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- How to Prevent Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) in Your Workplace
How to Prevent Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) in Your Workplace
- Workplace Health & Safety
Michelle Ann Zoleta, Health & Safety Team Manager
(Last updated )
Michelle Ann Zoleta, Health & Safety Team Manager
(Last updated )
Jump to section:
- How does excessive noise damage hearing?
- How much noise is too much?
- What should I do if the workplace noise levels exceed the permissible limit?
- What steps can be taken to reduce the risks?
- 1. Managing noise exposure by implementing safety controls in the workplace in the order of their effectiveness:
- Engineering controls
- Administrative controls
- Personal protective equipment
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) remains one of Canada’s most common preventable occupational illnesses.
According to the
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Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
(CCOHS), about 11 million Canadians (42–43% of the working-age population) have faced lifetime noise exposure at work, loud enough to need shouting at arm’s length.
High-risk spots include construction, manufacturing, mining, retail/warehouses, and food-service kitchens.
For small and medium-sized employers (SMEs), one accepted hearing-loss claim can increase your costs with higher WSIB premiums, hearing aids, and lost productivity.
As an employer, you have a legal duty under provincial Occupational Health and Safety laws to protect workers from workplace noise exposure that exceeds safe limits.
How does excessive noise damage hearing?
Loud noise permanently damages the tiny hair cells in our inner ear. These cells in the cochlea help us convert sound vibrations into electric signals that the brain then interprets as sounds.
Long-term exposure to loud noise can cause irreparable damage to these cells. About 30% to 50% of these cells may be destroyed before your hearing loss can be detected through a hearing test. Hearing once lost cannot be restored. Besides these cells, loud noise can also damage the auditory nerve that carries sound signals to your brain.
How much noise is too much?
Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) set down a worker’s maximum permitted daily exposure to noise without hearing protection. These are determined based on how loud the noise is (measured in decibels) and the duration of exposure to that noise (measured in hours per day).
There are
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two main factors affecting OELs
: the criterion level and the exchange rate.
The criterion level (Lc) is the steady noise level allowed for a full eight-hour work shift. This is
85 dBA
in
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most jurisdictions,
including Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario (except Federal).
When the noise level increases above the criterion level, Lc, the permitted exposure time must be decreased. The allowed maximum exposure time is calculated using an exchange rate. The exchange rate is the amount by which the permitted sound level may go up if the exposure time is cut by half.
Employers in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario must ensure that workers are not exposed to noise that exceeds the OELs and
85dBA
Lc.
What should I do if the workplace noise levels exceed the permissible limit?
The Occupational Health and Safety legislations in these provinces state that in cases where noise levels in the workplace exceed permissible limits, employers must implement:
A
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Noise Management Program
(Alberta)
A
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Hearing Loss Prevention Program
(British Columbia)
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Protective measures
to reduce workers’ exposure to noise (Ontario)
What steps can be taken to reduce the risks?
The prevention programs across the three provinces recommend the following:
1. Managing noise exposure by implementing safety controls in the workplace in the order of their effectiveness:
The
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best safety control
is eliminating the hazard or substituting it with a safer alternative. In this case, that would be a quieter equipment or less noisy process of work. Buy quieter tools (many new cordless models are 6–10 dB quieter). If that is not possible, use engineering controls to reduce noise levels.
Engineering controls
These involve making physical modifications to the workspace, equipment, and processes to reduce exposure or control the hazard.
For example, you could modify the way (lower speed, improve lubrication, etc.) the noisy equipment operates so that it makes less noise. Add mufflers, vibration dampeners, enclosures, or sound-absorbing panels (these often pay for themselves in under 12 months through lower claims).
Administrative controls
These controls aim to reduce workers’ exposure to noise by altering work policies and practices. For example, reducing shift lengths, rotating work schedules, posting warning signs, scheduling annual hearing tests and awareness training.
Personal protective equipment
You must ensure the hearing protection devices (HPDs) used to protect workers against excessive noise are appropriate and effective for the intended use. To select the right kind of HPDs, you must understand the physical characteristics of the noise exposure at the workplace, and the features and limitations of selected HPDs. It is also very important that your staff knows how to properly use and maintain their HPDs. This includes training on care and use of HPDs. Please note that earplugs or earmuffs must be fit-tested annually.
2. Educating workers
You should educate your staff on how noise-induced hearing loss occurs and how they can protect themselves.
3. Measuring and monitoring sound levels
Doing so identifies the sources of excessive noise and the staff exposed to noise exceeding the permissible limit.
4. Posting warning signs
You must post warning signs where the noise level exceeds 85 dBA. The sign must say that a noise hazard exists, and that hearing protection must be worn by all workers in that area.
5. Using hearing protection devices
As the employer, you must provide personal protective equipment to your staff. You should make sure the PPE used is appropriate to their roles, and the equipment they use.
6. Conducting hearing tests
You must conduct annual hearing tests for all employees who are exposed to noise. This would help you detect early signs of noise-induced hearing loss and keep track of ongoing changes in hearing ability.
7. Reviewing your program
You must evaluate your prevention program and protective controls in place once a year. This will help ensure your program is effective in protecting your staff.
Do you need help
building or auditing your hearing conservation program?
Preventing occupational NIHL is not only required by law, it’s one of the easiest ways to reduce long-term WCB premiums and keep experienced workers on the job longer. Start your workplace noise exposure assessment today; the investment is small compared to the cost of preventable hearing loss.
Peninsula's experts can help audit your hearing conservation program. We can also assist you with company policies as well as with any other HR, health and safety, or employment related matter. To learn more about how
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our services
can help your business, call an expert today at
(1) 833-247-3652
.
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