OPNAVINST 5100.19E CHAPTER B4 Flashcards
Hearing Conservation
The goal of the hearing conservation program (HCP) is to prevent occupational hearing loss and assure auditory fitness for duty
of all Navy personnel.
Noise-induced hearing loss is the fleet’s number one
occupational health hazard.
High intensity noise exposure
results from a wide variety of shipboard operations, including gun or missile fire, aircraft noise, and ship’s propulsion
systems.
HEARING CONSERVATION RESPONSIBILITIES
a. The commanding officer shall ensure that HCP is
established and maintained within the command.
Maintain a record of noise hazardous areas and
equipment.
The baseline or subsequent industrial hygiene
surveys, where available, shall serve as documentation. Ensure that noise hazardous spaces/equipment are posted and labeled accordingly.
Industrial hygiene officers shall:
(1) Maintain and ensure proper calibration of sound level measuring equipment.
(2) Annually, certify audiometric testing booths
installed aboard the ships.
**Ensure that personnel who require hearing retests
due to a significant threshold shift (STS) are excluded from
hazardous noise areas, defined as areas exceeding 84 dB(A) (Aweighted
sound pressure level (SPL) measured in decibels) for
continuous or 140 dBSPL peak, for at least 14 hours before the scheduled test. Hearing protection may not be used to meet this 8 requirement.
NOTE:
Noise exclusion should not be imposed for individuals
scheduled for annual hearing testing.
The Medical Department Representative (MDR) shall:
(1) Coordinate with division officers to identify and
maintain a current roster of personnel routinely exposed to
hazardous levels of occupational noise, as guided by the baseline or other industrial hygiene surveys.
Conduct training for all hands during indoctrination that includes the elements of the hearing conservation program.
Elements and rationale for the HCP to include: proper wearing and maintenance of hearing protection devices; command program and individual responsibilities;
individual’s responsibility in protecting their own hearing, and how hearing loss affects career progression, etc.
Ensure annual refresher training, per B0408b for
the HCP-enrolled personnel is performed.
Schedule personnel in HCP for annual audiometric
testing.
All test results are uploaded to the defense
occupational and environmental readiness system – hearing conservation (DOEHRS–HC) data repository.
Ensure that personnel who require hearing retests
due to a significant threshold shift (STS) are excluded from
hazardous noise areas,
Significant threshold shift (STS) is defined as areas exceeding 84 dB(A) for
continuous or 140 dBSPL peak, for at least 14 hours before the scheduled test.
Ensure the certification of annual electroacoustic
calibration of audiometers and audiometric test chambers.
Technicians conducting testing will hold current DoD
occupational hearing conservation certification (CAOHC) through
completion of an approved DoD or Navy sponsored course.
Enter into the web-enabled safety system (WESS),
per reference B4-1, work-related significant threshold shift (STS). This is defined as hearing changes from baseline that average 10 dB or more at 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hertz (Hz) in one or both ears.
OSHA reportable criterion is met when a change in the person’s total hearing level reaches 25 dB or greater above audiometric zero in the same ears and
frequencies.
NAVMED 6260/2A or equivalent shall be used to
label smaller, individual pieces of equipment or tools that produce hazardous noise
NOISE ABATEMENT
a. Reduction of noise at the source is in the best
interests of the Navy and its personnel.
Noise abatement actions will normally be accomplished
during ship or equipment design, construction or testing.
A combination of insert type and circumaural (muff)
type hearing protective devices (double-protection) shall beworn: (1) In all areas where sound levels exceed 104 dB(A), When a medical officer or audiologist determines
that double-protection is required.
single protection up to and between 140 dBSPL peak and double protection at 165 dBSPL peak and above)
Personnel who are routinely required to work in designated noise
hazardous areas or with labeled noise hazardous equipment shall be entered into HCP.
**All personnel shall receive a baseline hearing test upon entry into naval service recorded on a reference audiogram (DD Form 2215).
Hearing tests performed at military entrance processing stations (MEPS) shall not be used as a baseline hearing test.
Monitoring Hearing Tests. All personnel assigned to
duties in designated noise hazardous areas or operating noise hazardous equipment shall be included in HCP. These persons shall receive a hearing test annually, beginning within one year of assignment to those duties,