1. Hearing Protection— The Case of the Broken Eardrum
P O W E R P O I N T ® T R A I N I N G
Target Audience: This session deals with hearing protection and is appropriate for any employee who may be exposed to loud noise on the job regularly. Specifically, this case deals with a hearing injury that occurred on a construction site; therefore, construction workers will find the session especially useful. It is not appropriate for those who are not at risk of hearing damage resulting from loud noise.
Learning Objectives: This session deals with the hazards of loud noise and protections you can take while on the job. It can be used in conjunction with a full hearing protection session, or it can be used as refresher training.
Background for the Trainer:
This case and its training message primarily have to do with exposure to noise and hearing conservation. Therefore, it is most appropriate for employees who work in high noise-level environments or those that use tools that generate loud noise. This session is probably not appropriate for workers who are never exposed to high levels of noise.
This training session presents a case study of an actual accident inspected and documented by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The case presented in this training session is:
Accident:
Report ID:
Inspection:
You may choose to present this training information in a lecture format, or make the training presentation interactive by engaging your class in discussions that will help them identify facts of the case, potential causes of the accident, and future accident prevention measures. In either case, students will benefit by learning from a real-life scenario.
Before beginning your training session, print and make copies of the one-page Case Study Student Handout, which is provided on the disc. The Case Study Student Handout can be used as a worksheet during the training session, or as a take-away reminder once the training session is complete.
Also, print and make copies of the Case Study Quiz, which is provided on the disc as a fully customizable Word document. The students can take the quiz at the end of the training session in order to help reinforce the information presented. Note that the same quiz is included at the end of this PowerPoint presentation as actual slides to review in class.
Consider taking pictures of workers wearing hearing protection when exposed to high noise levels in your workplace. You can add these pictures to the presentation by inserting them into existing slides or creating new slides.
Make sure the trainees understand the message as you go along. Ask questions periodically to test their understanding.
Speaker’s Notes:
Welcome everyone. Today we will conduct a case study of an actual accident investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This is an actual tragic workplace accident that had real-life implications for the worker, the worker’s family, co-workers, and the employer. The Case Study may be disturbing and may even involve a fatality.
The purpose of this training session is to teach and reinforce the importance of the hearing conservation program in order to prevent tragic accidents. In particular, it deals with how to protect your hearing from high levels of noise. The intention is to learn from the accident and take steps to prevent a similar accident from changing our lives.
Hearing Protection—
The Case of the Broken Eardrum
©2003

2. Let’s Talk About Noise Pitch or frequency Loudness
Whisper 10 dB Mowing the lawn 101 dB
Street sounds 70 dB Motorcycle riding 112 dB
Sander 85 dB Concerts 125 dB
Sporting Event 100 dB Shooting range 130 dB
Background for the Trainer:
Bring a copy of your company’s Hearing Conservation Program.
Bring a copy of any noise level surveys that have been conducted in your workplace and explain what levels of noise your employees are exposed to.
Speaker’s Notes:
The pitch or frequency of a sound, which is measured in hertz, applies to shrill noises such as whistles, high-pitched screams, fingernails on a chalkboard, etc. These noises are much more likely to harm your hearing, especially when these high-pitched noises are also loud.
Loudness of the noise is measured in decibels (dB) with a sound level meter or noise dosimeter. OSHA has determined that hearing damage is risked when you are exposed to an average of more than 90 dB during an entire eight-hour work period without wearing hearing protection equipment.
Unless you are wearing hearing protection, exposure to noise levels at or above 140 dB for any length of time is considered very dangerous to your hearing.

3. Take a Look at the Facts Using powder-actuated tool
Using hottest and strongest red shots
Work area has plasterboard partitions
Background for the Trainer:
Training Option: Pass out the Case Study Student Handout. You may have the students read the accident description to themselves before discussing it in the class, or you may use the bullet points on the slide and the speaker’s notes below to describe the accident.
Speaker’s Notes:
The employee, a sheet metal worker, is using a powder-actuated tool.
The hottest and strongest red shots are being used.
The area in which he is working has some steel studs in place for partitions and some unfinished plasterboard has been put up.

4. Take a Look at the Facts (cont.)
Shooting metal hanger straps into decking
Eardrum is broken by a loud-impact noise
Speaker’s Notes:
The employee is shooting metal hanger straps into 22-gauge-thick decking. The straps are used to hold the sheet metal duct work in place.
The employee’s eardrum is broken by a loud-impact noise.

5. What Do You Think Went Wrong?
Do you think the injured worker was wearing hearing protection?
How loud is a powder-actuated tool— especially when shooting into thick decking?
What is the significance of the plasterboard partitions to the investigation?
Do you think this worker’s employer had a Hearing Conservation Plan?
Background for the Trainer:
Use the questions on this slide to elicit discussion.
Training options: After reviewing this slide and the accident description, give the class 5 to 10 minutes to discuss the accident description in small groups; or ask the students to try to determine some of the facts, potential causes, and possible prevention measures. In either case, use the Case Study Student Handout as a way to encourage discussion as you go through this presentation.
Speaker’s Notes:
Let’s take a few minutes and, using the Case Study Student Handout, work in groups to try to determine the facts of the accident, potential causes of the accident, and possible prevention measures. Then we will review the Case Study together in class.
Consider some of the questions on this slide when discussing the Case Study in your groups.

6. Let’s Review the Causes
No hearing protection
Enclosed area
Loud powder-actuated tool
No Hearing Conservation Plan or training
Background for the Trainer:
Try to get the trainees to put themselves in the place of the person in the case study. What would they have done in this case? Point out how a near miss can turn into a catastrophe in the presence of emergencies. In this case, the worker did not wear hearing protection despite using a very loud tool in an enclosed area.
Speaker’s Notes:
Although the investigation report does not state whether the worker was wearing hearing protection, we can probably assume that he was not. The worker should have at least been wearing earplugs. Canal caps or typical earmuffs by themselves are probably not adequate protection for this level of noise. The worker may even consider wearing earplugs with earmuffs over the ear for additional protection.
The work area was partially enclosed by plasterboard partitions. This increased the duration and damage of the impact noise. The sound of the powder shot and the ringing echoed inside this partially enclosed area.
A powder-actuated tool is very loud. The impact or impulse noise would be similar to a gunshot, probably about 130 to 140 dB. In addition to the noise from the powder explosion, there would be additional ringing noise generated by the “shot” striking the metal decking.
Although we can’t tell from the inspection report, it seems likely that this worker was not trained on hearing conservation and that the worker’s employer did not have a written Hearing Conservation Program. A trained employee would have worn hearing protection in this situation, and would not have done this sort of work behind sound-blocking partitions. These practices would violate most hearing conservation programs as well.
Can you think of any other causes that may have contributed to this accident?

7. Signs of Hearing Loss Noise or ringing in ears
Difficulty hearing people speak
Inability to hear high-pitched or soft sounds
Others complaining that your radio or TV volume is too high
Speaker’s Notes:
Typically, hearing loss often goes undetected because it is a gradual and pain-free process. If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor for further evaluation.
Constant noise or ringing sounds echoing in your ears are a sign that something is wrong that may contribute to hearing loss.
If you have difficulty hearing people speak, you may be suffering from some hearing loss. If you have to lean in close to people when they speak or find yourself frequently asking people to repeat themselves, this may indicate hearing loss. Some people can hear fine when talking with someone in a quiet room, but will have trouble hearing a person speak when there is a lot of background noise, such as in a room crowded with people, at a shopping mall, or at a sporting event.
Another sign of hearing loss is the inability to hear certain sounds, such as high pitched or soft sounds. Can you still hear the sound of a ticking clock or watch?
Probably the most obvious sign of hearing loss is when others ask you to turn down the volume of the TV or radio when you think it is at a normal or comfortable level. Ask them to turn down the volume to a level that is comfortable for them and see if you can still hear it. If not, you may be suffering from hearing loss.

8. Hearing Protection Devices
Earplugs
Canal caps
Earmuffs
Background for the Trainer:
Bring examples of the different types of Hearing Protection Devices (HPD) available in your workplace. Demonstrate how to use the HPDs properly.
Speaker’s Notes:
OSHA expects employers to make reasonable effort to reduce noise levels with engineering and administrative controls. However, if these do not work, employers are expected to provide HPDs to all affected employees.
There are many different brands and styles of earplugs on the market, but they are all very similar. Read the directions on the package. You just squeeze one end by rolling it between your thumb and finger, insert it into your ear, and allow it to expand and fill your ear canal. You can get a better fit if you reach over your head with one arm and pull upward on the top of your ear while inserting the plug.
Earplugs offer great protection from noise and are lightweight and unobtrusive. Remember to make sure the plugs and your hands are clean before squeezing and inserting the plug into your ear—you don’t want to push dirt into your ear.
Canal caps look like small stereo headphones. They come on a band that keeps the caps compressed against your ears. They are easy to put on and remove. Canal caps are useful to employees who are exposed to loud noise for short periods of time. They do not offer the same level of protection as the earplugs because they do not enter the ear canal; they merely cap the entrance to the canal.
Earmuffs are generally used as a supplemental protection from noise. They might be used in addition to earplugs to help reduce noise exposure even further. If the earmuffs do not fit perfectly or seal adequately around the worker’s ear, they can increase noise exposure because noise may actually echo inside the “muff,” thus increasing in decibels before entering the ear.
Remember, headphones from portable radios do not count as HPDs.

9. Hearing Conservation Program
Noise monitoring—85 dB
Hearing tests
Provide HPDs
Noise reduction efforts
Training
Recordkeeping
Background for the Trainer:
Bring a copy of your company’s safe work practices for jobs with high levels of noise – point out the requirement to wear HPDs.
Show pictures of workers in your company wearing HPDs.
Speaker’s Notes:
If workers are exposed to high levels of noise, the first step is to conduct sound-level monitoring. Employees have the right to observe the monitoring. A typical noise-level monitoring strategy will include determining if noise hazards exist and identifying employees exposed to high noise levels.
Employees exposed to noise levels at or above an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 85 dB are considered to be “affected employees” and must be included in the Hearing Conservation Program.
Hearing, or audiometric, tests are offered to all employees included in the Hearing Conservation Program (i.e., those employees exposed to an eight-hour TWA of 85 dB or greater). These hearing tests are conducted by a qualified medical provider. The first test is a baseline test and must be conducted within an employee’s first six months of inclusion in the Hearing Conservation Program. Follow-up tests are conducted annually.
Your employer must make reasonable efforts to reduce noise exposure. Engineering controls might include mufflers, acoustical curtains, sound absorbing materials, rubber mounted equipment, etc. Administrative controls will limit the amount of time a worker can be in a high-noise area.
Employees included in the Hearing Conservation Program must be trained annually on topics such as how noise impacts hearing; the care, use, and selection of HPDs; and hearing tests.
Management is required to maintain records of noise monitoring, your hearing test results, types of HPDs provided, and job assignments that expose employees to high levels of noise. Employees can have access to all records pertaining to the Hearing Conservation Program.

10. Don’t Let It Happen to You
Understand how noise affects your hearing
Review the results of noise monitoring in your workplace
Wear HPDs
Let your supervisor know of any noise- related issues
Speaker’s Notes:
Let’s take a look at what we can do to prevent a similar incident from happening at our facility.
Do not take your hearing for granted. Learn how noise impacts your hearing and take the necessary steps to protect your hearing from unnecessary damage.
Review the results of noise-level monitoring in your workplace. Know which areas are high-noise areas. Know which types of work generate high levels of noise.
Wear HPDs whenever working in a high-noise area or whenever doing a job that generates loud noise. Keep your hearing protection clean and in good condition. Replace when damaged.
Let your supervisor know of any problems related to wearing HPDs or any concerns about potential new high-noise areas or high-noise equipment.
Are there any questions?
Thanks for your attention.

11. Quiz 1. Describe a sign of hearing loss. 2. Name two kinds of HPDs.
3. How often are hearing tests conducted?
4. Name one of the ways management attempts to control noise exposure.
Background for the Trainer:
Remind employees that the quiz is to encourage further discussion and to help you, the trainer, be sure that everyone understands what was discussed.
Print copies of the quiz for participants to take on their own, or go over the questions as part of the training session.

12. Quiz (cont.)
5. An average exposure of _____ dB requires you to be part of the Hearing Conservation Program.
6. Describe how to insert earplugs.
7. How many dB are considered very dangerous for any duration?
8. Name two examples of records that employees have a right to review.

13. Quiz Answers 1. Q. Describe a sign of hearing loss.
A. Ringing, difficulty hearing people, TV or radio is too loud for others
2. Q. Name two kinds of HPDs.
A. Earplug, canal cap, earmuff
3. Q. How often are hearing tests conducted?
A. Every year

14. Quiz Answers (cont.)
4. Q. Name one of the ways management attempts to control noise exposure.
A. Engineering or administrative controls
5. Q. An average exposure of ____ dB requires you to be part of the Hearing Conservation Program.
A. 85 dB
6. Q. Describe how to insert earplugs.
A. Squeeze and roll between fingers, pull up ear, insert, and allow to expand.

15. Quiz Answers (cont.)
7. Q. How many dB are considered very dangerous for any duration?
A. 140 dB
8. Q. Name two examples of records that employees have a right to review.
A. Noise monitoring, hearing test results