August 16, 2002—The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking comments until November 4, 2002 on whether the agency should add a requirement for a hearing conservation program to its construction noise standard similar to the requirements covering general industry workers and, if so, how these requirements should be adapted for the construction industry. This could include providing hearing protection, hearing tests, and periodic noise exposure monitors, to workers exposed to high noise levels.
OSHA notes that while high levels of noise that can cause hearing loss and create safety hazards occur in other occupational environments, they are of particular concern in the construction industry, where a variety of activities often occur simultaneously.
Every year as many as 750,000 US construction workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels. Among these workers, regular hearing protection is only worn about 15-33 % of the time.
OSHA’s current construction noise standards require employers to protect workers from hazardous noise and provide hearing protection devices to workers engaged in construction and renovation work when high noise levels are present.
Written comments on the agency’s consideration of a hearing conservation program for the construction industry must be submitted by November 4, 2002, in triplicate, to the Docket Office, Docket No. H-011G, Room N-2625, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20210, (202) 693-2350. Electronic comments may be submitted to: http://ecomments.osha.gov/.
Because of security-related problems in receiving regular mail service in a timely manner, OSHA is requesting that comments be hand-delivered to the Docket Office, or sent by Express Mail or other overnight delivery service, e-mail, or fax.
