Each year, about 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work. Over 30 million U.S. workers are exposed to chemicals, some of which are harmful to the ear (ototoxic) and hazardous to hearing. In addition to damaging workers’ quality of life, occupational hearing loss carries a high economic price to society.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and OSHA published a bulletin, titled “Preventing Hearing Loss Caused by Chemical (Ototoxicity) and Noise Exposure,” warning of a potentially serious workplace hazard. The bulletin provides recommendations to employers and safety professionals about identifying ototoxicants in the workplace and establishing hearing conservation programs in workplaces where these chemicals cannot be replaced.
The NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) for occupational noise exposure is 85 decibels, A-weighted, as an 8-hour time-weighted average (85 dBA as an 8-hr TWA) using a 3-dB exchange rate. Exposures at or above this level are considered hazardous.
Use the NIOSH Hierarchy of Controls to reduce workplace noise to below the NIOSH REL whenever possible. Use hearing protection when hazardous noise levels cannot be adequately reduced.
Virginia Beach Hazardous Waste and DOT Hazardous Materials Training
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New Nanotechnology Workplace Design Recommendations
NIOSH recently launched four new products intended to provide options to companies for controlling possible exposure of their workers to nanomaterials on the job. The documents provide recommendations on minimizing exposures during common processes and tasks.
- Protecting Workers during the Handling of Nanomaterials
- Protecting Workers during Nanomaterial Reactor Operations
- Protecting Workers during Intermediate and Downstream Processing of Nanomaterials
- Questions to Ask Before You Start Working with Nanomaterials
Read more on New Information on Chemically Induced Hearing Loss.
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