Hearing conservation program

Hearing conservation programs are designed to prevent noise induced hearing loss. A written hearing conservation program is required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) “whenever employee noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average sound level (TWA) of 85 decibels measured on the A scale (slow response) or, equivalently, a dose of fifty percent.” This 8-hour time-weighted average is known as an exposure action value. While the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) also requires a hearing conservation program, MSHA does not require a written hearing conservation program. MSHA’s hearing conservation program requirement can be found in 30 CFR § 62.150, and requires has almost the same exact requirements as the OSHA hearing conservation program requirements. Therefore, only the OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.95 will be discussed in detail.