In-Depth Survey Report: Field-Testing NIOSH HPD Well-Fit: Off-Shore Oil Rig Inspectors in Texas & Louisiana

Details

• Personal Author:
  Murata, Taichi K. ; Murphy, William J. ; Themann, Christa L.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Engineering and Physical Hazards Branch
• Description:
  Historically, employers have been reluctant to institute hearing protection device (HPD) fit-testing due to a number of limitations. HPD fit testing is not required by regulations. Previous HPD fit test systems required unique hardware and software. Costs are associated with worker time away from the job. Starting in 2009, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has developed an HPD fit testing system [HPD Well Fit(TM)] based on a computer with high definition audio, a mouse and noise isolating headphones. The system can determine HPD attenuation quickly for individual workers. During 2012 and 2013, NIOSH conducted field surveys in Louisiana and Texas to test the performance of HPD Well-Fit and provide technical assistance to the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. Fit tests were performed on over 150 inspectors and engineers working in the off-shore oil industry. Based on the workers' noise exposures, subjects were fit tested with the goal of achieving 25 dBA Personal Attenuation Rating (PAR). Less than half of the workers were achieving sufficient protection from their hearing protectors prior to NIOSH intervention and training
  
  following re-fitting and re-training, over 85% of the workers achieved sufficient protection. Recommendations were made for other hearing protection solutions for workers who could not achieve the target PAR. Average test times were 6 to 12 minutes. HPD Well-Fit demonstrates the need for individual hearing protector fit-testing and addresses many of the barriers, which have prevented its widespread implementation.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Engineering Hearing Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced Noise Noise, Occupational Occupational Health Oil And Gas Industry Personal Protective Equipment Safety Software
• Keywords:
  Computer Software Control Technology Engineering Controls Fit Testing Hearing Protection Hearing Protection Devices Hearing Protector Fit-testing Noise Exposure Noise Induced Hearing Loss Oil Industry OSHA Region 6 Sound Attenuation

  More +
• Series:
  Engineering and Physical Hazards Survey Reports
• DOI:
  https://www.doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHEPHB36011a
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Louisiana ; Texas ; OSHA Region 6
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology ; EPHB - Engineering and Physical Hazards Branch
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  38 pdf pages
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20046624
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2016-100000
• Citation:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, EPHB 360-11a, 2015 Jul ; :1-32
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  333132 - Oil and Gas Field Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing - (NAICS) ; 333911 - Pump and Pumping Equipment Manufacturing (NAICS) ; 926130 - Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities - (NAICS) ; 481211 - Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation - (NAICS)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:4b98cdc056a3e83f348c764d7a843466018191c8f2a48d2801365e3176815af5898fa888a4f94b8db73334bbb6529339305fc73e23ee6eaefa53a8ec338f859c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/49895/cdc_49895_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.89 MB ]