{"id":443,"date":"2020-04-30T18:52:22","date_gmt":"2020-04-30T18:52:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/torranceaudiology.com\/?p=443"},"modified":"2020-05-01T23:22:32","modified_gmt":"2020-05-01T23:22:32","slug":"hearing-regulations-at-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torranceaudiology.com\/hearing-regulations-at-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Hearing Regulations at Work"},"content":{"rendered":"

We all have a right to be safe at work. But this was not officially mandated until the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. This act outlined a series of guidelines and safety precautions workplaces must adhere to in order to provide their workers with a safe environment; this includes protecting them from hearing loss.<\/p>\n

The Occupational Safety and Health Act\"caution<\/h2>\n

Passed in 1970, the goal of this act<\/a> was to establish a clear set of guidelines, standard protections and safety regulations for employers to follow to keep their employees safe.<\/p>\n

The basic regulations regarding hearing loss and protection are as follows:<\/p>\n

Employees exposed to eight or more hours of dangerously loud sounds (anything measuring 85 decibels or more) must attend a hearing conservation program.<\/p>\n

Employees must be informed about the dangers of noise-induced hearing loss<\/a> and the numerous other risks associated with exposure to noise<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Employees exposed to loud noises must undergo a baseline hearing test within six months of employment. They will then be given a free hearing exam each year, completed by a certified audiologist. The results of these yearly tests will be compared to their baseline audiogram to measure the employee\u2019s hearing loss<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Employers must provide all employees exposed to hazardous noise levels with proper hearing protection.<\/p>\n

Employers must offer training programs each year about the dangers of sounds louder than 85 decibels and how employees can protect themselves.<\/p>\n

Employers must keep detailed records of how much noise their employees are exposed to.<\/p>\n

Employee\u2019s Rights<\/h2>\n

In addition to providing a list of regulations employers must follow, the Occupational Safety and Health Act provides workers with a list of their rights.<\/p>\n

Employees may request an OSHA representative inspect their workplace if they don\u2019t think their employer is following hearing safety requirements.<\/p>\n

Employees must receive training in a language they can understand about their rights, the dangers of workplace noises and how they can protect themselves.<\/p>\n

Employees can request copies of their audiograms and health records kept by their employer at any time.<\/p>\n

Employees can file a claim or assert their rights without fear of retaliation or discrimination from their employer.<\/p>\n

To learn more about how to protect yourself from the dangerous of hazardous noise levels, contact the experts at Torrance Audiology today.<\/p>\n

Learn More About Hearing Loss<\/h3>\n