Hearing conservation in the workplace
Sound can be defined as any pressure variation that the human ear can detect. The number of pressure variations per second is called the frequency of the sound, which was formerly measured in cycles per second but now is measured in hertz. Noise usually is sound that bears no information and whose intensity usually varies randomly in time. Noise is usually characterized as sound that is unwanted by the listener because it is unpleasant. Even thought the weakest sound pressure perceived as sound is a very small quantity, the range of sound pressure perceived as sound is extremely large. The weakest sound that can be heard by a person with very good hearing in an extremely quiet location is known as the threshold of hearing. For example the threshold of good hearing for an adult is right around 10 decibels. And the threshold of pain, the level of loudness at which a person experiences pain, in an adult is around 140 decibels. The loudness in a typical factory is approximately 90 decibels. If the ear is exposed to high levels of noise for a sufficient period of time, some loss of hearing may occur. There are many factors that affect the degree and extent of hearing loss:
molded rigid plastic and are lined with a cell-type foam material. The cups are held together by a spring loaded headband. Additionally, hearing protection devices must be made available at no cost to all workers that are exposed to noise levels at or above 85 decibels. This requirement ensures that employees have access to protectors before they experience a loss in hearing. Employees must determine which size and type of protector is most suitable for their working environment. The protector should be comfortable to wear and offer sufficient attenuation to prevent hearing loss. The protector must also reduce sound level exposure to 85 decibels or lower. Aural insert protectors are commonly referred to as inserts or earplugs. This type of protection is inexpensive, but has a short service life. These insert protectors are supplied in many different configurations and are made from such materials as rubber, plastics, fine glass, down, foam, and wax-impregnated cotton. The pliable materials used in these aural inserts are quite soft and there is little danger in injury resulting from accidental forcing the plug against the fragile lining of the ear canal. Aural insert protectors fall into three main categories of classification. Formable, custom molded and premolded. Formable protectors provide good attenuation and fit all ears. Many of the formable types are designed for one time use only and then thrown away. These hearing protection devices are generally rolled into a conical shape before being inserted into the ear. Therefore, the employee must be careful not to insert the plug too far into the ear canal as damage to the ear canal can occur. Another type of material is a plastic like substance similar in consistency to putty. The preparation of this material requires that the individual take a quantity of it and molds it so that it can be inserted into the ear canal. Special care must be taken when using this material; hands must be clean so that foreign matter does not get into the
Some topics in this essay:
Administration OSHA,
,
hearing protection,
ear canal,
hearing conservation program,
hearing conservation,
conservation program,
insert protectors,
hearing protection devices,
protection devices,
custom molded,
85 decibels,
aural insert,
hearing loss,
effective hearing conservation,
pressure perceived sound,
sound pressure perceived,
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Approximate Word count = 1366
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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