Description

This course is designed for employees who may be exposed to hazardous levels of workplace noise and require an understanding of the risks to hearing and the measures used to prevent or reduce noise-related hearing damage. The course introduces workplace noise and how it is measured and considers the structure of the ear and the potential effects of excessive noise exposure. It explores different forms of hearing impairment, including tinnitus, acoustic trauma, temporary threshold shift and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), together with the importance of recognising and responding to changes in hearing. The course also considers workplace hearing conservation arrangements and the hierarchy of controls used to manage noise exposure, including elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls and personal protective equipment (PPE). Learners consider the appropriate use of hearing protection, including earplugs and earmuffs, together with noise monitoring, audiometric testing, hearing protection zones and individual responsibilities for following safe working procedures and reporting noise-related hazards.

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