Here is the 2021 CAOHC Class schedule from Workplace Integra:
Courses are approved and instructors are certified by the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC). This 20-hour initial certification training is referenced in both OSHA and MSHA noise standards. It is designed to train personnel conducting hearing testing; implementing or supervising hearing conservation programs. Topics include: click for more….
Information as you shop for the Holidays..
Courtesy of ACDHH
We have all heard that car with the huge speakers turned all the way up roll by, rattling the windows of nearby buildings. Or we have been to a concert (maybe stood a little too close to the stage) with the music blaring so loud our ears were left ringing for hours afterward. These are the obvious, rare, and usually avoidable overly loud situations. But what about the noise our employees may be exposed to on a regular basis? How do we know when the volume is too loud, and more importantly, what can we do about it?
According to the CDC (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), “Hearing loss is the third most common chronic physical condition in the United States, and is more prevalent than diabetes or cancer. Occupational hearing loss, primarily caused by high noise exposure, is the most common U.S. work-related illness. Approximately 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous occupational noise.”
How much volume is too much?
Measuring the sound level in the work environment is how we determine if an employee may be one of those people regularly exposed to excessive loud noise. Government agencies, such as OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and the DOE (Department of Energy), each have their own standards that are similar but do have important differences.
Sound is measured in decibels (dB), and the higher the number of decibels the louder the sound is. The generally accepted level and exposure time to limit potential damage to a person’s hearing is 85 decibels over an 8-hour work day. As the noise level increases, the amount of allowable exposure time goes down. OSHA mandates that for every 5 dB louder, the exposure time is cut in half. The DOE exchange rate stipulates to cut the exposure time in half for every 3 dB increase in volume. This means that with 100 dB noise level (which is the noise level at a typical construction site with several tools and machines running), OSHA allows for one hour of exposure while the DOE allows for just 15 minutes.
How do I know if the work environment is too loud?
OSHA documents refer to a “quick and dirty” method of making a rough estimate as to the loudness of the work area. “A good rule of thumb to determine if a noise is too loud is the 3-foot rule. If an employee is standing 3 feet from someone and must shout to be heard, the noise level is probably over the OSHA action level and DOE exposure limit.” Here is my personal unwritten rule; if the noise is so loud that I involuntarily scrunch my face up like I just ate a lemon, it’s too loud! This amount of loudness likely requires hearing protection.
The most accurate way to measure noise at a work site is to use a noise dosimeter. These instruments are designed to measure the weighted noise level over a specific period of time and compare them to the standards provided by the government. This testing should be arranged if it is believed the work environment may be louder than 85 dB.
We have a loud area, what do we do now?
If a workplace is over the threshold for loudness, the employer should institute a Hearing Conservation Program. This type of program has many components, including regular employee hearing screening, record keeping and reporting, as well as hearing loss prevention. NIOSH (The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) recommends a three-step approach to controlling noise:
1. First, prevent or contain the escape of the hazardous workplace noise at its source (Engineering control)
2. Control exposure by relocating the worker to a safe area or creating shorter shifts in the loud workspace (Administrative controls)
3. Control the exposure with barriers between the worker and the noise (personal protective equipment)
It all adds up!
Our hearing is precious and should be conserved as much as and whenever possible. Be aware of the noise level in the work environment and the steps an employee can take to limit exposure. Most noise-induced hearing loss is permanent, not repairable, and most importantly, preventable.
About the author: Josh Frantz, NBC-HIS/COHC is Certified by the National Board for Certification in Hearing Instrument Sciences, a Certified Occupation Hearing Conservationist and co-founder of Advanced Hearing Providers. Advanced Hearing Providers delivers hearing claims administration and cost containment in the workers’ compensation space. Any questions can be directed to Josh at: jfrantz@hearingprovider.com
Blackwell DL, Lucas JW, Clarke TC. Summary health statistics for US adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2012. Vital health statistics, series 10, no. 260. Atlanta, GA: National Center for
Health Statistics, CDC; 2014. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_260.pdf
Themann CL, Suter AH, Stephenson MR. National research agenda for the prevention of occupational hearing loss—part 1. Semin Hear 2013;34:145–207.
Tak S, Davis RR, Calvert GM. Exposure to hazardous workplace noise and use of hearing protection devices among US workers—NHANES, 1999–2004. Am J Ind Med 2009;52:358–71.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Education and Information Division, Preventing Occupational Hearing Loss – A Practical Guide
The response to the COVID-19 virus has resulted in many questions. CAOHC understands many courses have been cancelled or will be cancelled as a result of government efforts to limit the spread of disease. While considering the well-being of our community, CAOHC will be immediately implementing the following:
All OHC certifications that were current between March 16, 2020 and March 30, 2021 have automatically been extended until March 31, 2021. All other OHC expiration dates will remain the same.
If a longer OHC extension is needed, please fill out an extension form on the CAOHC website by clicking here.
If an OHC needs to cancel attendance at a course, please contact the course director directly. Course Directors information can be found by clicking here.
Any Course Directors (CDs) or Professional Supervisors (PS’s) that expired between March 16, 2020 and December 30, 2020, has automatically been extended until the end of the year (until December 31, 2020). All other CD/PS expiration dates will remain the same.
Classes offered by Workplace INTEGRA: WPI CAOHC SCHEDULE
For any questions, please contact CAOHC. Info@caohc.org or 414 276 5338
Workplace Integra has been closely monitoring the COVID-19 Coronavirus and we are following the recommendations of the CDC and other relevant agencies. As a responsible company, we want to take care of each other as well as our business partners and clients.
We continue to monitor and evaluate the situation constantly to be able to operate the business in the best possible way. This means that we have setup rules for behavior for employees and for people in contact with Workplace Integra. The rules follow the guidance of authorities and the CDC, even sometimes involving stricter precautions.
• We have available written protocols for our associates who visit our clients.
• We have intensified cleaning, disinfection and extra hygiene alertness
•We have applied strict limitation on visitor access.
• We are currently not attending seminars and conferences
• Office to office meetings are being done via virtual meetings as the primary collaborative tool.
• Employees with critical on site and customer-facing tasks are working on sites and in shops following authorities’ guidance and with high safety, health and hygienic alertness.
• Employees who don’t depend on equipment or presence at work, are working from home if possible.
• Any employee with any flu like symptoms (signs of respiratory illness with a fever, cough or shortness of breath) shall get guidance from a medical professional if contagious and/or required to medically stay out of work. I addition, all employees have been given the following directive:
• If you have been travelling (business or pleasure) in the high risk zones within the last 14 days, or
• If within the last 14 days – you have been in close contact with others that are under surveillance for infection or
• If you already have been at work after such incidents/travels, Then you shall stay away from work (work from home if possible) until a period of 14 days passed – and follow health authorities´ recommendations concerning medical help and/or screening.
Our first priority is the health of your employees, your staff and you. We are doing our best to ensure our service to you is maintained to the best of our abilities given the circumstances. We are taking all possible actions to ensure continued reliable service and product delivery. We greatly appreciate your understanding and thank you for your loyalty to Workplace Integra.
We also appreciate the fact that this outbreak affects not only your business with Workplace Integra, but your daily life and that of your family, employees and staff. Please stay safe and know that our thoughts are with you during this difficult time.
If you have any questions, please contact us. info@wpintegra.com, 336 834 8775
We welcome Tamara Thompson, MA/CCC-A, CPS-A to Workplace INTEGRA, Inc. Tami has over 20 years of experience in Occupational Audiology. She has worked in all facets of hearing conservation from providing hearing tests and training to individual employees to providing extensive training to corporate personnel and hearing conservation audits. Tami assists clients not only in developing or improving their hearing conservation programs but works to educate people of all ages about the dangers of exposure to loud noise.
Tami is knowledgeable of OSHA, MSHA, FRA and DOD regulations and provides work relatedness evaluations and hearing protection recommendations and troubleshooting. She enjoys visiting clients to see the different types of work areas and exposures that are involved in all types of industry. More information on Tami: Click here
The CAOHC Council has generated an updated position statement addressing Resuming Occupational Hearing Conservation Audiometric Examinations during the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic. The CAOHC Council encourages everyone to continue monitoring the situation closely and strictly adhere to Federal, State and local guidelines.
Click here to view the added position statement. Or www.caohc.org
OSHA has weighed in on COVID-19, Hearing Conservation, and enforcement. The following is an example from OSHA that addresses mobile testing:
Annual Audiograms Example-Employer contracts with a service that provides a mobile audiometric testing facility. The service was scheduled to arrive at the employer’s facility on March 27, 2020, but due to on-site visitor restrictions and social distancing protocols, the employer cancelled the arrival of the mobile facility. OSHA will not cite the employer for failing to conduct annual audiograms, provided the employer considered alternative options for compliance, implemented interim alternative protective measures, where possible, and shows a good faith effort to reschedule the mobile facility as soon as possible.
Here is the entire OSHA posting for more information:
Workplace Integra has implemented COVID-19 protocols with our mobile van services. If you are an existing Workplace Integra mobile client you will be contacted to schedule the testing and review the new protocols. If you are interested in using Workplace Integra for mobile testing please contact us: info@wpintegra.com, or 888 974 0001.
Here is a link to ACOEM’s emergency statement about occupational spirometry testing https://myemail.constantcontact.com/ACOEM-Advises-Suspension-of-Routine-Occupational-Spirometry-Testing-During-COVID-19-Pandemic.html?soid=1102647720683&aid=idWxyX21cJ4 ACOEM’s COVID-19
Update page https://acoem.org/Statement-on-Coronavirus
CAOHC Certification Training In response to the COVID-19 virus, the CAOHC Administrative office will be immediately implementing the following:
Any OHC certification that expires between March 16th and September 30th will automatically be extended for 6 months from the date of expiration.
All other expiration dates will remain the same. CAOHC understands many courses have been cancelled or will be cancelled as a result of government efforts to limit the spread of disease.
• If a longer extension is needed, please fill out an extension form on the CAOHC website by clicking here.
• If you need to cancel attendance at a course, please contact the course director directly. Course Directors’ information can be found by clicking here.