Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/573697
H earing loss is one of the most pervasive occupational health problems in America today. Nearly 30 million workers are exposed on their jobs to noise levels that are potentially hazardous to their hearing. Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health find water well drillers are exposed to lev- els measuring above 85 decibels while performing certain tasks during a typical job at a drilling site. The threshold for potentially dangerous sound is 85 deci- bels. To be consistently exposed to this threshold over an eight-hour work shift is hazardous and can lead to loss of hearing. Reducing exposure to noise during well drilling is hard to do since the work environment is constantly changing. Fortunately, hearing loss induced by noise can be reduced, or often eliminated, through a successful hearing loss preven- tion program. A successful program benefits both the water well drilling company and its employees. The company benefits from reduced medical expenses and worker compensation costs. Workers are spared disabling hearing impairments, and evi- dence suggests they may experience less fatigue and generally better health. In some cases there may be improved morale and work efficiency. Having a program to prevent hearing loss (even one com- plying with government standards) doesn't guarantee hearing loss will be prevented among water well drillers. But experi- ences with successful hearing loss programs show manage- ment needs to develop and adhere to certain policies from the start. A strong commitment to a preventing hearing loss program can be shown by following these policies: • Strive for an excellent program, not just meeting minimal requirements • Ensure managers and supervisors support the program and encourage employees to engage in good hearing-health practices • Involve employees in developing and monitoring the hear- ing loss program • Educate and motivate employees so that preventing hear- ing loss becomes part of their behavior on and off the job • Designate a key person to serve as the coordinator of the program • Review the program's effectiveness at least once a year and modify it when needed. There are eight basic components that must be included in a hearing loss prevention program: 1. Audiometric evaluation 2. Education and motivation 3. Engineering and administrative controls 4. Noise exposure monitoring 5. Program audit 6. Program evaluation 7. Record keeping 8. Us e of hearing protection devices. Employer Benefits Preventing hearing loss programs are law—they are re- quired by federal and state occupational safety and health agencies. Water well drilling companies that do not comply with appropriate regulations are liable for citations and fines. Most employee compensation insurance carriers advocate hearing loss programs, and well drilling companies that don't protect their employees from hearing loss may find their pre- miums increasing. Aside from these legal and economic factors, conscientious well drilling company owners will want to protect their em- ployees from an unnecessary loss of hearing. Today, there is no reason why impaired hearing needs to be the outcome of a noisy job. A good program to prevent hearing loss is good business. It promotes good labor relations because employees know man- agement is concerned—and this type of concern may translate to improved productivity and product quality. As a matter of fact, noise itself can have an adverse effect on productivity. For complex jobs and those requiring concen- tration, studies show greater efficiency is linked to lower noise levels. Easy and accurate communication is improved as noise levels are lowered. Conserving hearing leads to conserving valuable employee resources. Studies of companies in noisy industries like water well drilling that have established pro- grams to prevent hearing loss show reductions in their acci- ALEXANDRA WALSH A GOOD HEARING LOSS PREVENTION PROGRAM A successful program will benefit employees and employers. SAFETY MATTERS 50 October 2015 WWJ waterwelljournal.com Today, there is no reason why impaired hearing needs to be the outcome of a noisy job.