When you consider workplace hazards that lead to injuries and illnesses, noise may not come immediately to mind. But as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), occupational noise exposure can lead to mental and physical consequences in addition to potential hearing loss.
Because of the dangers posed by excessive noise, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has enacted rules that govern how much noise employees can be exposed to in a given workday.
Occupational Noise Exposure Health Effects
Prolonged exposure to excessive noise can lead to irreparable hearing loss. But excessive noise in the short term can also lead to health-related consequences. These can include tinnitus, a condition characterized by a ringing in the ears. Noise exposure can also cause headaches, high blood pressure, anxiety, or depression.
In turn, these conditions often cause employers to see a loss in productivity and employee morale. You might also experience an increase in workplace accidents or employees needing to take sick days.
Permissible Noise Exposure Levels
According to OSHA Regulation 29 CFR 1910.95, no worker can be exposed to noise greater than 90 decibels for eight hours during a workday. This standard takes into account that the noise in any given workplace may be higher or lower than 90 decibels. The louder the noise, the less amount of time that the employee can be exposed to it over the course of an eight-hour workday.
The following table helps illustrate how, as decibels increase, the amount of allowable exposure decreases:
| Allowable Exposure Time in Hours | Sound Level dBA |
| 8 | 90 |
| 6 | 92 |
| 4 | 95 |
| 3 | 97 |
| 2 | 100 |
| 1½ | 102 |
| 1 | 105 |
| ½ | 110 |
| ¼ or less | 115 |
OSHA Occupational Noise Exposure Standard
OSHA Regulation 29 CFR 1910.95 establishes the maximum allowable time that a worker can be exposed to noise at a certain decibel. At the low end, workers cannot be exposed to noise of 90 decibels for longer than an average of eight hours during a workday. At the upper end of the regulations, workers are not permitted to be exposed to noise of 115 decibels for more than 15 minutes in a workday. In addition, impact or impulse noise should not exceed 140 decibels.
The regulation goes on to say that when workers are exposed to noise exceeding these limitations, measures must be taken to reduce that exposure. The regulation also requires that employers whose workers are exposed to 85 decibels or more over an eight-hour period create and administer a hearing conservation program.
OSHA Hearing Conservation Program Requirements
The OSHA hearing conservation standard is set out in OSHA Regulation 29 CFR 1910.95(c)(1) and (c)(2). The OSHA hearing conservation program requirements obligate affected employers to provide employees with free hearing exams and hearing protection devices like earmuffs or earplugs.
OSHA hearing conservation programs must also monitor workplace noise. They are even tasked with evaluating the effectiveness of employer-provided protective equipment.
Tips for Occupational Noise Reduction
Earplugs and earmuffs may help dampen the noise workers experience, but these should not be considered an effective noise mitigation strategy on their own. There are other steps that employers can consider to help protect their employees’ hearing and well-being.
First, employers can consider creating a safe, quiet place away from excessive noise where employees can go as needed to rest their ears. This reduces the total amount of time each day that an employee is exposed to damaging noise levels. Employers may also wish to consider running noisy equipment only during times of the day when few workers are present on the job site.
Discover more hearing safety tips.
Safety By Design Offers Hearing Conservation Training in Houston, Texas
You may need assistance in determining whether your workplace has excessive noise or in setting up your workplace hearing conservation program. If so, Safety By Design is here to help. We can assist you in protecting your workers and complying with OSHA’s requirements.
Contact us today to get started.
Thank you for visiting our website! We appreciate your interest in workplace safety. Please note that Safety by Design is not affiliated with OSHA. However, we can assist you with the following OSHA-related services:
- OSHA Mock Inspection
- OSHA Training
- Facilitate OSHA Inspections and Citations
If you need to file a complaint with OSHA, please call 800-321-6742 (OSHA) or visit this page for other methods to contact them.
