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Hearing Conservation and Noise Control

INTRODUCTION

The Manitoba Hearing Conservation and Noise Control Regulation (M.R.227/94) of the Workplace Safety and Health Act was legislated in 1985 and revised in 1994. This regulation covers all provincially regulated workplaces in Manitoba. Recognizing that excessive exposure to sound (noise) can produce noise-induced permanent hearing loss, the College shall take appropriate measures to control worker exposure to high noise levels. This is done by suppressing noise to approved levels, isolating staff/students from the noise where possible and develop a hearing surveillance program with mandatory staff /student participation as required.

Note: Red River College staff and students are both referred to as workers in this policy.

REFERENCE
The Workplace Safety and Health Act - Hearing Conservation and Noise Control Regulation M.R.227/94

1. POLICY

Workers who are required to work in areas where the equivalent sound level exposure may exceed 80 dBA must participate in the College's hearing surveillance program and may be required to participate in periodic noise exposure assessment.

Staff and students, who are required to work in areas where the equivalent sound level exposure may exceed the maximum permissible 90 dBA, shall be isolated from the noise. The College shall take appropriate measures to suppress the noise to approved levels and/or institute other control measures to limit worker's exposure to high noise levels. Under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, instructors are considered to be supervisors and students are considered to be workers.

 2. ACTION LEVELS (Table 1)

Where sound exposure levels fall within those specified in Column A, the actions specified in Column B should be undertaken
(Lex = 8 hour equivalent exposure). Table 1

3. EXPOSURE CONTROLS

Noise-induced hearing loss can be prevented in the workplace by controlling exposure through:

3.1 Engineering Controls: Maintain and/or modify equipment to reduce noise emissions at the source or enclose the source and/or receptor (worker).

3.2 Administrative Controls: Reduce the time workers spend in noisy areas (see Annex 2), reduce the number of exposed workers or provide quiet periods by modifying work cycles.

3.3 Personal Hearing Protection: Mandatory use of appropriate hearing protection that will effectively reduce the amount of sound energy reaching the ear drum (see section 6).

4. RESPONSIBILITIES

4.1 The College shall provide a hearing surveillance program consisting of:

4.1.1 mandatory education and training for all staff biannually and students annually with potential exposure to >80 dBA (biannual attendance is mandatory for staff, Table 1);

4.1.2 the monitoring of noise levels of machinery and/or processes and worker exposure to noise;

4.1.3 the posting of noise levels on source machinery or near noisy work processes;

4.1.4 implementation of engineering and/or work practice controls to reduce exposure to 90 dBA or lower where reasonably practicable;

4.1.5 annual audiometric testing, evaluation and follow-up for all staff meeting program criteria;

4.1.6 the provision of hearing protection devices for workers per 4.2 as required;

4.1.7 required record keeping and submit an annual report to Manitoba Labour.

4.2 Supervisors will be responsible to provide appropriate hearing protection devices to workers, upon request, if the workplace noise level is in excess of 85 dBA. Where noise levels exceed 90 dBA, it becomes mandatory that the supervisor provide and enforce the proper use of appropriate hearing protection devices if the noise level cannot be reduced or the worker cannot be isolated from the noise.

4.3 Any worker performing work operations where the noise level may exceed 90 dBA is required to obtain, as in 4.2 above, and use and maintain hearing protection devices as instructed by the supervisor to guard against personal hearing impairment.

4.4 Department managers will determine, in cooperation with the Workplace Safety & Health Committee and the EHSI Manager, the sound levels in those areas where the workers are required to perform work operations. If sound levels at the location exceed, or could possibly exceed, the maximum permissible (Table 1), he/she will implement control measures, provide appropriate hearing protective devices as required, and the workers shall be instructed in the procedures and proper use of hearing protection devices to ensure compliance.

4.5 All new employees, regardless of expected tenure, hired to perform duties within an identified "high-risk sound level area" (per Annex 1), will be required to undergo audiometric baseline hearing testing within 70 days of the employment start date, and annually thereafter as scheduled by their chair/manager through the College Health Centre.

Human Resource Services will advise the Health Centre of all new employees and their expected tenure. The Health Centre will contact the manager to set up an audiometric baseline testing date for new employees.

4.6 The Health Centre will provide appropriate education for all workers who are affected by this policy. The Health Centre will advise department managers when staff must attend a biannual education session. Annual audiometric testing for staff of all "high risk areas" (Annex 1) will be scheduled by the Health Centre and the managers. Audiometric test results are confidential and will be discussed with each employee who will also receive a copy of the test results.

5. DESIGNATION OF HAZARDOUS LOCATIONS

5.1 Warning signs shall be conspicuously posted, by the department manager, at entrances to any work area where sound levels exceed, or may exceed the 90-dBA maximum noise exposure limit. Sound level monitoring is carried out by EHSI Services. Refer to the attached Annex 1 for a summary of "high risk noise areas" to which this policy applies. Managers are responsible to contact EHSI for sound level testing of all new machines or work processes introduced into the College.

5.2 The manager or college host will be responsible to provide appropriate hearing protection for visitors before they enter posted areas.

5.3 For monitoring of, or information related to, sound levels, in areas where a department manager is in doubt, contact the EHSI Manager.

5.4 Warning signs, that specify the use of hearing protection while operating, must be displayed in a conspicuous location on all equipment that generates noise which exceeds or may exceed the sound level exposure limit of 80 dBA.

6. HEARING PROTECTION DEVICES AND WARNING SIGNS

6.1 Hearing protection devices and warning signs shall be the responsibility of each department.

6.2 The following hearing protection devices are available through the College Bookstore or Health Centre:

6.2.1 ear plugs and ear muff pads;

6.2.2 ear muffs (special order through employing department; and

6.2.3 hard hats with attached muffs (special order item through employing department)

The most appropriate hearing protection shall be determined by the manager or designate in consultation with the worker and Health Centre. Questions or concerns about the proper hearing protection device to use, proper care and maintenance, usage or fit testing should be directed to the Health Centre.