Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Hearing Protection

March 15, 2002

A new study finds no apparent tie between the presence of a PPE policy and the percentage of workers wearing hearing protection.

EHS Today Staff

The March/April 2002 edition of the American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal (AIHAJ) features two important articles on noise control and hearing protection.

The first article, "Hearing Protector Use in Noise-Exposed Workers: A Retrospective Look at 1983," is written by Rickie R. Davis and W. Karl Sieber of the National Institute for Occupational Safety Health (NIOSH). Davis and Sieber reviewed data from a 1983 NIOSH National Occupational Exposure Survey to determine whether workers were using hearing protection. The study found that of an estimated 4.1 million industrial workers exposed to noise greater than or equal to 85 dBA 41 percent were wearing some form of hearing protection. The results showed no apparent tie between the presence of a PPE policy and the percentage of workers wearing hearing protection.

The second article offers a detailed look at one case of environmental noise exposure within a city center. "A Comprehensive Investigation of Noise Exposure in and Around an Integrated Iron and Steel Works," examines the community impact of noise levels and noise control efforts. The article details the varying methods used to measure noise at different times of day and in different parts of the plant.

Other applied industrial hygiene studies of particular interest to industrial hygienists and the occupational and environmental health and safety field included in this issue of the journal include:

Determination of Unique Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds Produced by Five Aspergillus Species Commonly Found in Problem Buildings
UV Disinfection of Soluble Oil Metalworking Fluids
High-Frequency Noise in Dentistry

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) publishes the AIHA Journal bimonthly. The AIHA Journal is available online at www.aiha.org (click on "Publications, Products and Periodicals" and then on "AIHAJ").

edited by Sandy Smith ([email protected])

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.