Most mine workers already know the importance of selecting and using personal protective equipment on the job, but there is one hazard that may not be obvious to all of us: noise. While noise cannot be seen and its effects dont cause immediate pain, it can cause serious and dramatic damage to our hearing. We must use hearing protection in areas with high noise levels to prevent permanent injury that affects our lives and the lives of our families indefinitely. This program stresses to miners the importance of wearing hearing protection at all times when working in areas where hazardous noise levels are present. Topics include the effects of noise on hearing, the mine operators hearing conservation program, medical surveillance, exposure assessment and the selection and use of hearing protection.
