OSHA 3498-12N 2011
If you are a construction worker, this pocket guide

is written for you. Small contractors should also

find this information helpful. You are encouraged

to go to the references in this document and to

the OSHA website for more information.

This guidance document is not a standard

or regulation, and it creates no new legal

obligations. The guidance is advisory in nature,

informational in content, and is intended to

help construction workers and supervisors

understand and reduce noise exposure on job

sites. Employers are required to comply with

safety and health standards as issued and

enforced by either the Federal Occupational

Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), or

an OSHA-approved State Plan. In addition,

Section 5(a)(1) of The Occupational Safety and

Health Act, the General Duty Clause, requires

employers to provide their workers with a

workplace free from recognized hazards likely

to cause death or serious physical harm.

Employers can be cited for violating the

General Duty Clause if there is such a recognized hazard and they do not take reasonable

steps to prevent or abate the hazard. However,

failure to implement these guidelines is not, in

itself, a violation of the General Duty Clause.

Citations can only be based on standards,

regulations, and the General Duty Clause.

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration
Contents

Why is job site noise control important to me? 2

How does hearing damage happen? 3

How do I know if my tools or job site are too

noisy? 5

Sound Level Meter and Noise Dosimeter 5

2-3 Foot Rule and Noise Indicator 6

Sound Level Chart 7

What can be done about job site noise levels? 8

Plan Ahead 8

Noise Control at the Job Site 9

Noise Hazard Control Process 9

Maintain and Retrofit Equipment 10

What can be done if engineering and

administrative controls are not enough? 12

Proper Selection and Use of

Hearing Protection 12

Regular Hearing Screenings 13

Hearing Protective Devices 14

My job site is too noisy. What can I do? 16

Am I protected if I call OSHA? 17

Additional OSHA Assistance 18

OSHA Regional Offices 21

Appendix: More Information on

Noise Protection 23

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration
2 WORKER SAFETY SERIES

Why is job site noise control

important to me?

Exposure to high levels of noise can cause

permanent hearing loss. Neither surgery nor a

hearing aid can help correct this type of hearing

loss. Construction sites have many noisy

operations and can be a significant source of

noise exposure.

Loud noise can also reduce work productivity

and contribute to workplace accidents by

making it difficult to hear warning signals.

Hearing loss from loud noise limits your ability

to hear high frequencies, understand speech,

and reduces your ability to communicate,

which can lead to social isolation. Hearing loss

can affect your quality of life by interfering with

your ability to enjoy socializing with friends,

playing with your children or grandchildren, or

participating in other activities.

Damage to your hearing can be prevented, but

once permanent noise-induced hearing loss

occurs, it cannot be cured or reversed. Hearing

loss usually occurs gradually, so you may not

realize it is happening until it is too late.

Noise can also affect your body in other ways.

A recent study found that workers persistently

exposed to excessive occupational noise may

be two-to-three times more likely to suffer from

serious heart disease than workers who were

not exposed.1

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration

1

Gan, W. et al., Exposure to Occupational Noise

and Cardiovascular Disease in the United States:

NHANES 1999-2004, Occup Environ Med doi:

10.1136/oem.2010.055269.
PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM NOISE IN CONSTRUCTION 3

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration

You may have hearing loss if:

• You have a hard time hearing people in

groups or meetings or if there is background noise.

• People sound as if they are mumbling.

• You have to ask people to repeat what they

say.

• You have trouble understanding others on

the telephone.

• You have ringing or noises in one or both

ears.

• You have trouble hearing back-up alarms

or the ringing of a cell phone.

How does hearing damage

happen?

A one-time exposure to a sudden powerful

noise, such as an explosion, may damage your

hearing instantly. Prolonged exposures to loud

noise can lead to a gradual, but permanent,

loss of hearing.

Damage can occur within the ear at noise

levels similar to that of running a lawn mower

for eight hours. At first, this may cause a

temporary loss of hearing that may last as long

as 14-16 hours. With repeated exposure to high

noise levels and periodic exposures to very

high noise levels (e.g., with the use of nail

guns), as is common at most construction

job sites, your hearing may not fully recover.

More often, the loss of hearing occurs slowly

over time from exposure to moderate levels of

noise. When that happens, the hearing loss

becomes permanent. This is why workplace

noise is sometimes referred to as a stealth

long-term hazard – because it is a painless,

gradual process.
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4 WORKER SAFETY SERIES

Hearing loss occurs when cilia, tiny hair cells

that line the inner ear, are damaged. At first, the

damage happens to the cilia that receive the

higher frequencies. Gradually, noise damages

more of the ear and affects how speech is

heard. If you hear muffled or distorted speech

sounds, that may be an indication that a

substantial hearing loss has already occurred.

In addition to hearing loss, you also may

experience ringing in the ears. This is called

tinnitus, and can occur even without other

apparent hearing loss.

Healthy inner ear lined with cilia, tiny hair cells

that help you hear.

Inner ear showing damage to the cilia.

Graphics courtesy of National Hearing Conservation Association
Occupational Safety and

Health Administration

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM NOISE IN CONSTRUCTION 5

How do I know if my tools

or job site are too noisy?

Sound intensity is measured in decibels. When

decibels are adjusted for how the ear senses

sound, the sound level intensity is measured as

dBA. Decibels are measured on a logarithmic

scale, which means that a small increase in the

number of decibels results in a huge change in

the amount of noise and the potential damage

to a person’s hearing. So, if the level increases

by 3 dBA this doubles the amount of the noise

and reduces the recommended amount of

exposure time by half.

Sound Level Meter and Noise Dosimeter

Safety and health

inspectors measure sound

or noise levels using a

device called a sound level

meter. The microphone

is positioned at the user’s

ear level. Equipment that

is determined to be loud

can be labeled with a

hazardous noise sticker.

OSHA uses noise

dosimeters to document

the average noise exposure over your working

day or of a particular task

for part of your workday.

OSHA recommends that

workplace noise levels be

kept below 85 dBA as an

8-hour time-weighted

average. As the noise level

increases, it damages your

hearing more quickly.

Sound level meter

Dosimeter

Images courtesy of Casella CEL Inc., Amherst, NH.
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6 WORKER SAFETY SERIES

Research indicates that your hearing can be

damaged by regular 8-hour exposures to 85

dBA. When noise is as loud as 100 dBA (like

a jackhammer or stud welder), it can take

repeated exposures of as little as 1 hour per

day to damage your hearing.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety

and Health (NIOSH) has recommended that all

worker exposures to noise should be controlled

below a level equivalent to 85 dBA for eight

hours to minimize occupational noise-induced

hearing loss. NIOSH has found that significant

noise-induced hearing loss occurs at the

exposure levels equivalent to the OSHA PEL

based on updated information obtained from

literature reviews. NIOSH also recommends a

3 dBA exchange rate so that every increase by

3 dBA represents a doubling of the amount of

the noise and halves the recommended amount

of exposure time.

2-3 Foot Rule and Noise Indicator

When a sound level meter is not available, you

should use the 2-to-3 foot rule: Stand about an

arm’s length away from your coworker: If you

have to raise your voice to be heard 2-3 feet

away, you should assume that the sound level

is at or above 85 dBA.

A personal noise indicator is a warning device.

It indicates if your immediate exposure is less

than or greater than 85 dBA. It flashes green if

the sound level is under 85 dBA and red when

above 85 dBA.
Occupational Safety and

Health Administration

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM NOISE IN CONSTRUCTION 7

Sound Level Chart

Equipment and daily activities at construction

job sites can expose workers to high levels of

noise. Sound levels on the chart below are

listed in decibels (dBA) – the larger the number,

the higher the volume or decibel level. How

loud the noise is (volume), how long the noise

lasts, and how close you are to the noise are all

important in determining the hazard.
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8 WORKER SAFETY SERIES

What can be done about job

site noise levels?

Plan Ahead

One of the best ways to reduce exposure to

hazardous noise on a work site is by planning

for potential exposure before activities start.

When jobs produce high noise levels, there are

ways to reduce your exposure other than or in

addition to hearing protectors.

For instance, your employer or supervisor

can buy materials to build sound barriers or

schedule noisy activities during hours when

fewer people are working. Your employer can

also rent or buy quieter equipment.

Your employer should hold daily or weekly

safety meetings to discuss ways to limit high

noise levels and other hazards. During safety

meetings, the general contractor can ask subcontractors to describe the planned tasks for

the day or week where hazardous noise might

be generated, as well as what equipment will

be used; you can use these opportunities to talk

about ways to limit exposure.

Even changes in the noise level that seem small

(e.g., 3 dBA) are actually significant reductions

in the noise.

Here are some specific ways to limit

exposure:

• Plan to make or use prefabricated noise

barriers.

• Ask your employer to buy or rent quieter

equipment/tools.

• Limit the hours you work in hazardous

noise areas.
Occupational Safety and

Health Administration

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM NOISE IN CONSTRUCTION 9

• Identify equipment and work areas where

signs can be posted to make other workers

aware of high noise areas.

• Use hearing protection to supplement

noise reduction.

Noise Control at the Job Site

The work site is where workers can have the

most impact by working with employers to

identify hazardous equipment, conduct hazard

assessments, and apply the control process

explained below. Employer support for providing supplies (acoustical insulation, extension

cords, pre-fabricated noise barriers), hand tools,

and sufficient set-up time are essential.

Noise Hazard Control Process

The easiest way to help lower noise levels at

your work site is to remember a three-step

noise hazard control process:

Reduce It: Reduce the noise by using the

quietest equipment available. For example,

choose a smaller, quieter generator.

Move It: Move the equipment farther away

with the use of extension cords, additional

welding leads, and air hoses (following current OSHA standards). Noise levels go down

as we increase our distance from a noisy

object. Move the generator farther away or

face it in a direction that is away from where

most people are working. If you are not

required to be in a high noise area, move to

a quieter area.

Block It: Block the noise by building temporary barriers of plywood or other on-site

materials to keep the noise from reaching
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10 WORKER SAFETY SERIES

workers. Place a five-sided, oversized wooden box over the generator. Add fire-resistant

acoustical absorbing material (foam) inside

the box. If the generator sits on soil or sand,

that will help absorb some of the noise.

Maintain and Retrofit Equipment

Proper maintenance of equipment and tools

can result in lower noise levels. Changing seals,

lubricating parts, using sharp blades and bits,

installing mufflers, and replacing faulty or worn

equipment or parts can reduce the noise levels

significantly on the job site.

Do you know of equipment on your job site

that could benefit from regular maintenance

to reduce noise levels? Your employer should

ensure that there is a regular maintenance

program and that everyone follows the

maintenance schedule.

Building a plywood barrier

Photo courtesy of Build It Smart
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Health Administration

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM NOISE IN CONSTRUCTION 11

With some ingenuity, even older, noisier

equipment can be modified by adding mufflers,

new seals, or insulated panels. Employees can

use noise reduction equipment accessories

when made available by the employer.

Employers can look for ways to reduce the

sound intensity of tools in their current

inventory.

Employers can reduce job site noise levels by

following OSHA recommendations:

• Identify major noise sources and possible

control solutions.

• Plan ahead and limit worker exposure as

much as possible.

• Perform regular maintenance.

Reminder

OSHA currently allows your employer to rely

on any combination of (1) hearing protective

devices with a hearing conservation

program, (2) engineering controls, and (3)

administrative controls to effectively reduce

worker exposures below 90 dBA.

OSHA also recommends that your employer

provide – and that you use – hearing

protective devices any time site exposures

meet or exceed 85 dBA.
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12 WORKER SAFETY SERIES

What can be done if

engineering and

administrative controls

are not enough?

Proper Selection and

Use of Hearing Protection

If other control strategies to reduce noise levels

can’t be used or fail to reduce noise levels

below OSHA’s permissible exposure limits

(PELs), wear a hearing protective device (29

CFR 1926.52). There are many different types of

hearing protection. Each type is designed for

certain noise conditions. They include the types

listed in the following table. But remember –

unless you wear them properly and wear them

all the time in high noise areas, the devices will

not be effective.

Convenience and comfort are important for

frequent use of hearing protective devices.

Earmuffs and foam earplugs in most cases offer

the most noise reduction. However, preformed

plugs or canal caps may be more convenient

where construction work generates moderate

daily average noise levels. There is no one

device that is the best type for all situations.

Your employer is responsible for selecting,

fitting, and maintaining hearing protective

devices and must provide them to you at no

cost and train you in their use (29 CFR

1926.101).

If you are not provided hearing protection for

high noise work tasks, ask for it. If the employer

refuses to provide hearing protectors, you can

request an OSHA inspection.
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Health Administration

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM NOISE IN CONSTRUCTION 13

Contractors and workers should consider the

following when selecting and wearing protective gear: the noise level of the task, communication needs, convenience, comfort, hygiene,

noise reduction of the hearing protective

devices, and hearing ability.

Each type of hearing protection has manufacturer’s directions for use and maintenance.

Follow these directions and replace or fix the

devices when they appear worn, dirty, or

broken. Always wear hearing protection to

protect yourself from high noise exposures,

both on the work site and at home.

Neither portable music player headphones

nor hearing aids are substitutes for hearing

protective devices.

Regular Hearing Screenings

If you are routinely exposed to hazardous levels

of noise, your employer should provide yearly

hearing tests to monitor your hearing loss over

time. If your employer does not provide these

tests, you should have your hearing tested by

an audiologist. The initial test (baseline) will be

used as the reference test. Future tests should

be compared to the baseline to see if you need

to do more to protect your hearing.

These hearing tests can detect small shifts in

hearing ability that have taken place since

previous tests. When changes in hearing ability

are detected, a retest is common to determine

whether the change is permanent or temporary.

Tests are relatively inexpensive and take about

20-30 minutes to conduct and get results.
14 WORKER SAFETY SERIES

Hearing Protective Devices

Type Features Concerns

Fits many differently

shaped ear canals.

Provides good

protection for most

noisy environments.

Convenient,

disposable.

Many have flanges

and handles. Come

in different sizes.

Come with cords,

convenient to carry.

Reusable.

Washable.

Molded to user’s ear.

Always comfortable.

Long-term wear.

Best for difficult-tofit ears.

On a band, can be

worn under chin,

over head, or

behind neck.

Can be put on and

taken off quickly.

Easy to use and

wear. Fit most

people.

Easy to keep clean.

Flat reduction of

noise over all

frequencies.

Have a baffle to

reduce impact noise.

Radio Communication

while still reducing

noise.

Must be inserted

properly to get the

highest possible

protection.

If the plug doesn’t

make a good seal, it

won’t protect your

hearing.

Preformed so may

not fit as wide a

variety of ear canals

as foam plugs.

May require a different size for each ear.

Must keep them

clean.

Must be made by

a licensed hearing

protection provider.

Not as comfortable

as other devices.

Not as much

protection as other

devices.

Can be hot and

heavy.

May be more difficult

to get a good fit with

glasses and/or may

interfere with other

protective gear.

Can be expensive.

Must be custom

fitted.

Photos: NIOSH; Howard Leight; Aearo Technologies, a 3M Company;

Bilsom; WorkSafe BC; Northern Safety and Industrial.

Remember:

The best hearing protective device is the one

you’ll actually wear.

Roll down foam

Reusable

earplugs

Custom

molded

Canal caps

Earmuffs

New Types

Flat

Attenuated

Communication
Occupational Safety and

Health Administration

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM NOISE IN CONSTRUCTION 15

When looking at your

hearing test, levels

greater than 25 dBA

indicate impairment.

Furthermore, losses in

the higher frequencies

(3000, 4000, 6000 hertz)

are more significant

and you should

discuss them with

your audiologist.

You also can do daily monitoring of your

hearing with a simple self-test. This works best

if you drive yourself to work. When you reach

your job site and are turning off the car engine,

turn the radio on so it is just barely loud

enough to hear (talk radio stations work well

for this exercise) and go on with your day.

When you return at the end of the work shift,

check to see if you can still hear the radio with

the power on, but the engine off. If you can’t

hear the radio, think about what may have

damaged your hearing and how you could

better protect your hearing.

Remember the 3 steps to noise control:

Reduce it: Use the quietest equipment

available.

Move it: Locate noisy equipment away from

workers.

Block it: Erect temporary barriers to block

noise from reaching workers.

YOU ONLY HAVE ONE SET OF EARS –

PROTECTTHEM
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My job site is too noisy.

What can I do?

First, if you feel comfortable, speak with your

supervisor. If you are a union member, raise the

issue with your union representative. You can also

call or write OSHA.

How do I file a complaint with OSHA?

• Mail, e-mail, or fax the nearest OSHA office

(visit www.osha.gov or call 1-800-321-OSHA

(6742) for the address of the nearest OSHA

office) and request an inspection.

• File a complaint by phone – call (800) 321-

OSHA (6742); the teletypewriter (TTY) number

is (877) 889-5627.

• File online from OSHA’s home page:

www.osha.gov/as/opa/worker/complain.html.

Most online and phone complaints may be

resolved informally over the phone with your

employer. Written complaints that are signed by

a worker or representative and filed with OSHA

are more likely to result in an OSHA inspection.

Complete the OSHA complaint form, then fax

or mail it back. Include your name, address, and

telephone number so that we can contact you.

All complaints are kept confidential.
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Health Administration

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM NOISE IN CONSTRUCTION 17

Am I protected if I call OSHA?

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act)

prohibits employers from discriminating against

their employees for using their rights under the

OSH Act. These rights include filing an OSHA

complaint, participating in an inspection or talking

to the inspector or raising a safety and health

issue with the employer.

If you believe that your employer has discriminated against you because you exercised your safety

and health rights, contact your local OSHA office

right away. Under the OSH Act, you only have 30

days to report discrimination.

Call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) and ask to be

connected to your local office.

Discrimination can include:

• Firing or laying off

• Denying benefits

• Blacklisting

• Intimidation

• Denying overtime or promotion

• Reducing pay or hours

• Disciplining
18 WORKER SAFETY SERIES

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration

Additional OSHA Assistance

Compliance Assistance Specialists

OSHA has compliance assistance specialists

throughout the nation who can provide information to employers and workers about OSHA standards, short educational programs on specific

hazards or OSHA rights and responsibilities, and

information on additional compliance assistance

resources. Contact your local OSHA office for

more information.

OSHA Consultation Service for Small Employers

The OSHA Consultation Service provides free

assistance to small employers to help them

identify and correct hazards, and to improve their

injury and illness prevention program. Most of

these services are delivered on site by state

government agencies or universities using welltrained professional staff.

Consultation services are available to private

sector employers. Priority is given to small

employers with the most hazardous operations

or in the most high-hazard industries. These

programs are largely funded by OSHA and are

delivered at no cost to employers who request

help. Consultation services are separate from

enforcement activities. To request such services,

an employer can phone or write to the OSHA

Consultation Program. See the Small Business

section of OSHA's website for contact information

for the consultation offices in every state.

• Safety and Health Achievement

Recognition Program

Under the consultation program, certain exemplary employers may request participation in OSHA's

Safety and Health Achievement Recognition

Program (SHARP). Eligibility for participation

includes, but is not limited to, receiving a fullservice, comprehensive consultation visit,
PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM NOISE IN CONSTRUCTION 19

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration

correcting all identified hazards, and developing

an effective injury and illness prevention program.

OSHA Educational Materials

OSHA has many types of educational materials

available in print or online, including:

• Brochures/booklets cover a wide variety of

job hazards and other topics;

• Fact Sheets and QuickFacts contain basic

background information on safety and health

hazards;

• Guidance documents provide detailed

examinations of specific safety and health issues;

• Online Safety and HealthTopics Pages;

• Posters;

• QuickCardsTM are small, laminated cards that

provide brief workers’ rights and safety and

health information; and

• QuickTakes is OSHA’s free, twice-monthly

online newsletter. To sign up for QuickTakes

visit OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov and

click on QuickTakes at the top of the page.

To view materials available online or for a listing

of free publications, visit OSHA’s website at

www.osha.gov. You can also call 1-800-321-OSHA

(6742) to order publications, to ask questions or to

get more information.

NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation:

Getting Help on Health Hazards

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health (NIOSH) is a federal agency that conducts

scientific and medical research on workers’ safety

and health. At no cost to employers or workers,

NIOSH can help identify and correct potential

health hazards in the workplace through its Health

Hazard Evaluation (HHE) program.

Workers, union representatives and employers

can request a NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation.
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20 WORKER SAFETY SERIES

An HHE is often requested when there is a higher

than expected rate of a disease or injury in a

group of workers. These situations may be the

result of an unknown cause, a new hazard, or a

mixture of sources.

To request a NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation, or

find out more about the program:

• Call the NIOSH toll-free Information Service at

1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636); or

• Go online at

www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/Request.html.
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Health Administration

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM NOISE IN CONSTRUCTION 21

OSHA Regional Offices

Region I

Boston Regional Office

(CT*, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT*)

JFK Federal Building, Room E340

Boston, MA 02203

(617) 565-9860 (617) 565-9827 Fax

Region II

New York Regional Office

(NJ*, NY*, PR*, VI*)

201 Varick Street, Room 670

New York, NY 10014

(212) 337-2378 (212) 337-2371 Fax

Region III

Philadelphia Regional Office

(DE, DC, MD*, PA, VA*, WV)

The Curtis Center

170 S. Independence Mall West

Suite 740 West

Philadelphia, PA 19106-3309

(215) 861-4900 (215) 861-4904 Fax

Region IV

Atlanta Regional Office

(AL, FL, GA, KY*, MS, NC*, SC*, TN*)

61 Forsyth Street, SW, Room 6T50

Atlanta, GA 30303

(678) 237-0400 (678) 237-0447 Fax

Region V

Chicago Regional Office

(IL*, IN*, MI*, MN*, OH, WI)

230 South Dearborn Street

Room 3244

Chicago, IL 60604

(312) 353-2220 (312) 353-7774 Fax

Region VI

Dallas Regional Office

(AR, LA, NM*, OK, TX)

525 Griffin Street, Room 602

Dallas, TX 75202

(972) 850-4145 (972) 850-4149 Fax

(972) 850-4150 FSO Fax
Region VII

Kansas City Regional Office

(IA*, KS, MO, NE)

Two Pershing Square Building

2300 Main Street, Suite 1010

Kansas City, MO 64108-2416

(816) 283-8745 (816) 283-0547 Fax

Region VIII

Denver Regional Office

(CO, MT, ND, SD, UT*, WY*)

1999 Broadway, Suite 1690

Denver, CO 80202

(720) 264-6550 (720) 264-6585 Fax

Region IX

San Francisco Regional Office

(AZ*, CA*, HI*, NV*, and American Samoa,

Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands)

90 7th Street, Suite 18100

San Francisco, CA 94103

(415) 625-2547 (415) 625-2534 Fax

Region X

Seattle Regional Office

(AK*, ID, OR*, WA*)

300 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1280

Seattle, WA 98104-2397

(206) 757-6700 (206) 757-6705 Fax

*These states and territories operate their own

OSHA-approved job safety and health plans and

cover state and local government employees as

well as private sector employees. The Connecticut,

Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Virgin Islands

programs cover public employees only. (Private

sector workers in these states are covered by Federal

OSHA). States with approved programs must have

standards that are identical to, or at least as effective

as, the Federal OSHA standards.

Note: To get contact information for OSHA area

offices, OSHA-approved state plans and OSHA

consultation projects, please visit us online at

www.osha.gov or call us at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).

22 WORKER SAFETY SERIES

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration
Appendix: More Information

on Noise Protection

Here are some online references on noise

control and hearing conservation:

Construction Noise in British Columbia, by the

Workers’ Compensation Board:

http://hearingconservation.healthandsafety

centre.org/pdfs/hearing/ ConstructionNoise.pdf

eLCOSH, the Electronic Library of Construction

Occupational Safety and Health:

http://www.elcosh.org/en/browse/49/noise.html

How Loud IsToo Loud? A guide you can download with decibel levels:

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/

sound-ruler.aspx

Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund of North

America (LHSFNA):

http://www.lhsfna.org/noise

National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health (NIOSH) Noise Meter:

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/

noisemeter.html

NIOSH PowerTools Database:

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/niosh-sound-vibration

OSHA’s Field Operations Manual:

http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/Directive_pdf/CPL_

02-00-148.pdf

OSHA Hearing Conservation for the HearingImpaired Worker:

http://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib122705.html

OSHA Noise and Hearing Conservation eTool:

http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/noise/index.html

OSHA Noise and Hearing Conservation Safety

and HealthTopics Page:

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/noisehearing

conservation/index.html

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM NOISE IN CONSTRUCTION 23

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration
Standards for States with OSHA-approved State

Plans:

http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/statestandards.html

The personal hearing protection devices chart on

page 14 was adapted from ToolboxTalks: Hearing

Conservation in the Shipbuilding Industry, developed through the Alliance Program, an OSHA

Cooperative Program:

http://www.shipbuilders.org/Portals/Shipbuilders/

PP PDFs/Tool Box Talk series - hearing conservation in Shipbuilding - FINAL - 042409.pdf

What CausesTinnitus?:

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/tinnitus.

htm#2

24 WORKER SAFETY SERIES

Occupational Safety and

Health Administration
(800) 321-OSHA (6742)
U.S. Department of Labor

www.osha.gov (800) 321-OSHA (6742)

For more information:

Occupational

Safety and Health

Administration

If you have

questions, call OSHA.

We can help.