Hearing Conservation & Prevention: How Hearing Shifts Still Happen

WEBVTT
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:01.439
All right, welcome back, everybody.
00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:06.320
This week we are going to be talking about hearing protection and hearing conservation.
00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:07.120
Say what?
00:00:07.280 --> 00:00:07.519
Yeah.
00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:08.240
Let's go.
00:00:08.480 --> 00:00:09.439
Let's listen.
00:00:15.759 --> 00:00:17.199
All right, welcome back to the channel.
00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:18.399
Welcome back, everybody.
00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:20.480
I am so sorry for that cheesy joke.
00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:21.679
That's pretty good at that.
00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:22.480
Let's listen.
00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:22.879
All right.
00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:28.800
So, for those of you don't know, uh, we don't really do it today, but for years and years and years.
00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:29.839
So many.
00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:31.760
That's how I built the company.
00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:35.200
Third of my year doing sound surveys and decimeters.
00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:35.679
Yeah.
00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:40.240
And it's not as exciting as hazmatic of fine space, but pay the bills.
00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:41.039
No kidding.
00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:52.640
I'm bringing it up to you because this episode is about if you do the sound survey right and you do the decimeter right, and you do the PPE right, and you're doing the audit audiograms and all that stuff.
00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:53.920
Now you're having an injury.
00:00:54.320 --> 00:00:55.600
Now you're having it recordable.
00:00:55.920 --> 00:00:57.679
This episode is about figuring that out.
00:00:57.840 --> 00:00:58.159
Yep.
00:00:58.320 --> 00:00:58.719
All right.
00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:00.000
All right, let's dive in.
00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:04.719
Let's first let's start with this beautiful frozen PPE that I want to.
00:01:05.439 --> 00:01:06.480
Maybe it's too loud.
00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:08.239
I have a small head.
00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:09.120
I have a small head.
00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:10.719
All right, so we have that one and I have the spider.
00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:12.319
We just learned that your head's back.
00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:14.400
Yeah, so this is the Spider-Man version.
00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:16.640
I think mine is rated higher than hers.
00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:22.000
This is a PPE, but at some plants, they wear this stuff to stay warm.
00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:26.079
In some plants, they want to turn up the music, or you could do it your way, which is what.
00:01:26.319 --> 00:01:26.799
Yeah.
00:01:27.040 --> 00:01:31.680
So I don't like, generally speaking, having headphones or earmuffs.
00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:33.040
And that is an option.
00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:35.840
I like to have the earplugs.
00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:36.480
Right.
00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:38.239
And there's all different versions of that.
00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:44.640
However, something that we've seen as a trend is there are now wireless earbuds.
00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:50.799
And what you can do is you can put those wireless earbuds in and have muffs over them.
00:01:51.040 --> 00:01:54.159
Your earbuds are at whatever decimal you want.
00:01:54.879 --> 00:02:03.840
Or you can wear an Allen Safety hoorag and you can cover it up and look like a bandana because you don't want to have it for your hard hat and mess with your hair.
00:02:04.239 --> 00:02:14.960
So at a lot of the locations, we have a bandana or something like this, or even if it's cold, you might have an ear warmer or a winter hat on.
00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:23.199
Now I can put those earbuds in and I can take the little string and I can shove my hearing protection up inside that so it looks like I'm wearing it.
00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:25.840
But I have But I'm listening to an L C D podcast.
00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:26.719
Yeah.
00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:28.719
Or you know, whatever.
00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:40.159
So that's something that you want to evaluate is that maybe something that goes on, and we have absolutely no control over the sound level that they're listening to that on.
00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:45.840
Now, a giveaway is how often those folks are fiddling with their phones.
00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:53.439
That could be a giveaway, but again, that's only if we happen to be walking by or we see it or we look that way and we catch it.
00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:55.439
It may be something that is discreet.
00:02:55.599 --> 00:02:56.319
And you know what?
00:02:56.400 --> 00:03:04.000
It may be something that they get whatever playlist or podcast list going on a break and they just leave it alone.
00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:05.680
And so we may not know it all.
00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:08.159
So it's a work-related injury, but not really.
00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:10.479
Yeah, because we're not able to manage that volume.
00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:11.199
That's right.
00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:11.599
All right.
00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:15.360
The next one is I love Sundays.
00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:16.879
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday.
00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:17.199
Okay.
00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:18.319
And the Monster Truck Rally.
00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:19.840
It's Monster Truck Rally.
00:03:20.159 --> 00:03:20.719
They're noisy.
00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:23.120
That's the only reason our son's not been to one yet, they're too noisy.
00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:23.840
They're loud, yeah.
00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:24.240
All right.
00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:25.520
Uh, a football game.
00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:27.360
Yeah, Kansas City fans.
00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:27.840
Guess what?
00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:28.800
We have the loudest.
00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:30.800
Yeah, loudest stadium there is, yeah.
00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:32.240
Sunday, Sunday night.
00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:33.759
And then you know what we also have here.
00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:34.879
Rodeos are loud.
00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:36.000
Rodeos are loud.
00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:36.319
Yeah.
00:03:36.639 --> 00:03:42.479
I remember bringing our daughter to the first one, and I had to get little earmuffs for her because it was so loud in there.
00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:45.599
If you've been to like a PBR event or anything like that, it's loud at the time.
00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:46.800
Oh, that's on Sunday.
00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:48.159
Now, Monday you come to work.
00:03:48.479 --> 00:03:50.159
Oh, we had the hearing booth here today.
00:03:50.240 --> 00:03:50.400
Yeah.
00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:52.400
So what we're gonna do is we're gonna be conveniently.
00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:57.280
Or I was I was practicing duck hunting, so you know, I'm skeet shooting or whatever.
00:03:57.520 --> 00:03:58.080
All day Sunday.
00:03:58.319 --> 00:04:00.479
Shooting clays all weekend long.
00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:01.919
So now Monday at 9 a.m.
00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:02.560
is my turn.
00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:03.840
My ears are ringing.
00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:04.319
Oh, yeah.
00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:05.680
I'm like, dee, dee, dee.
00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:07.280
I'm just hitting the button, whatever.
00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:08.960
So now it comes back.
00:04:09.039 --> 00:04:10.400
I have this massive hearing loss.
00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:11.199
Yeah, you gotta be.
00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:12.080
Did I really?
00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:17.839
Or did I just overexpose it the night before and I didn't get so from or do I have an ear infection?
00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:22.639
Or do I have you know something going on with my ears from like a sinus standpoint or whatever?
00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:24.800
My ears get clogged when I have sinus issues.
00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:25.279
Totally.
00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:31.199
So I try not to do any of the testing on a Monday after you know there's events on Sunday.
00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:31.600
Yeah.
00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:33.600
Because every town knows there's stuff going on.
00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:39.439
Don't schedule it Tuesday, give your ears time to relax, basically, so you get a better test.
00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:48.160
You're not start, I think they had a shift, and now we have to do this, and you start this whole lot of management time dedicated to something that's yeah, that's not really an issue.
00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:50.079
Had you waited a couple days, absolutely.
00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:51.600
So that's that's two of them now.
00:04:51.759 --> 00:04:59.360
Well, and truly, you know, you could even, if you are in an area where seasonal allergies are really problematic, that may be something also that you want to look at.
00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:07.120
If you know every single person either they're hacking or coughing or super congested from allergies, maybe you don't schedule the audiograms that week, you know.
00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:11.040
The next one is is that you give me hearing protection.
00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:14.319
I yes, and I I do not like it at all.
00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:17.040
So you give me this.
00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:18.160
So here's an example.
00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:25.040
He's really picky about his PPE, which I find I find irritating because I'm of the person that like I don't want anybody to be bothered.
00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:27.360
Like, if it's the correct NRR, I'm just gonna wear it.
00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:28.319
I don't want to cause a seat.
00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:31.120
He's like, this hurts my head, this hurts my ears.
00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:32.399
I'm gonna get a rash.
00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:36.000
I'm in a hog barn, I'm in a mill, I'm in rendering.
00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:44.959
Yeah, I don't want to be like touching it until I get my hands clean to put it in there and go and put it in there.
00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:46.240
Well, sometimes they fall in the case.
00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:52.399
I like the con to do an insert because if they fall out, at least I'm not putting grossness in my hair.
00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:55.120
Yeah, you know, so yeah, they're usually blue.
00:05:56.399 --> 00:05:58.000
Because now I'm like, I don't want to put it in all.
00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:02.720
So I'm just barely gonna do enough to make it barely say so it looks like I'm protected, not really, yeah.
00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:04.720
Because I don't want that nastiness in there.
00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:05.120
Yeah.
00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:12.240
You gotta look at the selection people can change whether people want to wear it or not and how they're gonna wear it for the jobs they're doing.
00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:15.600
Well, up to and including, like if the hearing protection falls out.
00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:17.600
I mean, most of us put it on a hard hat.
00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:21.279
I think that's pretty accepted, like that's what everyone's doing.
00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:24.800
So if it falls out and it's down your back, well, is stuff dripping on you?
00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:30.560
Yeah, I mean, if you're walking on a harvest floor and you're having to cut through some of the stuff, it can get dripped on.
00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:31.600
It can't get dripped on.
00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:32.319
That's right.
00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:35.759
So, or depending on your rendering, you got leaks, you know.
00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:37.199
So that's a few of them.
00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:38.399
Now, here's the other thing.
00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:39.600
Here's my last one.
00:06:39.839 --> 00:06:40.240
Last one.
00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:40.720
Ready.
00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:46.560
You should not be adding PPE if it's not needed.
00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:49.040
Because it can actually make a risk.
00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:50.480
And we see that sometimes.
00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:55.279
We'll see, like, well, this entire room, because of our hearing program, everyone must wear hearing protection.
00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:57.439
Yeah, but it's never above 85 there.
00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:02.240
What'll happen is you go in and it's so quiet, not everybody they can't hear things.
00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:08.879
Like, for example, your evacuation alarms, your radios, all these things are set for certain decimal points.
00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:13.279
Yeah, and if you're making it so low it's hard to hear, you're changing that environment.
00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:14.720
I can't hear the risk around.
00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:19.199
So let's have a conversation of you know, just how we even select it.
00:07:19.360 --> 00:07:26.160
So noise reduction rating, there's a reason why it's rated that it's a math equation.
00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:31.040
And so all hearing protection is not just select one that looks good, right?
00:07:31.199 --> 00:07:32.319
And then we use that.
00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:37.920
A lot of times also the coloring tells me immediately what the NRR rating is when I walk up to it.
00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:39.839
So I'm like, that's too low.
00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:46.000
Like, that's not that's not high enough noise reduction rating for how loud I perceive it to be.
00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:51.920
And you know, you can get a pretty rough estimate if you've done this long enough to like, oh, this is for sure 90.
00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:53.519
Like, we are in the 90s for sure.
00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:57.439
You know, the whole rule of thumb is if you're within three feet talking, it's over 90.
00:07:57.759 --> 00:07:58.160
Yeah, yeah.
00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:02.800
You're over and that's not perfect math, but it gives you an idea of like, hey, we need to probably look at this.
00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:03.439
So take it.
00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:13.839
First, we're doing engineering stuff if we can, because there's also the opportunity to increase efficiencies and production from that standpoint, you know, makes it more enjoyable.
00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:17.600
Maybe get out some PP, there's some cost there, or at least change it a little bit.
00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:31.439
But again, just having done sound surveys, you've got to watch that you are getting a good sample across all the shifts you have employees working because if the activity's 7 30 in the morning, yeah, air is loud.
00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:37.440
Yeah, when we're doing blow-offs of the equipment, and a lot of times it's straight line air and it shouldn't be, but it is.
00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:39.840
So the survey was taken at 7:30.
00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:40.480
That's right.
00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:52.559
So we don't we want to make sure that it's representative of all the activities that we're having people do that have a change in the noise during the 24-hour cycle or whatever that looks like.
00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:54.399
So that's the biggest thing.
00:08:54.480 --> 00:09:04.480
And then calibration, and the reason why a lot of truly the reason why we don't do a lot of this stuff anymore is because flying, yeah, it's hard to travel with that and maintain the calibration.
00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:08.480
Well, that matters, so we should be asking for certificates and making sure all that makes sense.
00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:12.080
I I was doing this a few weeks after 9-11.
00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:21.840
And the the National Guard was really excited to open the case and saw these red boxes and black wires coming out of them.
00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:26.879
And it took a long time to expense them not to mess with it, so we mess with calibration.
00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:28.399
It's really, yeah, it's expensive.
00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:29.440
Yeah, it's expensive.
00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:32.639
And if they knock it out of calibration, like you can't use it now.
00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:35.679
So you were going to work and now you can't do the job task.
00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:51.440
So it's just making sure that we have a good understanding when we write our hearing conservation programs, that it makes sense, the frequency, when we're doing the testing, and then we are having a plan of when do we do disymmetry stuff based on whatever we're finding out and that all that dovetails really nicely together.
00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:54.960
So if you want more information on some of that stuff, you can give us a call.
00:09:55.120 --> 00:09:56.639
We can help you out with some of that.
00:09:57.039 --> 00:10:00.000
If you want to support us, like, share, subscribe.
00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:03.919
That's all stuff that doesn't cost you anything, but it's a huge difference to us.
00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:09.759
The only reason why we're doing this, we want the information to get to those who don't know, haven't heard it, and that they need it.
00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:14.639
And we want to make sure that they're aware that there's a resource out there to help them if they don't feel comfortable asking the question.
00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:24.000
And then if you want to go beyond that, we do have the Allen Dash Safety.com merchandise tab that has a whole bunch of selections of safety merchandise.
00:10:24.159 --> 00:10:25.519
So kind of fun stuff.
00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:27.039
Kind of something for everybody there.
00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:31.360
We've got shower curtains, we've got rugs for your office, snow gloves, coffee cups.
00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:35.200
And then if you feel more comfortable from Amazon, we've got an Amazon store too.
00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:41.039
So you can check it out over on Amazon if you want to buy from there because you've got saved payments, all that good stuff, just ease of use.
00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:42.399
So we appreciate you helping.
00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:43.279
We appreciate it.
00:10:43.360 --> 00:10:45.279
Take care, and we will see you next time.
00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:47.039
Stay safe, everybody.