New Noise Standards for Construction and Demolition Workers

Editor: As we become smarter about the damaging effects noise has on our hearing, we're establishing more and better standards to reduce noise exposure. Hopefully the result will be that the genXers won't be struggling with hearing loss in their fifties and sixties, as are so many boomers. Here's the latest standard from the ASSE.

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The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) recently announced the approval of the new American National Standard Institute ANSI/ASSE A10.46-2007 standard. The standard, Hearing Loss Prevention in Construction and Demolition Workers, recognizes the need for protecting personnel from injury by preventing hearing loss in construction and demolition operations.

The ANSI/ASSE A10.46-2007 standard is one of a series of standards that focus on construction and demolition operations. It was approved by ANSI on March 5, 2007. The standard is intended to help employers prevent occupational hearing loss among construction and demolition workers and applies to all construction and demolition workers with potential noise exposures (continuous, intermittent and impulse) of 85 decibels, A-weighted (dBA) and above. The A-scale weighting discriminates against very low frequencies, as does the human ear, and is therefore more appropriate for determining worker exposure to noise.

ASSE serves as the secretariat for the A10 Accredited Standards Committee on construction and demolition operations. The A10 standards serve as a guide to contractors, labor and equipment manufacturers in the construction and demolition industry.

"Approximately 30 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise on the job and construction workers are often susceptible to occupational hearing loss," said A10 Committee Chairman and ASSE Professional Member Richard King, CSP. "This standard recognizes the hazards of noise exposure in construction and demolition operations and provides necessary recommendations for preventing hearing loss in those operations."

The A10.46-2007 standard, Hearing Loss Prevention in Construction and Demolition Workers, will be available soon in both print and electronic format. For more information, contact ASSE Customer Service at 847-699-2929 or visit ASSE's website.