Hearing Conservation Program

Transcription

1 Procedure No.: WYN Page: 1 of 7 Preparer: Owner: Approver: EHS Specialist EHS Specialist EHS Hub Manager Revision Date Revision Number 04/ New standard. 04/ / / / Revision History Details of Change Added Revision History. Changed Owner/ Preparer to site IH from PPE Coordinator. Added Cutter and JPP Operators in Job Class List. Added JPP data to High Noise Area list. Section posting requirement changed from must to should. Removed hyperlinks from items Revised language of section to make annual requirement more clear. Updated SEGs and High Noise Area Lists. Removed references to Industrial Hygienist and replaced with EHS Specialist. Added new requirements in 4.1.1, , , , & Revised section 4.7. Added 80 db threshold for training in Updated Definitions. Removed references to LMS course numbers in section 4.9. Revised to remove offices from area assessment and obtain peak db(c) levels only when area exceeds TWA. Updated SEG List Participating in HCP and removed High Noise Area List since there is no requirement to maintain it.

2 Procedure No.: WYN Page: 2 of 7 1. PURPOSE To set forth additional site requirements at the BASF Corporation ( BASF ) Wyandotte, Michigan ( Wyandotte ) site to ensure compliance with the State of Michigan s Occupational Noise Exposure Rules (Part 380), BC Hearing Conservation Program and BC Personal Protective Equipment and to establish requirements and procedures that will eliminate the risk of hearing impairment from exposure to hazardous levels of noise in the workplace. 2. DEFINITIONS 2.1. ACTION LEVEL (AL) The action level is an 8-hour, time-weighted average noise exposure of 85 decibels measured on the A-weighted scale, slow response, or equivalently, a dose of 50% DECIBEL (DB) A decibel is a unit of measurement of sound pressure level NOISE DOSIMETER A noise dosimeter is an instrument that integrates a function of sound pressure over a period of time in such a manner that it directly indicates a noise dose NOISE DOSE The ratio, expressed as a percentage, of the time integral, over a stated time or event, of the 0.6 power of the measured, slow, exponential time averaged, squared A-weighted sound pressure and the product of the criterion duration (8 hours) and the 0.6 power of the squared sound pressure corresponding to the criterion sound level (90 db) STANDARD THRESHOLD SHIFT (STS) An STS is a change in the hearing threshold relative to the baseline audiogram of an average of 10 db or more at 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz in either ear SOUND LEVEL Sound level is a term that means 10 times the common logarithm of the ratio of the square of the measured A-weighted sound pressure to the square of the standard reference pressure of 20 micropascals and is expressed in units of dba TIME-WEIGHTED AVERAGE (TWA) LEVEL A sound level which, if constant over an 8-hour exposure, would result in the same noise dose as is measured

3 Procedure No.: WYN Page: 3 of 7 3. SCOPE This standard applies to all personnel at the Wyandotte site whose noise exposures may exceed the 85 db(a) Action Level as an 8-hr. Time Weighted Average (TWA). 4. PROCEDURE 4.1. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS All personnel who enter any high noise area (85 db or greater) must use hearing protection irrespective to the amount of time a person remains in that area OCCUPATIONAL NOISE ASSESSMENT Area noise measurement surveys shall be completed for all site units including laboratories. These must be done using an approved sound level meter operating in the db (A) scale with peak levels determined in db(c) for areas which exceed TWA Typical operations along with non-standard situations such as startups and shut downs shall be included in the area assessments When area assessment data indicates that permissible noise levels may be exceeded, employee exposure sampling will be performed using personal dosimeters. The employee s 8 hr. TWA exposure will be determined by the use of a noise dosimeter which is capable of integrating all continuous, intermittent, and impulsive sound levels between db and is capable of monitoring simultaneously with two different exchange rates of 3 db and 5 db In lieu of measuring each employee's exposure in a particular job classification, noise exposures for one or more employees will be monitored if the persons selected are believed to have a representative exposure for the group Monitoring shall be repeated whenever there is a change in the process, new installation or control measures which may expose additional employees to noise, or increase the noise level to existing employees or, expose the employees to noise levels which exceed the attenuating capabilities of the hearing protectors.

4 Procedure No.: WYN Page: 4 of Personal and area assessments should be reevaluated every 5 years regardless of changes in sound profiles for each unit NOTIFICATION EHS shall notify each employee who is exposed at or above the 85 db(a) AL for an 8-Hr. TWA, in writing, of the monitoring results AUDIOMETRIC TESTING PROGRAM The Wyandotte site has established an audiometric testing program for all employees who participate in the (HCP). This program will be provided annually for all employees in the HCP. Compliance with the audiometric testing program provisions outlined in BC is the responsibility of the site Medical Department All employees exposed to 8 hr. TWA sound levels above the 85 db(a) AL or who belong to a Similarly Exposed Group (SEG) identified with exposures exceeding the AL must participate in the site s HCP. A current list of SEGs participating in the HCP can be found in Section 6. Related Documents If an employee experiences a confirmed, work related standard threshold shift and is not currently wearing hearing protection or is not covered by the HCP, then the unit must: Fit the employee with hearing protection Train the employee in the use and care of the hearing protection Require the employee to wear the hearing protection If an employee experiences a confirmed, work related standard threshold shift and is already using hearing protection or is included in a hearing conservation protection program, then the unit must: Refit and retrain the employee in the use of hearing protection. Provide the employee with hearing protectors offering greater attenuation, if necessary

5 Procedure No.: WYN Page: 5 of HEARING PROTECTIVE DEVICES Hearing protective devices (earplugs, muffs) will be provided to all employees whose noise exposure equals or exceeds the Action Level, as well as to other employees who request hearing protection Employees will be given the opportunity to select their hearing protectors from a variety of suitable types Each unit is responsible for providing hearing protection to their employees and for ensuring that it is worn as required Hearing protection devices must be replaced according to the manufacturer s specifications HEARING PROTECTOR ATTENUATION Each unit using hearing protection devices must evaluate the attenuation provided for the specific noise environments in which the protector will be used. The evaluation method must comply with applicable regulatory requirements and the resulting attenuation must reduce the noise exposure below the regulatory AL Adjustments in hearing protection type may be required for employees exposed to noise beyond the normal eight-hour work shift. Exposure levels shall be evaluated to determine the need for additional or different types of hearing protection in these situations Special consideration must be given to hearing protection which is compromised because of safety equipment which impairs the sealing ability of the hearing protection, i.e., ear muffs used with safety glasses NOISE CONTROL In those units where the 8 hr. TWA personnel exposures exceed the AL, engineering and/or administrative controls must be evaluated. Engineering controls shall have priority over introduction of any administrative measures. The unit must develop an action plan with the following elements: Determination of the main noise areas and noise sources Root cause analysis Comparison with state-of-the-art noise control technology

6 Procedure No.: WYN Page: 6 of 7 Selection of appropriate noise control measures Noise reduction forecast Priority list with time table Execution of measures Efficiency control New equipment purchases must meet BASF Engineering Technical standards for noise control. If the manufacturer cannot meet the standards, appropriate noise muffling, baffling or redirection must be installed 4.8. POSTINGS Areas exceeding a TWA noise level 85 db(a) or a peak level 137 db(c) must be clearly posted with appropriate warning signage. Language such as Warning -High Noise Area or an equivalent notification would be appropriate and the posting shall clearly state hearing protection requirements A copy of the State of Michigan s Occupational Noise Exposure Rules (Part 380) must be posted in a common area with other safety-related informational postings for units who have employees participating in the HCP TRAINING Each unit shall conduct training for all BASF and contracted employees who participate in the HCP. All HCP participants must be assigned the Corporate Learning Management System (LMS) module Regulated Substances-Noise and the unit must either conduct classroom training to review the site program requirements or assign the Wyandotte sitespecific module Occupational Noise Exposure on an annual basis Each unit with employee exposures that exceed an 8 hr. TWA of 80 db(a) shall conduct noise awareness training. This can be accomplished through assigning each affected employee the Corporate LMS module Regulated Substances-Noise Awareness initially upon assignment and, as needed, when deficiencies are noted The unit is required to conduct retraining on an employee who has been diagnosed with a confirmed STS in hearing.

7 Procedure No.: WYN Page: 7 of RECORDKEEPING 5. RESPONSIBILITIES Records of noise exposure assessments for all monitored employees shall be retained in the central IH files of EHS and in the Corporate IH database All units are responsible for documenting required annual training for participants, awareness level training for affected employees, for those individuals needing retraining due to a confirmed STS and due to any changes in protective equipment required or work practices. It is recommended that LMS is used for documenting these training records Records of audiometric testing shall be maintained by the site Medical Department EHS SPECIALIST Responsible for issuance, maintenance and interpretation of the Hearing Conservation Program SITE MEDICAL Responsible for conducting audiometric testing program UNIT MANAGEMENT Responsible for the implementation and administration of this procedure. 6. RELATED DOCUMENTS 6.1. MIOSHA S OCCUPATIONAL NOISE EXPOSURE RULES (PART 380) 6.2. BC HEARING CONSERVATION PROGRAM 6.3. BC PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT 6.4. SITE SEGS LIST PARTICIPATING IN THE HCP