Many Oklahoma employees work in noisy environments. Unfortunately, sustained exposure to loud workplace noise can lead to permanent hearing loss. <\/p>\n
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports that approximately 22 million American workers are exposed to hazardous levels of noise each year. As a result, the agency fined employers $1.5 million in 2017 for failing to protect their employees from damaging noise. Meanwhile, insurers paid out around $242 million for hearing loss-related workers’ compensation claims last year. <\/p>\n
OSHA regulations stipulate that employees can be exposed to a maximum of 90 A-weighted decibels, or dBA, during an eight-hour shift. Employers are required to measure workplace noise, and they must create a Hearing Conservation Program for employees if workplace noise levels meet or exceed 85-dBA. Under this program, employers must provide hearing protection, safety training and free annual hearing exams for employees. For optimum safety, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recommends that workplace noise levels be kept below 85-dBA to prevent occupational hearing loss in employees. <\/p>\n