TOPIC 3 HEARING CONSERVATION Flashcards
MANAGE the hearing conservation program, in accordance with Navy Occupational
Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual for Forces Afloat, OPNAVINST 5100.19
Series
As an Independent Duty Corpsman you will be required to manage the Hearing Conservation Program
STATE the command responsibilities in regards to the Navy Hearing Conservation
Program. (Reference Navy Occupational Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual
for Forces Afloat, OPNAVINST 5100.19 Series).
a. Command Responsibilities
(1) Commanding Officer
(a) Establish an effective Hearing Conservation Program (HCP) within the command.*
(2) Safety Officer
(a) Serves as a liaison to the Industrial Hygiene (IH) Department and Occupational Audiologist to conduct noise measurement and exposure analysis.*
(b) Maintain records of*
(c) Noise hazardous areas
(d) Noise hazardous equipment
(e) Baseline and subsequent (IH Survey)
(f) Ensure the program is evaluated at least annually
(3) Industrial Hygiene officer
(a) Maintain and ensure proper calibration of sound level meter.
(b) Annually, certify audiometric testing booths installed aboard the ships.
(4) Division Officer
(a) Ensures proper noise hazard labeling of spaces and equipment.
(b) Ensures proper personnel training.
(c) Sends designated personnel for audiograms.
(5) Medical Department Representative
(a) Conducts training for all hands during INDOC (initial) and annually thereafter on
the Hearing Conservation Program:
1) Effects of hazardous noise.*
2) Designated noise hazardous areas and equipment*
3) Proper use and maintenance of HPDs.*
4) The necessity for hearing testing.*
5) Mandatory requirement to wear assigned hearing protection.*
6) Off-duty hearing health hazard.*
7) The effects of hearing loss on career longevity.*
8) Communication in high-noise environments.***
(b) Consults the command IH survey to determine the type of hearing protective
devices to be used.
(c) Performs fit testing.
(d) Maintains current roster of personnel on HCP.
(e) Schedules personnel for audiometric testing.
(f) Report to Safety Officer, all permanent threshold shifts toward deteriorated hearing.
1) Name
2) Rate/Rank
3) Work Center
4) Time onboard
(6) All Hands
(a) Comply with noise hazard labels and wear hearing protection as required.
(b) Undergo annual and any required follow-up audiometric testing if enrolled in the
HCP.
STATE the requirements of the Hearing Conservation Program (Reference Navy
Occupational Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual for Forces Afloat,
OPNAVINST 5100.19 Series).
a. Program Requirements
(1) Noise Measurement and Exposure Assessment
(a) Noise measurements are taken as part of the IH survey.
(2) Labeling of noise hazardous areas and equipment must be done with approved label.
(a) NAVMED 6260/2 (Hazardous Noise warning decal, 8” X 10”)*
1) These will be posted to the outside doors/hatches leading into a hazardous noise area.
2) However, if a door/hatch leads to the weather deck then there will be no decal posted on the outer surface, but rather posted to inside of that particular door/hatch.
(b) NAVMED 6260/2A (Hazardous noise label, 2” X 2”)*
1) Used to label smaller, individual pieces of equipment or tools that produce hazardous noise.
(3) Noise Abatement
(a) Reduction of noise at the source must be explored first before implementing other methods of hearing loss prevention.*
(b) Areas and equipment that produce potentially hazardous noise should be modified to reduce noise levels wherever it is technologically and operationally feasible.
(c) These actions will be accomplished during ship or equipment design, construction and testing.
(4) Personal Hearing Protective Devices
(a) Personnel working in or entering designated hazardous noise areas or utilizing noise hazardous tools or equipment shall have hearing protection devices at all times, and
wear them without consideration of the duration of exposure.
(b) Areas or equipment where the noise level are equal to 96 dBA or greater or 165 dBP or greater must be labeled as noise hazardous and require the use of double hearing
protection.
(c) All personnel exposed to gunfire in a training situation or noise of a large caliber gun or missile firing, under any circumstance shall wear hearing protection.*
(5) Hearing Testing and Medical Surveillance
(a) Reference Hearing Test
(b) Monitoring hearing test
(c) Termination hearing test*
LIST the health record forms used to record hearing test results (Reference Navy
Occupational Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual for Forces Afloat,
OPNAVINST 5100.19 Series)
a. Health Record Forms
(1) DD-2215
(a) Reference (Baseline) Audiogram.
(2) DD-2216
(a) Monitoring Audiogram.
(b) For personnel in HCP
STATE the permissible exposure limits for noise. (Reference Navy Safety and
Occupational Health Program Manual, OPNAVINST 5100.23 Series).
a. Noise levels less than or equal to 84 dBA no protection required.
b. Noise levels equal to 85 dBA or greater but less than 96 dBA requires single hearing protection and placement in HCP.
c. Noise levels equal to 96 dBA or greater require double hearing protection and placement in HCP.
DESCRIBE the identification of noise hazardous areas. (Reference Navy Occupational
Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual for Forces Afloat, OPNAVINST
5100.19 Series).
a. Industrial Hygienist, and/or Occupational Audiologist take noise measurements to measure levels of noise at different sites.
(1) Noise levels equal to 85 dB or greater (continuous or intermittent), or 140 dB peak
sound level of impact or impulse noise.
(a) Analyze to determine the potential hazard.
(b) Resurvey 30 days after any significant modifications or changes in work routine which could impact the noise exposure level.
(2) Record of noise measurements shall be kept by the measuring activity.
(a) Kept for 50 years.*
(3) Risk Assessment Code (RAC) shall be assigned to all potentially hazardous noise areas and operations.
STATE the requirements for audiograms (Reference Navy Occupational Safety and
Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual for Forces Afloat, OPNAVINST 5100.19 Series)
a. Reference (Baseline) Audiograms
(1) All personnel entering into the naval service shall receive a baseline audiogram.
(a) Hearing test done at MEPS shall not be used as a reference hearing test.*
(b) Recorded on DD-2215.
b. Monitoring
(1) For personnel in HCP.
(2) Annual exam is required.*
(3) Recorded on DD-2216
. DEFINE a Significant Threshold Shift (STS). (Reference Navy and Marine Corps Public
Health Center Technical Manual, NMCPHC-TM 6260.51.99-2 Series, Navy Medical
Department Hearing Conservation Program Procedures).
a. Significant Threshold Shift (STS)
(1) A change in hearing threshold relative to the current reference audiogram of an average
of 10 dB or more at 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz, in either ear.
(2) The STS may be either positive (poorer hearing) or negative (better hearing).*
LIST the procedures to be followed when an STS is identified (Reference Navy and
Marine Corps Public Health Center Technical Manual, NMCPHC-TM 6260.51.99-2
Series, Navy Medical Department Hearing Conservation Program Procedures).
a. STS Identification Procedures
(1) If the STS is negative, the hearing levels of the monitoring audiogram are better than the reference audiogram.
(a) Either the Reference or monitoring audiogram may be in error.*
(b) Retest the same day.
1) If retest showed no STS. Assume that the monitoring audiogram was in error*
2) If retest still showed improved hearing. Assume that the reference audiogram is in error.*
a) Establish the retest as the new reference audiogram.
(2) If STS is positive, the hearing levels are poorer than the reference audiogram.
(a) Retest after a 14 hour noise free environment (may not be accomplished by the use of hearing protection), to determine if the decrease of hearing is permanent.
1) Supervisor should be notified.
2) If retest do not indicate STS.
a) Return to annual monitoring.
3) If first retest showed STS and if frequencies below 3000 Hz are involved.*
a) Screen for any medical issues through otoscopy and tympanometry.
(1 Record findings on SF600.
(2 If findings are abnormal, health care evaluation must be obtained and individual followed until cleared medically.
(3 If findings are normal, perform second retest.
(b) Second retest can be administered on the same day as the first retest.
1) If retest do not indicate STS.
a) Return to annual monitoring
2) If second retest showed STS.
a) Hearing protection is evaluated
b) Results are forwarded to audiologist or qualified physician for review and disposition.
c) Result of the second retest are typically used to create a re-established reference audiogram.
(c) Supervisors should be notified in writing within 21 days of positive STS.*
(d) Permanent Threshold Shift (PTS) toward poorer hearing.
1) Reported to the OSH office for entry on OPNAV 5102/7 (Log of Navy Injuries and Occupational Illnesses).
2) Worker is notified within 21 days.
a) Worker’s signature on DD2216 will suffice as appropriate notice
STATE the purpose of a noise free audiogram (Reference Navy Occupational Safety and
Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual for Forces Afloat, OPNAVINST 5100.19 Series)
a. Noise Free Audiogram
(1) The physical exclusion period from noise is referred to as “auditory rest”.
(2) The 14 hour “auditory rest” is usually sufficient to allow a temporary STS to return to pre-exposure levels.
DESCRIBE the applications of noise abatement strategies (Reference Navy Occupational
Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual for Forces Afloat, OPNAVINST
5100.19 Series).
a. Noise Abatement Strategies
(1) Engineering Controls
(a) Primary means of protection.**
(b) Construction tools and equipment with various and many Noise Barriers or
dampening (Acoustical enclosures).
(c) Engineering design to eliminate or reduce the noise level of machinery, equipment, and other operating devices.
(2) Administrative Control
(a) The secondary means of protecting people are administrative control.
(b) Limiting times of exposure/enforcing safe stay time.
(3) Substitution of less noisy operations
(4) Personal Hearing Protection Devices
LIST the types of personal hearing protective devices (Reference Navy Occupational
Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual for Forces Afloat, OPNAVINST
5100.19 Series).
a. Personal Hearing Protective Devices
(1) Ear plugs
(2) Disposable
(3) Single flange
(4) Double flange
(5) Triple flange
(6) Straightaway muffs
(7) Circumaural Muff
. LIST the training requirements for personnel enrolled in the Navy Hearing Conservation
Program. (Reference Navy Occupational Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Program Manual
for Forces Afloat, OPNAVINST 5100.19 Series).
a. Personnel Training Requirements
(1) All personnel included in the hearing conservation program shall receive training PRIOR to working in noise hazardous areas.
(2) Training shall also be conducted on an annual basis.
STATE the procedures for fitting a hearing protective device (15. Reference Navy and
Marine Corps Public Health Center Technical Manual, NMCPHC-TM 6260.51.99-2
Series, Navy Medical Department Hearing Conservation Program Procedures).
a. Hearing Protective Device Fitting
(1) Non-disposable hearing protectors require sizing and fitting.
(a) Conducted by Medically trained personnel.
(b) Well-lighted visual inspection of the ear canal is necessary to determine whether any condition is present that would make use of ear plug inadvisable.
(c) Each ear canal will be sized separately
