Last week we talked about how we often don’t protect our hands enough when performing manual tasks. This week I’m focusing on our ears. Let’s face it, we operate some loud equipment: chainsaws, K-12 saws, hydraulic power units, apparatus pumps, etc. These tools make a lot of noise, so we must protect our ears when operating any of them.
A typical chainsaw produces a noise level of 110 dBA at the operator’s ear. At that noise level, OSHA allows a 30-minute exposure (call it “stay time,” if you will). Obviously, if we’re operating a chainsaw for longer than 30 minutes, our problems might be bigger than running the chainsaw. However, for every 5 dBA increase, the stay time decreases by half.
It doesn’t take very long to damage your hearing. A good rule of thumb: If you can’t hear a conversation at a normal voice level, you should wear hearing protection. Additionally, hearing protection should be available to all personnel, and should be used when the situation calls for it. Keep earmuffs or ear plugs in your diddy bag, and invest in headsets for handheld radios.