a look at noise on the farm PROTECTING YOUR EARS a look at noise on the farm

Learning Objectives Learn how noise is measured Recognize how to reducing noise hazards Understand proper protection and prevention Realize when to seek medical assistance The farm is a place with a significant amount of activities producing a variety of noises. Farmers are exposed to loud noises for long periods of time every day. With these noises comes the potential for hearing loss if proper protection is not taken. Hearing loss can develop from gradual and prolonged exposure to noise. Noise-induced hearing loss is preventable, painless, progressive and permanent. There is nothing that brings back your hearing loss. Once its gone.. Its gone. According to NIOSH data, a 25-year-old farmer can often have the ears of a 50-year-old who is not exposed to noise and not even know it! Today we will discuss how noise is measured, how to reduce noise hazards, proper protection and prevention, and learn when it’s appropriate to seek medical assistance.

What is Noise? Unwanted sound is call “noise” Sound is created by pressure waves in the air Out Ear Waves strike eardrum Middle Ear Ear drum to nerve by 2 small bones Inner Ear Vibrations into nerve impulses, identifies the sound Noise is unwanted sound. Movement of people, animals, machines, and other things cause pressure waves in the air. If these pressure waves are within a certain range of frequencies, our ears interpret them as sound. The sound is then transferred to the ear by sound waves emitted from a vibrating source such as a tractor. The outer ear funnels the sound waves through the ear canal, where they strike the eardrum. The vibration of the eardrum is transmitted to the nerve of the inner ear by three small bones which make up the middle ear. The sensitive nerve of the inner ear converts the vibrations to nerve impulses. The nerve impulses are sent to the brain, which then identifies the sound.

Measuring Sound Sound including noise, is measured in decibels How loud something is and the frequency or pitch The unit of measurement is shown by the designation dB Decibel meter Application available (Decibel 10th) The size or amplitude of the waves, called sound pressure level, is measured in decibels, which is how loud it is and frequency or the pitch of the noise. The unit is designated and abbreviated dB. To measure the environment’s noise, a decibel meter is the tool used. With today’s technology, there is even an app you can download to measure this noise level. The app is called Decibel 10th. (It can be downloaded from itunes)

Decibel Level Chart A safe decibel level is 85 dB. Anything over this has the potential to cause hearing loss. This chart shows a variety of tools used around the farm and their decibel level. (Point out a few that are relative to the audience) Source: Have you Heard? Hearing Loss Caused by Farm Noise is Preventable. NIOSH CDC

Length of Exposure Duration Per Day (Hours) Sound Level, dB(A) 8 90 6 92 4 95 2 100 1 105 ½ 110 ¼ 115 Source: Noise on the Farm Can Cause Hearing Loss, The Ohio State University In addition to the decibel level, you must also consider the duration or length of time you are exposed to the noise. The National Safety Council recommends no more than 85 db for 8 hours, along the OSHA requirement for employees is 8 hours at 90 dB. This is without wearing proper hearing protection. Think about the amount of time you spend on a task and if you are or should be wearing ear protection.

Reducing Noise Hazards Three ways: Engineering Controls Maintenance Cabs Reduce time spent in environment Hearing protection Ear plugs Ear muffs While there is no way to completely avoid noise, we can reduce noise hazards on a farm. Reduction of excess noise levels may require a sound proofing barrier between the ear and the source of the noise. There are three ways to reduce noise hazards, engineering controls, reduce time in environment, and the use of hearing protection. Engineering controls would reduce or remove the noise. Some ways to do this are: good maintenance practices and cabs. For example, keep exhaust and muffler system of the tractor in good repair. Machine parts that are not well-lubricated or adjusted also cause loud noises. The second way you can reduce noise hazards is to reduce the time spent in the noisy environment. This a pretty easy measure and can be as simple as setting a timer or wearing a watch that you check regularly. The last way to reduce noise hazards on the farm is with the use of hearing protection. In many situations it is impossible to and/or impractical to engineer the noise out. When workers face a noisy situation protective equipment is a must. Ear plugs and ear muffs are the best line of defense and can reduce noise levels by 15 to 30 decibels.

Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Ear plugs Formable ear plugs Premolded Earmuffs Noise Reduction Range (NRR) The amount of noise your ears are exposed to by various protective devices  As we mentioned previously the third way to reduce noise hazards is to wear proper PPE. The types of PPE to prevent hearing loss is the use of ear plugs and ear muffs. Which one to use is up to the wearer and what they prefer. One thing to remember with earmuffs is that wearing glasses or have facial hair the ear muff might not fit correctly making ear plugs a better option. For the best protection from your hearing PPE, make sure it fits properly and wear it for the recommended period of time. There are different kinds of the ear plugs that can be used and we will discuss this in a minutes, but first, let’s discuss what these devices are doing when we wear them. NRR stands for noise reduction range, which is the amount of noise your ears are expose to can be reduced by the protection device. For example, ear muffs can reduce the decibels your ears are exposed can be reduced by 21-31 decibels while the ear plugs have a range of 26-33 decibels. Another option is to combine both devices, plugs and . All PPE have this information printed on the packaging. Farmers and rancher are encouraged to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) with a noise reduction rating (NNR) of 25 decibels or higher.

Ear Plugs Pre-molded Formable Hold stem Reach over head to straighten ear canal Insert earplug To test, perform, tug test Formable Roll gently between fingers Insert and hold for 10 seconds To test, put hands over ears- should be no significant change in noise Ear plugs come is a variety of shapes and sizes. When selecting hearing protection keep in mind the type noise, intermittent or continuous, the comfort, the environment and if communication is needed when wearing the protection. Ear plugs come premolded or in a formable form. To properly insert the premolded earplugs, hold the stem of the plug, reach over your head to straighten the ear canal, insert the earplug so that all flanges are inside the ear, perform a tug test to determine of they fit.   For the formable plugs, roll one gently between your fingers. Make sure not to get creases. Reach over your head to straighten the ear canal, insert and hold for about 10 seconds. Perform the hands over the ears test to check the fit, to make sure there is no significant change in noise level. Ear plugs are made to fit into the ear opening. A snug, tight fit is necessary for effective sound reduction. Ear plugs can be a source of ear infection so keep clean and sanitized. Do not share ear plugs with others.

Ear Muffs (Acoustical muffs) Cover the ear and ear canal to provide a barrier to sound. Does not block out all sounds Used in combination with other safety equipment These are not the ear muffs your grandmother made you wear when you go sledding in the winter. Acoustical muffs, or ear muffs, are effective in reducing sound level at the ear. Earmuffs are designed to cover the ear and ear canal. Some have built-in radios as well as electronic circuits to limit the noise but allow you to listen to your favorite radio station or sport. Earmuffs can also be used in combination with other safety equipment as as a hardhat, or respiratory protection. One caution with earmuffs is people who wear glasses or have facial hair (as mentioned earlier). They do not block out all sounds, therefore, conversation for information and safety purposes can readily be heard.

Seek Medical Assistance Turning up volume on tv or radio Have a ringing in ears Asking others to repeat themselves Audiologist Can prevent hearing from getting worse Specialized hearing tests If you turn up the volume of the tv or radio, have difficultly understanding consonants in words or high notes of music or have ringing in your ears you may have some hearing damage. While you can never gain your hearing back, you can prevent it from getting worse. An audiologist can perform a specialized hearing test to detect and diagnose hearing loss.

Summary Hearing loss can happen to anyone Noise over 85 dB causes hearing loss Always keep safety measures in mind Use engineering controls Limit time in noisy environments Use hearing protection Seek medical attention sooner rather than later Whether you work on a farm or not hearing loss can happen to anyone at anytime, so it’s important to keep the safety measures we talked about in mind at all times. Always use hearing protection in to form of earplugs or PPE, try to limit your time in a noisy environment, and use the engineering controls installed on your equipment. These tips are almost guaranteed to reduce the risk of hearing loss and help you remain safe on the farm.

References: Noise on the Farm Can Cause Hearing Loss- http://ohioline.osu.edu/aex-fact/pdf/AEX_590_08.pdf Have you Heard? Hearing Loss Caused by Farm Noise is Preventable. NIOSH CDC Whether you work on a farm or not hearing loss can happen to anyone at anytime, so it’s important to keep the safety measures we talked about in mind at all times. Always use hearing protection in to form of earplugs or PPE, try to limit your time in a noisy environment, and use the engineering controls installed on your equipment. These tips are almost guaranteed to reduce the risk of hearing and help you remain farm safe.

For More Information OSU Ag Safety & Health The Ohio State University Ag Engineering Building 590 Woody Hayes Drive Columbus, Ohio 43210-1057 Email: jepsen.4@osu.edu Phone: 614-292-6008 Website: agsafety.osu.edu For more information please contact OSU Ag Safety and Health.

This project was supported by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Rural Health and Safety Education Grant Program- grant number 2012-46100-20144.