Noise (Hearing Conservation)

Exposure to loud or prolonged noise can cause permanent hearing loss. In accordance with University Regulation and Procedure Number 04.430, TWU conducts regular monitoring to determine if members of the University community are exposed to harmful noise levels. 

Based on current research and the recommendations of various health and safety organizations, including the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), TWU's criterion level is set at a more conservative 85 dB compared to OSHA's 95 dB. In other words, TWU employees exposed to noise levels of 85 dB or greater, averaged over an 8-hour time period, must be included in this program, and engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment must be utilized to keep exposure below this level.

Employees in the Hearing Conservation Program must participate in annual training covering an overview of noise and its measurement, health hazards of noise, permissible noise levels, monitoring, audiometric testing, hearing protection, recordkeeping, and sources of noise. Employees included in the program must also have their hearing tested annually. 

For more information, refer to the TWU Hearing Conservation Program.