person with known, stable hearing thresholds, and by listening to the audiometer's output to make sure that the output is free from distorted or unwanted sounds. Deviations of 10 dB or greater shall require an acoustic calibration.
(2) Audiometer calibration shall be checked acoustically at least annually in accordance with Appendix D, Acoustic Calibration of Audiometers. Test frequencies below 500 Hz and above 6000 Hz may be omitted from this check. Deviations of 15 dB or greater necessitate an exhaustive calibration.
(3) An exhaustive calibration shall be performed at least every two years in accordance with Sections 4.1.2, 4.1.3, 4.1.4.3, 4.2, 4.4.1, 4.4.2, 4.4.3, and 4.5 of ANSI S3.6-1969. Test frequencies below 500 Hz and above 6000 Hz may be omitted from this calibration.

BWA:
The hearing test must be performed in a test room that meets the minumum noise levels for a test room per OSHA. Most One man booths offered by manufacturers will meet these levels (Tremetrics AR902 and the Eckel AB200). Thses levels should be tested by your calibration service company at least once every 2 years or if the room is physically moved or changed.

NOTE: This is just a partial resourse to a compliant hearing conservation program. Local OSHA offices have many resourses and information available free of charge.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us at BWA and we will gladly answer any questions or concerns you have.