QP Energy Services LLC Hearing Conservation Program HSE Manual Section 7 Effective Date: 5/30/15 Revision #:

Transcription

1 QP Energy Services LLC Hearing Cnservatin Prgram HSE Manual Sectin 7 Effective Date: 5/30/15 Revisin #: Prepared by: James Aregd Date: 5/30/15 Apprved by: James Aregd Date: 5/30/15 Page 1 f 8

2 Cntents Sectin Title Page 1.0 Reference Standard Purpse Scpe Respnsibilities Definitins Prcedure Nise Expsure Mnitring Hearing Cnservatin Prgram Audimetric Testing Baseline Audigram Annual Audigrams Medical Management Hearing Prtectrs Training Prgram & Access t Infrmatin Recrd Keeping Revisin Histry Recrd 7-8 Page 2 f 8

3 1.0 Reference Standard - Occupatinal Safety and Health Administratin, Subpart G: 29 CFR , Occupatinal Nise Expsure 2.0 Purpse - This prcedure establishes minimum requirements t evaluate nise expsure in the facility and t prtect persnnel frm nise induced hearing lss. 3.0 Scpe - This prcedure applies t all f ur cmpany emplyees, all cntractrs and vendrs perfrming wrk n cmpany prperty, and all ther individuals wh are visiting r have business with ur cmpany. 4.0 Respnsibilities - Management is respnsible fr develpment and review f this prgram. Management is als respnsible fr apprpriate emplyee training. - Management and supervisrs are respnsible fr enfrcement f this prgram. - Emplyees shall cmply with all prcedures utlined in this plicy. - Cntractrs and vendrs shall cmply with all prcedures utlined in this plicy. 5.0 Definitins Actin Level: The actin level fr nise expsure is: 85 dba fr an 8 hur Time WeightedAverage (TWA) Audigram: A screening test t determine hearing acuity thrugh administratin f air cnductin tnes transmitted thrugh head phnes. Baseline Audigram: The initial audigram taken upn hire r assignment t a nisy area. Cntractr: A nn-cmpany emplyee being paid t perfrm wrk in ur facility. Decibel: Abbreviated db-a measure f sund pressure r ludness. Fr purpses f OSHA cmpliance nise is measured in dba (decibels n the A scale, Slw respnse) Dsimeter: An electrnic device that cnverts sund pressure int an electrnic signal that is stred fr future evaluatin. All cntinuus, intermittent and impulse sund between 80 and 130 decibels will be integrated int the readings. Nise: Unwanted sund. Sund Level Meter (SLM): An SLM is a device that is capable f giving a direct, instantaneus reading f the sund pressure r ludness. The SLM can als recrd the highest impulse nise that has ccurred. The SLM has three scales: A, B and C, and a Fast and Slw Respnse capability. Standard Threshld Shift: A permanent change in hearing (wrsening) fund when cmparing an annual audigram with a baseline audigram. Page 3 f 8

4 Vendr: A nn-cmpany emplyee being paid t perfrm a service in ur facility. 6.0 Prcedure 6.1 Nise Expsure - Whenever feasible, nise expsure exceeding that listed belw will be cntrlled by engineering r administrative means. - When it is impractical t use engineering r administrative cntrls a hearing cnservatin prgram will be implemented. Duratin per day, Hurs Sund Level (dba, slw respnse) (r less) Mnitring - Whenever infrmatin indicates that nise expsure may be at r abve 85 dba, in an area r department mnitring will be perfrmed utilizing either a Sund Level Meter r a Dsimeter. - All instruments used fr nise mnitring will be calibrated befre and after use and a recrd maintained f the calibratins and readings derived thrugh mnitring. - Whenever readings are taken fr OSHA cmpliance purpses the meter r dsimeter will be set t the A scale, Slw respnse. - Mnitring will be repeated whenever a change in prductin, prcess, equipment r cntrls increases, r culd increase expsure. - Emplyees (r their representatives) will be allwed t bserve mnitring. Emplyees wh have an 8 hur TWA f 85 dba r greater will be ntified f the results f the mnitring in writing. 6.3 Hearing Cnservatin Prgram Page 4 f 8

5 All emplyees wh are expsed t nise level f 85dBA r greater 8 hur TWA, will be required t participate in the hearing cnservatin prgram. This prgram will cnsist f: - Audimetric testing - Mandatry hearing prtectin* - Training * Our Cmpany has decided t mandate the use f hearing prtectin at 85dB rather than the OSHA requirement f 90dB Audimetric Testing: - Audigrams will cntain the fllwing infrmatin r the infrmatin will be readily accessible and linked t the audigram: Name and jb classificatin f the individual Date f the audigram The examiner s name Date f the last acustical r exhaustive calibratin f the audimeter Emplyee s mst recent nise expsure assessment The backgrund sund pressure levels in the audimetric test rm/bth Baseline Audigram: - A baseline audigram will be btained as sn as pssible, within the first six mnths after emplyment r assignment t an area with nise expsure at r abve a Time Weighted Average f 85 dba. If a mbile test van is used, the baseline audigram will be cmpleted within ne year f emplyment r initial assignment t a nise expsure area. - At least 14 hurs withut wrkplace expsure will precede the baseline audigram. Hearing prtectrs can be required t be used as a substitute fr 14 hurs withut expsure.emplyees will als be ntified t stay away frm significant nn-ccupatinal nise fr 14 hurs Annual Audigrams: - Annual audigrams will be prvided fr all emplyees wh are expsed t nise at r abve a Time Weighted Average f 85 dba. Page 5 f 8

6 Standard Threshld Shift (STS): The annual audigram will be cmpared t the baseline audigram t determine if a standard threshld shift has ccurred. A standard threshld shift is defined as a change in hearing threshld f an average f 10 db at 2000, 3000 r 4000 Hz in either ear. If an STS is determined a retest will be cnducted within 30 days. The retest results can then be used as the annual audigram. Any audigram shwing an STS will be referred t audilgist, tlarynglgist r physician fr evaluatin. If an STS ccurs the fllwing will be dne: The emplyee will be ntified in writing within 21 days f the determinatin The emplyee will be refitted and retrained in the use f hearing prtectin The medical pinin f the evaluating practitiner will be fllwed and/r cmmunicated t the emplyee regarding the need fr fllw-up medical evaluatin either fr ccupatinal r nnccupatinal reasns. Cmmunicatin with the emplyee will be in writing. - Age crrectin will be taken int accunt as permitted by OSHA. See Appendix F f 29 CFR , Occupatinal Nise Expsure - When the audilgist, tlarynglgist, r physician determines that an STS has ccurred, the revised audigram will be used as the new baseline - The STS will be recrded n the OSHA 300 Lg if: Hearing level is 25 db r greater frm audimetric zer at any test pint An STS f 10 db r greater is identified 6.4 Medical Management A medical prfessinal says the hearing lss is wrk related - All audimetric testing will be cnducted by individuals wh are certified by the Cuncil f Accreditatin in Occupatinal Hearing Cnservatin. Page 6 f 8

7 Technicians will reprt t an audilgist, tlarynglgist r physician wh will advise management regarding prgram administratin, emplyee audimetric health and ther matters pertaining t the Hearing Cnservatin Prgram. Our Medical Manager will ensure that all audimetric testing requirements are met. 6.5 Hearing Prtectrs - All emplyees with a nise expsure at r abve a Time Weighted Average f 85 dba will wear cmpany prvided hearing prtectrs fr their entire shift while in areas with nise expsure at r abve 85 dba. - Hearing prtectin will prvide the greatest attenuatin pssible and in n case allw greater than 80dBA calculated expsure. - We will prvide a chice f at least tw suitable hearing prtectrs. - If nise expsure increases, we will re-evaluate all hearing prtectin t ensure adequate prtectin. - The fllwing frmula will be used t determine the efficiency f hearing prtectin: Subtract 7dB frm the NRR f the hearing prtectr Subtract the mdified NRR (determined in the step abve) frm the 8 hur TWA fr the emplyee expsure as determined thrugh mnitring 6.6 Training Prgram and Access t Infrmatin - All emplyees expsed t nise at r abve the time weighted average f 85 dba will receive training as utlined belw. - Cntent f the training will be: Areas with nise expsure Facility rules requiring use f hearing prtectin The effects f nise n hearing The purpse f hearing prtectrs including: advantages, disadvantages, attenuatin, and fitting and care instructins fr each available type The purpse fr and explanatin f the prcedure fr audimetric testing - Training will be prvided at time f hire r assignment int an area with nise expsure at r greater than 85 dba, and repeated annually thereafter. Page 7 f 8

8 - A cpy f 29 CFR , Occupatinal Nise expsure will be available t emplyees frm the prgram administratr. Additinally, as required in 29 CFR (l)(1), a cpy f this standard has been psted: at the ffice in Smithville & n the bulletin bards at the Yards. - Any additinal materials supplied by OSHA t this facility pertaining t Hearing Cnservatin will als be made available t emplyees. - All emplyees and their representatives have access t the OSHA standard and any ther gvernment prvided infrmatin regarding hearing cnservatin, ur facility hearing cnservatin prgram, and their individual audimetric test recrd. Additinally, the prgram administratr will prvide assistance with understanding this infrmatin. 6.7 Recrdkeeping - All mnitring data, persnal and area sampling and SLM readings, will be evaluated fr permanent recrds retentin due t the value in determining wrkers cmpensatin cmpensability f hearing lss. In n case will such data be retained less than tw years. - Audimetric testing recrds will be retained fr at least the duratin f emplyment and will be evaluated fr permanent recrds retentin due t the value in determining wrker s cmp cmpensability f hearing lss. 7.0 Revisin Histry Recrd: Revisin Number Sectin Revised By Descriptin 0 NA NA Original dcument. Page 8 f 8