It is the policy of the University of Pennsylvania in coordination with the Office of the Environmental Health and Radiation Safety
to provide employees with a safe and healthful working environment. This is accomoplished by utilizing facilities and equipment that
have all feasible safeguards incorporated into their design. Wen effective engineering controls are not feasible, or when they are being
initiated, administrative controls will be used when and where possible followed by the use fo personal protective equipment.
The primary goal of the University of Pennsylvania Hearing Conservation Program is to reduce, and eventually eliminate hearing loss due
to workplace noise exposures. The program includes the following elements:
- Work environments will be surveyed to identify potentially
hazardous noise levels and personnel at risk.
- Environments that contain or equipment that produces
potentially hazardous noise should, wherever it is technologically
and economically feasible, be modified to reduce the noise level
to acceptable levels.
- Where engineering controls are not feasible, administrative
controls and/or the use of hearing protective devices will be
employed.
- Annual hearing testing will be conducted to monitor the
effectiveness of the hearing conservation program. Early detection
of temporary threshold shifts will allow further protective action
to be taken before permanent hearing loss occurs.
- Education is vital to the overall success of a hearing
conservation program. Annual training is required and must the
employees' and supervisors' responsibilities under the
program.
When the sound levels listed below are exceeded, reasonable
administrative or engineering controls will be instituted. If the
controls fail to reduce the noise exposure to within those listed
below, hearing protection will be provided and used to reduce the
sound levels to an acceptable level. In addition, OSHA requirements
dictate that whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an
8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 85 dBA, slow response, a
continuing effective hearing conservation program shall be
instituted
|
|
|