The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has withdrawn its proposed interpretation titled, “Interpretation of OSHA’s Provisions for Feasible Administrative or Engineering Controls of Occupational Noise”, which was published in the Federal Register on October 19, 2010. The intent of the interpretation was to clarify the term, “feasible administrative or engineering controls” that is used in OSHA’s noise standard.
Although occupational hearing loss due to high workplace noise levels is preventable, thousands of workers suffer from it each year.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), since 2004 approximately 125,000 workers have suffered significant permanent hearing loss. The BLS reported more than 22,000 cases of hearing loss alone in 2008.
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, Dr. David Michaels said, “Hearing loss caused by excessive noise levels remains a serious occupational health problem in this country. 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”. Sensitive to the costs associated with improving worker protection, Dr. Michaels, stated, “We have decided to suspend work on this proposed modification while we study other approaches to abating workplace noise standards”.
Officials at OSHA have expressed the agency’s commitment to find ways to reduce the toll hearing loss causes, as a result of workplace noise levels.
The agency plans to do the following:
- Thoroughly review the comments that have been submitted in response to the Federal Register notice and other avenues of information it receives on this important issue.
- Hold a stakeholder meeting to gather views of employers, workers, and noise control and public health professionals regarding the prevention of hearing loss in the workplace.
- Consult with experts from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the National Academy of Engineering.
- Initiate efforts such as outreach and compliance assistance to provide greater levels of technical information and guidance on inexpensive and effective engineering controls for noise levels in the workplace that are of dangerous levels.
Occupational Safety and Health Standard, 29CFR, 1910.95 covers the protection against effects of noise exposure. Employers must administer a continuing and effective hearing conservation program whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed the specified amounts by law. Additionally, employers must make hearing protectors available and train on their use and replace them as necessary for all employees exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels or greater at no cost to the employees. For more information on the hearing standard please visit the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration website here.