MSHA Noise Reduction                                      

"Noise is one of the most pervasive health hazards in mining. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has identified occupational noise-induced hearing loss as one of the ten leading work-related diseases and injuries. MSHA estimated that 13% of the mining population of the United States (about 37,000) would develop material hearing impairment during their working lifetime under the previous noise standards.

Prolonged exposure to hazardous sound levels over a period of years can cause permanent, irreversible damage to hearing. Hearing loss may occur rapidly under prolonged exposure to high sound levels, or gradually when levels are lower and exposures less frequent. An individual may not notice hearing impairment until after substantial hearing loss occurs. In addition to adversely affecting the quality of life, hearing impairment can jeopardize the safety and productivity of affected miners as well as those around them."

"Section 62.130 of the rule requires all mine operators to use all feasible engineering and administrative noise controls to reduce miners' noise exposures within the PEL without adjustment for the use of hearing protectors. Until now, this requirement has applied only to metal and nonmetal mines."

"You can choose either engineering controls or administrative controls, or a combination of both, as long as the controls you choose reduce the miner's noise exposures to the PEL. If a single control method fails to reduce exposure to the PEL, you must use both feasible engineering and administrative controls as necessary to reduce exposure to the PEL. When administrative controls are used, you must post the procedures for the controls and provide a copy to the affected miners."