Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/573697
dent rates, calling in sick, and lost time. These benefits should prove cost-effective for management. Employees with good hearing show themselves more ver- satile, adaptable, and able to be promoted or advance in the company. No reason why a good hearing loss program should- n't maintain these qualities. Not to be overlooked, morale may also benefit—which should lead to greater employee satisfac- tion and retention. Employee Benefits The most obvious benefit to water well drillers from a hearing loss program is it saves their hearing and ability to communicate. Because hearing loss creeps up slowly, many individuals are unaware of their hearing impairment until it is too late. Moreover, occupational hearing loss represents permanent damage—it cannot be restored. A preventing hearing loss program can identify minor changes in hearing and prevent deterioration to the point where it becomes permanent. Drillers who have worked for 35 or 40 years deserve to enjoy their retirement. Hearing loss due to noise appears during the first five to 10 years of exposure, so young drillers are most at risk of noise- induced hearing loss. Preventing hearing loss for new or younger workers provides benefits all through life, not just later on in retirement, since being able to communicate is critical in all kinds of interpersonal relationships. Another added benefit of a good hearing loss program is it can detect loss of hearing that may be due to causes other than exposure to noise at the drill site. Some individuals may suffer hearing loss due to impacted earwax, an ear infection, or pos- sibly a more serious disease. Audiometric tests with instru- ments that measure hearing can help identify these problems that are not related to noise, and employees can be referred for the necessary medical attention. Another benefit reported by employees in companies with effective hearing loss programs is they generally feel better. They sometimes report they sleep better at night, and they are no longer bothered by temporary reductions in their ability to hear at the end of the day or by a ringing in the ears that often accompanies the onset of noise-induced hearing loss. There is also good evidence that long-term exposure to noise may contribute to stress-related disease, especially car- diovascular disease. By reducing noise, the chances of other health impairments are consequently controlled and reduced. Reducing noise and maintaining sensitive hearing benefits safety because drillers are then better able to communicate— and hear alarms and warning shouts. Good hearing too is essential for those more subtle warning signals, such as a mal- functioning drill bit. Summary A good hearing loss prevention program is consistent with good health and good business. At the very least, water well drillers benefit with good hearing. Reductions in exposure to noise may also result in less fatigue and irritation, and possi- bly fewer stress-related health complaints. The company benefits from reduced worker compensation payments and medical expenses, and a reduced likelihood of an OSHA citation for hearing conservation violations. Reduced noise exposures also can be associated with improved employee morale and, in some cases, higher production efficiency. WWJ Alexandra Walsh is the vice president of Association Vision, a Washing- ton, D.C.–area communications company. She has extensive experience in management positions with a range of organizations. WWJ October 2015 51 Twitter @WaterWellJournl Safety Resource Covers Hearing Conservation Detailed discussions on hearing conservation are included in Safety Meetings for the Groundwater Industry by NGWA Press. A set of 52 sheets printed on two-part carbonless paper, it is designed to enable companies to have weekly safety meetings on a different industry-specific subject each week of the year. Each sheet contains talking points, and areas to write down related topics and employee recommendations, and employee and manager signatures. Visit the NGWA Online Bookstore to learn more at www.NGWA.org. DACUM Codes To help meet your professional needs, this article covers skills and competencies found in DACUM charts for drillers and pump installers. DO refers to the drilling chart and PI refers to the pumps chart. The letter and number immediately following is the skill on the chart covered by the article. This article covers: DOD-4, 8; DOK-2, 8, 9; DOL-1, 3; PIB-2, PIG-3 More information on DACUM and the charts are available at www.NGWA.org.