EFFECTIVE DATE: January 2, 2007 PAGE: 1 of 10 I. Purpose The purpose of the hearing conservation program is to protect City employees from occupational exposure to excessive noise levels while at work through administrative policies and procedures, engineering controls, monitoring, audiometric testing, selection and use of personal protective equipment, training, and recordkeeping. II. Scope The City of Santa Monica has established a hearing conservation program according to the standards set forth by the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal-OSHA) for those times when the work environment may expose employees temporarily to intermittent or impact noise levels above acceptable levels. The legal requirement to have an effective written hearing conservation program is applicable whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed a time weighted average of 85 decibels. Personal hearing protection will be issued to employees based on the decibel level experienced in the work environment and the reference duration recommended in Appendix A for affected employee job classifications. For example, the Cal-OSHA decibel level requiring the use of personal hearing protection for an 8 hour work period is 90 decibels, and is different than the 85 decibel level Cal-OSHA uses as their action level to develop a hearing conservation program. City employees will not always be required to wear hearing protection on the job, but may at times work in areas where noise has been monitored or tested and identified as a temporary, intermittent, or impact noise; or where it can be reasonably assumed that noise levels are excessive requiring the use of hearing protection. Those areas may include: the Police firing range, tree trimming operations, construction sites, street maintenance operations, fleet maintenance operations, and Fire department operations. Employees will be issued proper hearing protection and be required to wear the protection in those areas when excessive noise is being generated.
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 2, 2007 PAGE: 2 of 10 III. Definition Noise Permissible Noise Exposure Action Level Decibel Engineering Control Administrative Control Hearing Protection Time-Weighted Sound levels whose duration and frequency have the potential to cause physical or psychological impairment. Noise levels where hearing protection is not required when they do not exceed a specified decibel level and exposure duration. See Appendix A. Whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels as measured on the A-scale (slow response) the City will implement a continuing and effective hearing conservation program. Decibel is a measurement of sound as captured on a sound meter. On a decibel scale, 0 decibels is the threshold of hearing and 120 decibels is the threshold of pain. Using sound proofing materials, dampening devices, or enclosures to segregate, eliminate or deaden noise levels to an acceptable level. Reducing an employee s exposure to a noise hazard by limiting time in the noise environment or by alternating work time in and out of that area to avoid exposure to excessive noise. A noise level reduction device such as ear plugs or earmuffs designed to reduce the decibel level for exposures to continual, intermittent, or impact noise to acceptable levels. Time Weighted Average (TWA) is an employee s
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 2, 2007 PAGE: 3 of 10 Average Standard Threshold Shift Average noise level exposure to immediate and cumulative noise measured over an 8 hour work day. Standard threshold shift is a change in hearing threshold relative to the baseline audiogram of an average of 10 decibels or more at 2000, 3000 and 4000 Hz in either ear. IV. Policy Employees can experience hearing loss while off the job, as part of the aging process, or on the job. Only a doctor can determine if hearing loss is work related. The City s policy, set forth in this Administrative Instruction, is to reduce the risk of job-related hearing loss by establishing standards and protective measures. Work areas have been identified where measured noise levels are elevated requiring hearing protection, or have the potential to be excessive. The work areas identified may not normally experience excessive noise until a machine, vehicle, or power tool in that work area is turned on creating the excessive noise. For that reason, care and reasonable judgment on the part of supervisors and management must be given when recommending and issuing hearing protection. If a work area has been categorized as an excessive noise area, the time and duration of that excessive noise will vary as will the course of action. Audiometric Testing: Baseline audiometric testing is provided for all new hires whose job classifications require a pre-employment physical examination. Annual, biannual, or random audiometric testing will be provided for affected employees holding commercial drivers licenses, and for employees in those job classifications covered under the hearing conservation program where applicable. (Ref. Appendix B)
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 2, 2007 PAGE: 4 of 10 Monitoring: Work area noise level monitoring using a noise level meter will determine the course of action taken to bring the City into compliance with Cal-OSHA regulations and may include administrative, engineering and /or the mandatory use of personal hearing protection. When work area noise levels tested or measured by Risk Management exceed 85 decibels, managers, supervisors, and employees will be notified by Risk Management of the exposure. At that point, administrative, engineering, and personal protective equipment options can be discussed to reduce or eliminate the exposure. Until administrative and engineering controls can be implemented, hearing protection will be provided to employees from a choice of hearing protection alternatives. Department Safety Committee s, managers, supervisors, and employees or their representatives have the option of observing the noise monitoring procedures and may review the documented test results. Engineering Controls: Noise control should be considered when equipment is purchased, installed, and used. Departments and divisions should work with Risk Management and Purchasing to consider the noise factor when purchasing equipment, machines, and vehicles before they come into the workplace as the first step in mitigating noise impacts in the work place. The second step would include protective measures after purchase; such as the use of sound proofing, isolating the equipment away from employee work areas, enclosing the equipment, and by monitoring noise levels to assure safe levels exist in the workplace. Risk Management, Engineering, Facility Management, and Equipment / Tool Manufacturers are resources to assist departments and divisions in recommending engineering controls to eliminate or reduce noise in the workplace.
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 2, 2007 PAGE: 5 of 10 Hearing Protection: The City of Santa Monica makes hearing protection available to all employees exposed to noise levels of 90 decibels or greater. Employees will be offered hearing protection that falls within guidelines acceptable to Cal-OSHA for noise attenuation for their particular work environment. Hearing protection will be evaluated on its ability to attenuate sound levels to at least 85 decibels for all employees, but particularly for those who have experienced a standard threshold shift in their hearing capability from data captured through baseline or on-going audiometric testing; in which case a determination will be made as to whether the shift is work related. Employees who experience a standard threshold shift of 10 decibels or greater will receive upgraded training and refitting procedures to assure their ability to hear is protected. (See Definitions - Standard Threshold Shift for application) Training: Risk Management will train supervisors. Employees covered under the City s hearing conservation program will initially be trained by their supervisor, and depending on their job classification, may receive annual refresher training. Supervisors are responsible for presenting this subject for covered employees at new employee orientations; and as a safety topic for tailgate safety meetings, monthly safety meetings, or general safety meetings. Risk Management is a resource for materials on this and other safety subjects. The information provided on this subject will address the following issues: 1. The effects of noise on ability to hear. 2. Information on the use and wearing of proper personal protective equipment. 3. The controls the City will utilize to eliminate or minimize exposure to noise. 4. The purpose of audiometric testing.
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 2, 2007 PAGE: 6 of 10 Recordkeeping: The City s pre-employment and on-going employment audiometric / physical examination provider will maintain employee audiogram testing records. The City s audiometric / physical examination provider will forward all testing records to the City for storage when they exhaust their capability to maintain older records. The City s audiometric / physical examination provider will notify Human Resources or Risk Management whenever an employee s audiometric test shows a 10 decibel or more shift in hearing at the 2000-3000-4000 Hz level in either ear from their baseline audiometric test; so that proactive measures can be taken to protect the employee in the workplace. A doctor will determine if a hearing loss is work related. Records for baseline, annual, biannual, and random audiometric testing are to be maintained throughout the course of employment and for 30 years thereafter.
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 2, 2007 PAGE: 7 of 10 V. Procedures and Responsibilities The hearing conservation program encompasses the following key components to achieve the City's objective: Procedures 1. Identification of work areas and job classifications that may fall under the provisions of this program. (Reference Appendix B) 2. Audiometric testing programs for those employees whose job classifications have been identified as being covered under the hearing conservation program. 3. Personal hearing protection equipment program that includes evaluation and use of assorted products available and employee fit testing. 4. Initial training, and training on an annual basis where applicable, in the City s hearing conservation program, including the use of hearing protection. 5. Recordkeeping audiometric tests, noise tests conducted in the work place, and training documentation. Responsible Person(s) Risk Management - Risk Control Officer Human Resources Department and Care Provider Evaluation - Risk Management, Risk Control Officer Use - Departmental Line Supervision Fit Testing - Risk Management, Risk Control Officer Risk Management, Risk Control Officer and Departmental Line Supervision Human Resources and City designated Physician for audiometric tests. Risk Management noise testing / training. Supervisors - training
III-5-7 Page 9 of 10 APPENDIX A PERMISSIBLE NOISE EXPOSURE For A-Weighted Sound Levels Per Cal-OSHA Regulation DURATION PER DAY (hours) SOUND LEVEL (in dba) 8 90 6 92 4 95 3 97 2 100 1.5 102 1 105 0.5 110 0.25 115
APPENDIX B III-5-7 Page 10 of 10 JOB CLASSIFICATIONS Covered under the Hearing Conservation Program Airport Maintenance Crew Leader Airport Maintenance Worker As Needed Airport Noise Operator Specialist Airport Services Officer Animal Control Officer Carpenter Cemetery Field Supervisor Civic Auditorium Event Coordinator Civic Auditorium Manager Civic Auditorium Maintenance Supervisor Combination Building Inspector Concrete Finisher Custodial Supervisor Custodian I Electrical Crew Leader Electrician II Equipment Operator II Event Attendant I Event Attendant III Fleet Maintenance Supervisor Grounds Maintenance Assistant Groundskeeper Heavy Truck Driver Irrigation Crew Leader Laborer Trainee Custodian Assistant Lead Traffic Services Officer Maintenance Crew Leader Maintenance Worker Maintenance Worker I - Asphalt Maintenance Worker II Maintenance Worker II - Asphalt Mechanic Motor Coach Cleaner Motor Sweeper Operator Painter Crew Leader Pier & Harbor Services Assistant Pier Maintenance Worker Police Range Master Plumber Recycling Worker Reprographics Specialist I Senior Mechanic Senior Tree Trimmer Senior Maintenance Worker II Solid Waste Supervisor Trades Intern Traffic Services Officer Transfer Station Assistant Transit Maintenance Worker Transportation Mechanic I Tree Trimmer Water Construction Crew Leader Water Maintenance Worker Water Production & Treatment Op. Trainee Water Supervisor - Construction Airport Maintenance Worker Airport Manager Airport Operations Noise Supervisor Asphalt Crew Leader Beach Maintenance Supervisor Carpenter Crew Leader Civic Auditorium Facility Superintendent Civic Auditorium Operations Attendant Civic Auditorium Business Administrator Civic Auditorium Event Services Supervisor Concrete Crew Leader Construction Worker Custodial Crew Leader Custodian II Electrician I Equipment Operator I Equipment Operator III Event Attendant II Fleet Maintenance Superintendent Graffiti Removal Technician Grounds Maintenance Worker Hazardous Materials Technician HVAC Technician Irrigation Technician Lead Airport Services Officer Lead Traffic Painter Lead Traffic Signal Technician Maintenance Helper Maintenance Worker I Maintenance Worker I As-Needed Maintenance Worker II As Needed Maintenance Worker Cemetery Motor Coach & Facilities Supervisor Motor Coach Operator - Trainee Painter Parks Equipment Technician Pier & Harbor Services Officer Pipe Fitter Plumber Crew Leader Reprographics Specialist II Senior Combination Building Insp. Sr. Transfer Station Assistant Sewer Maintenance Worker I Solid Waste Equipment Operator Street Maintenance Supervisor Traffic Painter Traffic Signal Technician Transfer Station Supervisor Transportation Mechanic Transportation Mechanic Supervisor Wastewater Crew Leader Water Leader Water Production & Treatment Operator Water Production & Treatment Supervisor Welder Fabricator All Sworn Fire and Police Personnel