Occupational Noise Exposure
Aggregate mining operations consist of drilling, blasting, crushing, screening, stockpiling, and transporting of aggregate material, which is essential for many aspects of everyday life. One of the well documented potential hazards of mining is occupational noise exposure. Noise induced hearing ranks among the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) top ten work related illnesses reported.
Listed below are job tasks in mining that may lead to occupational induced hearing loss:
| Task Area |
Task Related Activities |
| Drilling/Cutting |
Wagon and rotary drill, jackhammer, stone saw |
| Haulage |
Truck driver, operator of bulldozer, front-end loader, dragline |
| Plant |
Mill work; sizing, washing,dry screening operations, kilns |
| Maintenance/Cleaning |
Laborer, cleanup, utility and mechanic |
Source: MSHA
NSSGA believes that through a hierarchy of controls accompanied by routine monitoring and placement of employees exposed to elevated noise levels into a hearing conservation program, that potential noise induced hearing loss can be reduced. The hierarchy of controls consists of engineering, administrative and personal protection equipment (PPE).
Every effort should be made to control noise, first, at tits source using engineering controls. This includes selection of quieter equipment from manufacturers, reducing impact or impulsive forces, and reducing speeds of machines. Reducing the transmission of the path by separating the noise from the receiver through the use of distance, environmental cabs or booths and sound absorbing materials can significantly reduce noise exposures.
Administrative controls such as routine altering of employee work schedules or restricting access to certain areas can lead to significant reductions to miner’s exposure to noise.
Personal protective equipment is the least desirable and effective control measure. However, it is critical that hearing protectors are worn correctly and individually matched to the worker, noise level and the environment.
Recognizing the seriousness of potential noise induced hearing loss among miners, NSSGA teamed up with the Mine Safety and Health Administration to develop the Noise & Dust Workshops. Since 1997, this award-winning program has been conducted at approximately 40 aggregates mine sites across the country, educating more than 350 students. This is a unique opportunity for miners to learn how to conduct noise and dust exposure monitoring, record and interpret results and develop plans to reduce exposures below MSHA permissible limits. The 3-day workshop is two days of classroom instruction and one day of field work in which each participant puts noise and dust monitoring equipment on working miners, and collects exposure measurements under real-world circumstances.
MSHA promulgated its Health Standards for Occupational Noise Exposure (30 CFR Part 62) on September 13, 1999. The final rule establishing a uniform requirement for miners from occupational noise induced hearing loss became effective September 13, 2000.
The requirements include:
| 62.100 | Purpose and Scope; effective date |
| 62.101 | Definitions |
| 62.110 | Noise exposure assessment |
| 62.120 | Action Level |
| 62.130 | Permissible exposure level |
| 62.140 | Dual hearing protection level |
| 62.150 | Hearing conservation program |
| 62.160 | Hearing protectors |
| 62.170 | Audiometric testing |
| 62.171 | Audiometric test procedures |
| 62.172 | Evaluation of audiograms |
| 62.173 | Follow-up evaluation when an audiogram is invalid |
| 62.174 | Follow-up corrective measures when a standard threshold shift is detected |
| 62.175 | Notification of results; reporting requirements |
| 62.180 | Training |
| 62.190 | Records |
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