# Presentation: 244581

## Mining Hearing Loss Prevention WorkshopPractical tools and techniques to prevent noise-induced hearing loss

**Mining Hearing Loss Prevention ****Workshop*****Practical tools and techniques to prevent noise-induced hearing loss***

## The Noise Experience in the U.S. Mining Industry – Where To From Here?

**John Langton**
**Deputy Administrator, CMS&H**
**Mine Safety and Health Administration**
**Mining Hearing Loss Prevention Workshop**
**Charleston Civic Center**
**Charleston, WV**
**June 21, 2005**

## Acknowledgements

**The workshop organizers, NIOSH **
**Coal Noise Partnership **
**Our presenters and panelists **
**The audience – your presence indicates that you have placed a value on protecting miners’ health and hearing **

## Mine Safety and Health Administration’s “Health Standards for Occupational Noise Exposure” (30 CFR Part 62) 

**Effective for nearly 5 years**
**Continues to challenge the mining industry**
**Intended to:**
**Protect miners  from occupational noise-induced hearing loss**
**Be flexible in compliance strategies by those being regulated **

## Mine Safety and Health Administration’s “Health Standards for Occupational Noise Exposure” (30 CFR Part 62) 

**Technology-forcing rule **
**primacy of engineering **_**and**_** administrative controls **** **
**Retained the use of hearing protectors**
**Monitoring and Audiometric testing as measures**
**Only requires controls found to be feasible**
**Determined on a case-by-case basis**
**Exposure standards are protective**

## Mine Safety and Health Administration’s “Health Standards for Occupational Noise Exposure” (30 CFR Part 62)

**Enforcement**
_**Consistency and uniformity**_** **
**One MSHA Noise Committee**
**Second Day of this workshop is dedicated to enforcement training and consists of the same training and resources recently given to MSHA personnel. **

## Progress and Benefitssince Part 62

**Controls being utilized and developed**
**Reduced workers’ compensation costs **
**Innovations in equipment performance**
**Improved working conditions **
**satisfied employees who do not suffer from hearing loss **

## “Opportunities” 

**Challenges from the current enforcement data**

## Slide 9

## Slide 10

## So where do we go from here? 

**Working together**
**Identify and develop new noise control technology and solutions **
**Focus research efforts **
**Leverage limited resources**
**Communicate and share information**
**Become Leaders**
**By example**
**Remove the barriers to positive change**

## So where do we go from here?

**Empower everyone in our organizations to contribute to the solutions**
**Dispel the notion that investment in noise controls is detrimental to the operator’s bottom-line **
**All will benefit from the advances in technology**

## So where do we go from here?

**There is no better time to achieve **
**our goals....**

**If we do not push the envelope,**

**in quieting our **

**and protecting the hearing of our current and new miners,**

**WHO WILL????**

**WE WILL, **
**TODAY.**

## Thank You!!

**We are an  organization dedicated to sending **_**EACH **_**miner home safe and healthy at the end of every shift.**