You must:
• Conduct employee noise exposure monitoring to determine the employee's actual exposure when reasonable information indicates that any employee's exposure may equal or exceed 85 dBA TWA8.
Note: | • Representative monitoring may be used where several employees perform the same tasks in substantially similar conditions |
| • Examples of information or situations that can indicate exposures which equal or exceed 85 dBA TWA8, include: |
| – Noise in the workplace that interferes with people speaking, even at close range |
| – Information from the manufacturer of equipment you use in the workplace that indicates high noise levels for machines in use |
| – Reports from employees of ringing in their ears or temporary hearing loss |
| – Warning signals or alarms that are difficult to hear |
| – Work near abrasive blasting or jack hammering operations |
| – Use of tools and equipment such as the following: |
| ■ Heavy equipment or machinery |
| ■ Fuel-powered hand tools |
| ■ Compressed air-driven tools or equipment in frequent use |
| ■ Power saws, grinders or chippers |
| ■ Powder-actuated tools. |
You must:
• Follow applicable guidance in WAC
296-307-634 when conducting noise exposure monitoring
• Make sure your sampling for noise exposure monitoring identifies:
– All employees whose exposure equals or exceeds the following:
■ 85 dBA TWA8 (noise dosimetry, providing an average exposure over an eight-hour time period)
■ 115 dBA (slow response sound level meter, identifying short-term noise exposures)
■ 140 dBC (fast response sound level meter, identifying almost instantaneous noise exposures).
– Exposure levels for selection of hearing protection.
• Provide exposed employees and their representatives with an opportunity to observe any measurements of employee noise exposure that are conducted
• Notify each employee whose exposure equals or exceeds 85 dBA TWA8 of the monitoring results within five working days of when you receive the results
• Conduct additional noise monitoring whenever a change in production, process, equipment or controls, may reasonably be expected to result in:
– Additional employees whose exposure equals or exceeds 85 dBA TWA8
– Employees exposed to higher level of noise requiring more effective hearing protection.
Note: | Conditions that may be expected to increase exposure include: |
| • Adding machinery to the work area |
| • Increasing production rates |
| • Removal or deterioration of noise control devices |
| • Increased use of noisy equipment |
| • Change in work schedule |
| • Change of job duties. |