NHCA Urges OSHA to Renew Focus on Noise Control

April 29, 2011
In a March 16 letter to OSHA, the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) urged the agency to “renew its focus on noise control despite the current climate of economic adversity.”

OSHA withdrew its “Interpretation of OSHA’s Provisions for Feasible Administrative or Engineering Controls of Occupational Noise,” a proposal that would interpret guidelines emphasizing the use of engineering and administrative controls to mitigate occupational noise, in January. Some safety stakeholders expressed disappointment over this decision and suggested the withdrawal could have a negative impact on workers safety.

“The apparent reason for not enforcing the noise control requirements as specified in the original standard was the argument that a hearing conservation program could as effectively protect noise exposed workers at a much lower cost than designing and implementing noise control measures,” NHCA President Timothy Rink, Ph.D., wrote in the letter. “While an effective hearing conservation program may achieve this objective for some workers, a program designed to comply with the minimal requirements of the hearing conservation amendment to the noise standard may not.”

In the letter, NHCA outlined several advantages of noise control, including: the reduction of potential user error, negligence or deliberate non-compliance regarding the use of hearing protectors such as earplugs or earmuffs; improved hazard awareness and perception of safety alerts and warnings; reduction of the risk of life-altering hearing loss, tinnitus and other effects of excessive noise exposure; and the cost effectiveness of noise controls as a long-term strategy for addressing the hazard of excessive workplace noise.

“Consistent with other OSHA regulations, which stress the primacy of engineering controls in reducing the risks associated with chemical exposure, noise controls should also be foremost in the hierarchy of strategies to prevent occupational noise-induced hearing loss,” the letter explained. “OSHA’s intended return to an accurate definition of ‘feasible’ would have been a return to the original objective of the regulation by bringing the noise control regulation in line with other hazardous exposure regulations.”

Read NHCA’s letter to OSHA in its entirety here.

About the Author

Laura Walter

Laura Walter was formerly senior editor of EHS Today. She is a subject matter expert in EHS compliance and government issues and has covered a variety of topics relating to occupational safety and health. Her writing has earned awards from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE), the Trade Association Business Publications International (TABPI) and APEX Awards for Publication Excellence. Her debut novel, Body of Stars (Dutton) was published in 2021.

Sponsored Recommendations

Committing to Safety: Why Leadership’s Role in Safety Excellence is Key

Jan. 13, 2025
Leadership has the power to transform an organization through their behavior and vision, which can result in the creation of an organizational culturethat supports safety excellence...

Speak Up! Cementing "See Something, Say Something" to Drive Safety

Jan. 13, 2025
Many organizations promote "see something, say something" to encourage their people to intervene and make work safe. But most don't go far enough to equip teams with the skills...

The Truth and Challenges of Cultivating Chronic Unease

Jan. 13, 2025
DEKRA announces its latest white paper, “The Truth and Challenges of Cultivating Chronic Unease,” as a definitive look into why being vulnerable to incidents strengthens our commitment...

Mitigating Risks: Strategies for Safeguarding Workers in Hazardous Workplaces

Jan. 13, 2025
Join our expert team in taking on the challenge to make safety part of your organization’s DNA as work, the workforce, and workplaces evolve.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!