Hearing Conservation in Construction –Listening to New Perspectives on an Old Problem

Occupational noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) has been a major concern since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Several hundred years later, noise and hearing loss are still are major concerns for the construction work force, management and safety professionals. Depending on the trade, one study of more than 1300 noise measurements indicated approximately 70% of the construction workers had a full shift time weighed average (TWA) exposure at or above the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) of 85 dBA. About 10% of those workers had full shift average exposures above the current US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) construction Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 90 dBA. [Neitzel, et al. 2011a] Noise levels of typical construction equipment can range from approximately 88 dBA for circular saws, to 96 dBA for chipping guns, to 102 dBA for jackhammers. [ANSI 2013] In calculations made by the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) using data from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey, 21% of construction workers self reported some type of hearing problem. [CPRW 2013] In addition, exposure to noise has been associated with increased pulse rate, high blood pressure, muscle tension, sleeplessness and fatigue. [Basner, et al. 2014]