At OVS Solutions, we are eager to share our top tips for integrating noise and hearing protection into your safety training. Adding a workplace noise module to your training will be a breeze if you are using Rapid Induct.
We recommend conducting a risk assessment before diving into any safety induction or OSH training program. “It’s crucial to remember that any type of safety training is considered an administrative control and should address the risks and hazards present at your worksite.”
Moreover, your goal should always be to eliminate hazards whenever possible. Through a risk assessment, you might identify a noisy generator located near the production floor. By simply relocating it to another area, you could eliminate the risk for 98% of your line staff. With the hazard eliminated, there would be no need for training. If you cannot eliminate the noise hazard, your risk assessment might look something like this:
- Identify noise hazards — Noisy generator next to the production floor, giving off 90-95 dB(A) for 6 hours per day.
- Assess the risk to your workers — 150 workers exposed to varying levels of noise for 2-6 hours per day.
- Implement suitable risk controls — Switch to a quieter generator that gives off 75 dB(A) and move it to the back of the warehouse.
- Monitor and review the hazard — Check workers for hearing loss every 3 months, and carry out weekly safety audits and spot checks to ensure workers are using their hearing protectors correctly.
After completing the risk assessment, you can create a safety induction and OHS training plan to address specific issues. For instance, you can educate workers and supervisors about hearing protection PPE, the significance of job rotation and why they should not spend more than 2 hours per day in the production areas. Additionally, you may need to develop a noise hazard training module for staff members who are exposed to noise, even after moving the noisy generator out of the production area.
As a minimum, you should include these four chapters:
Health and Safety Responsibilities of Workers
- Duty to keep themselves safe while at work. E.g., accidentally breaking their PPE personal hearing protector and reporting the damage to their immediate supervisor for replacement.
- Duty not to do anything that could cause someone else to get hurt. E.g., not making an apprentice work for 12 hours straight next to the generator.
- Duty to follow reasonable instructions. E.g., immediately moving out of a high-risk noise area when requested by the production manager.
- Duty to comply with OHS policies and safety procedures. E.g., wearing hearing protection whenever they are in the warehouse.
- Don’t just make a list of these four bullet points in your safety induction; use actual examples your workers can relate to.
Hearing Loss Awareness
Your safety inductions should also ensure your workers have a full understanding of the noise hazards they face every day at work. This will include:
- How hearing loss occurs. E.g., sudden bursts of noise vs. prolonged noise exposure and how this impacts hearing.
- Long-term impacts of hearing loss and how it can reduce a person’s quality of life, both at home and at work. E.g., hearing loss is also linked to fatigue, hypertension, and heart disease.
- Actual job tasks and work areas that have the potential to cause hearing loss. E.g., working next to a noisy generator for prolonged periods.
- The importance of audiometric testing and how it works. E.g., workers undergoing compulsory hearing tests every 3 months.
Using Noise Control Measures
Next, give your workers the skills they need to carry out job tasks safely — and in particular — use noise control measures. We recommend videos that demonstrate:
- How to take a noise reading in different work areas. E.g., taking the reading in an open area away from reflective surfaces.
- How to select, fit, and wear personal hearing protectors so they offer full protection. E.g., how to use compressible earplugs so they remain soft and pliable.
- How to clean and maintain personal hearing protectors. E.g., ensuring ear-muff seals are intact and headband tension hasn’t been compromised.
Reporting Defects and Concerns
Make sure your OSH training and inductions include procedures for reporting defects, hazards, and safety concerns. Suggestions include:
- How to report defects in hearing protectors and noise control equipment.
- How to identify when personal hearing protectors need replacing.
- How to report a personal health concern or suspected hearing loss in another worker.
Delivering Your WHS Training
After you’ve created your training outline, develop a noise module for your safety inductions or on-the-job training using Rapid Induct. This platform allows you to design advanced multimedia courses for your employees and contractors. You can include:
- Written instructions for fitting personal hearing protectors.
- Videos demonstrating how to measure noise levels, as shown by a supervisor.
- PDF downloads of inspection checklists for personal hearing protectors.
- Audio samples illustrating different pitches and their impact on overall hearing.
Once the courses are created and uploaded on Rapid Induct, you can assign the Noise Module to specific job roles and contractors. When staff members or contractors with that job role arrive at the job site, they will be prompted to complete the training, or at regular intervals for review.
Streamline your online induction process with OVS Solutions.
Contact us at OVS Solutions to streamline your trainee induction processes and make your induction program an effective one. We help businesses of all sizes, across all industries, to improve their work practices.