Introduction of a hearing conservation program in a Japanese enterprise

Abstract

To prevent occupational hearing loss, the Ordinance of Industrial Safety and Health in Japan requires employers to measure sound levels in eight hazardous areas in the workplace. In addition, the Guidelines for the Prevention of Noise-Induced Impairments require employers to measure the sound levels in noisy workplaces or provide audiometric testing for employees exposed to occupational noise. However, measurement of personal noise exposure is not a legal requirement in Japan. The Japanese Working Environment Measurement Standards define how to measure occupational noise using a sound level meter (SLM). However, it is difficult to evaluate real noise exposure for employees who use a sound-emitting industrial tool. We measured this exposure using a dosimeter at a Japanese manufacturing enterprise producing transport machinery. The sound levels at some workshops that were evaluated as 85 dBA using a SLM were shown to be more than 90 dBA using a dosimeter. Following these results, we are introducing a Hearing Conservation Program at the enterprise. We would like to report how to develop this new noise management system in Japan and manage personal noise exposure.