Hearing Loss Prevention Program
Updated July 8, 2024
The UW Hearing Loss Prevention Program ensures the safety of University personnel through controlling exposure to noise levels that could result in occupational hearing loss.
University personnel are required to participate in the Hearing Loss Prevention Program if they (or a representative worker) have a full-day occupational noise exposure dose of 85 A-weighted decibels (dBA) or higher during an 8-hour period.
The Hearing Loss Prevention Program Manual describes the responsibilities and requirements of University units, departments, supervisors, personnel, and Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) to protect personnel from work-related hearing loss.
Noise hazards
There are various sources of noise that can be found in UW locations and facilities, such as mechanical rooms with air handling units, the power plant, machine shops, performing arts spaces, and areas under construction. Sources of noise can also come from operating machinery or equipment, using tools, and performing noise-producing activities.
Noise exposure action levels
Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) requires that hearing loss prevention measures are implemented when any of the action levels are reached.
Action level
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Description
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Requirements
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85 dBA
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Noise exposure equals or exceeds this level for one or more individuals (averaged over 8 hours)
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- Training (initially and annually)
- Audiometric testing
- Hearing protection (provided and used)
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90 dBA
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Noise exposure equals or exceeds this level for one or more individuals (averaged over 8 hours)
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- Training (initially and annually)
- Audiometric testing
- Hearing protection (provided and used) Noise controls
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115 dBA
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Extreme noise level in an area where personnel are working (greater than one second)
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- Hearing protection (provided and used)
- Post signage
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140 dBC
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Extreme impulse or impact noise in an area where personnel are working (less than one second)
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- Hearing protection (provided and used)
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Refer to the Hearing Loss Prevention Program Manual for more information on the implementing the requirements at each action level.
Hearing Loss Prevention Program requirements
Personnel participating in the Hearing Loss Prevention Program are required to use hearing protection, complete Hearing Conservation training, and receive audiometric tests.
Units and departments implement noise controls, post signage, and provide hearing protection when required. Units are also responsible for evaluating potential noise hazards, conducting an annual self-audit and ensuring personnel report work-related permanent hearing changes.
All University personnel who have personal exposures to noise levels that equal to or exceed 85 dBA (time-weighted average over an 8-hour period) are required to participate in audiometric testing. Audiometric tests are used to identify a change in hearing that indicates noise-induced hearing loss may have occurred. Audiometric tests are provided at no cost to personnel participating in the Hearing Loss Prevention Program.
Units are responsible for scheduling baseline and annual audiometric tests (and a final test at separation or job transfer) directly with the UW Speech & Hearing Clinic.
Refer to the Hearing Loss Prevention Program Manual for more information.
Units, departments, and supervisors identify new and existing potential sources of noise exposure using a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA, or an equivalent tool).
If elevated noise is identified as a potential job hazard, contact EH&S to request noise monitoring.
Hearing protection provides a protective barrier to noise.
Personnel are required to wear hearing protectors when:
- An individual's full-day noise exposure is equal to or greater than 85 dBA;
- Working in an area with short-term noise that equals or exceeds 115 dBA; or
- Working in an area with instantaneous noise that equals or exceeds 140 dBC.
Supervisors and units/departments are required to offer at least two types of hearing protection and ensure personnel use it.
Refer to the Guidelines for PPE for guidance on selecting hearing protection, or contact EH&S for consultation.
Units/departments are required to implement noise controls wherever personal noise exposure equals or exceeds 90 dBA (time-weighted average over an 8-hour period).
Refer to the Hearing Loss Prevention Program Manual for examples of noise controls.
EH&S will include noise control recommendations in a noise assessment and can evaluate noise controls upon request.
Units/departments or supervisors with personnel participating in the Hearing Loss Prevention Program or working in areas identified by EH&S as a noise-designated area must annually self-audit their compliance with the UW Hearing Loss Prevention Program.
Signage must be posted in the following locations:
- At the entrance to areas where noise exposure may exceed 85 dBA;
- Near equipment that generates noise at or exceeding 85 dBA; and
- In areas where noise exceeds 115 dBA.
Refer to the Hearing Loss Prevention Program Manual for more information.
Personnel with personal exposure limits equal to or greater than 85 dBA (time-weighted average over an 8-hour period) must complete initial (upon assignment) and annual Hearing Conservation training.
Units/departments are responsible for informing personnel of site-specific noise hazards.
Noise-related hearing loss
Exposure to loud noise at work and home can damage the hair cells in the inner ear and the hearing nerve, which can limit the ability to hear high frequency sounds and understand speech, impairing the ability to communicate and respond to alarms and warning signals.
It may be too loud in your workplace if you:
- Hear ringing or humming in your ears when you leave work
- Must shout to be heard by a coworker an arm's length away (3 feet)
- Experience temporary hearing loss after leaving work
Work-related hearing loss is preventable when appropriate controls and hearing protection are used.
Read about other contributors to hearing loss in the Occupational Hearing Loss Focus Sheet.
Services
Noise monitoring
Noise exposure monitoring is performed by EH&S by conducting area monitoring and/or personal exposure monitoring to identify the specific equipment or activity that is producing excess noise and determine whether it meets or exceeds an action level.
Noise exposure assessment
After conducting noise monitoring, EH&S will provide a noise exposure assessment that includes recommendations for reducing noise exposure and implementing noise controls.
EH&S also provides the following services:
- Assist with noise-reducing design and quiet equipment selection
- Recommend and evaluate noise controls
- Review, select, and provide guidance on appropriate hearing protective devices for use; train personnel on their appropriate use
- Provide follow-up evaluations after a standard threshold shift is identified
- Provide fit testing for hearing protective devices
More information
The Hearing Loss Prevention program applies to all University organizational units at all work locations including the Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma campuses; UW Medicine medical centers and affiliated clinics; University owned property; University leased space; and temporary field locations under the control of University personnel.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
No. Noise cancelling headphones (and earbuds) cannot be used instead of earmuffs or other hearing protection because they do not provide adequate hearing protection for the following reasons:
- Noise cancelling headphones/earbuds may help reduce sound at lower frequencies (e.g., a conversation), but are not effective at reducing sounds at mid-level and high frequencies that can cause hearing loss.
- The amount of decibels of noise reduction that you might get while wearing noise cancelling headphones/earbuds is unknown because they don’t have a lab-confirmed Noise Reduction Rating. It’s unknown whether the headphones/earbuds could reduce the sound level to a safe level (below 85 decibels).
Noise cancelling headphones aren’t designed to fit tightly around your ears (and earbuds aren’t designed to fit snugly in your ear canal), so noise can reach your ears. Earmuffs are designed to fit snugly around your ears and earplugs are designed to fit snugly inside your ear canal without gaps that could let noise reach your ears.
EH&S measures noise levels in work areas with a sound level meter to determine potential hazards and recommends controls if needed.
EH&S may also ask workers to wear a noise dosimeter that records noise exposures throughout their work shift.
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Type of Hearing Protection
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Effective Protection
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Single hearing protection
(earplugs, earcaps or earmuffs)
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7 dB less than the manufacturer assigned noise reduction rating (NRR); for example, earplugs with an NRR of 20 dB are considered to reduce employee exposures of 95 dBA TWA8 to 82 dBA TWA8
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Dual hearing protection
(earplugs and earmuffs worn together)
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2dB less than the higher NRR of the two protectors; for example, earplugs with an NRR of 20 dB and earmuffs with an NRR of 12 dB are considered to reduce employee exposures of 100 dBA TWA8 to 82 dBA TWA8
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Refer to the Hearing Loss Prevention Program Manual for more information.
- If the 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) exposure exceeds the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 90 dBA (decibels A-weighting), feasible engineering controls must be identified and provided to reduce the exposures to 90 dBA or less.
- If the 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) exposure exceeds the Action Level (AL) of 85 dBA, hearing protective devices must be provided and used by employees. Additionally, employees must be included in a hearing loss prevention program that is administered and enforced by the UW.
Definitions
Changing how or when workers do their jobs, such as scheduling work and rotating workers to reduce exposures.
A chart, graph, or table resulting from an audiometric test showing an individual’s hearing threshold levels as a function of frequency
Testing conducted for measuring the sensitivity of a person's hearing threshold in decibels
A standard unit used to measure sound pressure level; the decibel scale is logarithmic; every five dBA is a doubling of the sound pressure level. “A” weighting is standard weighting of the audible frequencies designed to reflect the response of the human ear to noise.
“C” weighting is standard weighting of the audible frequencies commonly used for measuring peak sound pressure levels.
Using controls such as chemical fume hoods to work with chemicals, installing physical barriers to control a mechanical hazard, and/or physically changing a machine or work environment.
Unit of measure for noise frequency in cycles per second (1 cycle/ second= 1Hz).
The maximum allowable noise exposure, established by WAC 296-817 as a legal limit; the current PEL for noise is 90 dBA averaged over an eight hour period.
A measure of the amount of noise reduction provided by a given hearing protection device.
A reduction in the ability of an individual to hear, either caused or contributed to by exposure in the work environment.
A change in hearing threshold relative to the baseline audiogram of an average of 10 dBA or more at 2000, 3000 and 4000 Hz in either ear.
"TWA8" refers to the time-weighted average of eight hours of permissible exposure; that sound level, which if constant over an 8-hour period, would result in the same noise dose measured in an environment where the noise level varies.
