1. Pittsburgh Research Laboratory Worker Exposure and Noise Source Studies: Why are they important? National Academy of Sciences Hearing Loss Prevention Branch Visit March 21, 2006

2. Pittsburgh Research Laboratory Database Sources Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) Contract Studies Other NIOSH Lab’s Projects Misc. Databases Literature and Publications PRL Projects

3. PRL Databases Why are our measurements more useful? No questions about how data was collected No questions about how data was collected We were there! We were there! Standardized measurement protocol Standardized measurement protocol Highly repeatable Highly repeatable Pittsburgh Research Laboratory

4. Importance Why do we need worker exposure and noise source information? Direct our research efforts in… Developing engineering controls Developing engineering controls Implementing administrative controls Implementing administrative controls Training in noise awareness/avoidance Training in noise awareness/avoidance PPE research efforts PPE research efforts Evaluate research program effectiveness Evaluate research program effectiveness Pittsburgh Research Laboratory

5. Noisy tasks/settings HLPB Program - Goals Empowerment & Education Engineering Controls Exposure Source & Dose Communication & PPE 25% Reduction in Overexposure (5 years) 25% Reduction in Overexposure (5 years) Controls needed Barriers and needed innovations Barriers to implementation Admin. controls Eng. controls Controls developed Barrier solutions r2p products Better PPE Pittsburgh Research Laboratory

6. NAS Evidence Package Where does this research fit in the NAS Evidence Package? Goal 4: “Improve understanding of occupational hearing loss through surveillance and investigation of risk factors” And cited under the listing of databases Pittsburgh Research Laboratory

7. PRL’s Noise And Exposure Surveys Coal – Surface, underground and preparation plants Stone – Surface and underground Metal/Nonmetal – Underground gold, silver, lead Sand and gravel Construction Coal loadout river terminal Surface drills

8. Pittsburgh Research Laboratory Survey Methodology Worker noise exposure monitoring Task observation Equipment and area sound level surveys Noise source identification Equipment cab efficiency Evaluation of noise controls

9. Pittsburgh Research Laboratory Results - Worker Exposure 12345678910 0 50 100 150 200 250 TIME, hrs CUMULATIVE DOSE, percent PEL-90dB Lunch Bolting with spare RBM Bolting with main RBM Tramming RBM High noise accumulation Duration of exposure Percent exposure

10. Results - Equipment Noise X Face Cable 115% Dose in 75 min. Pittsburgh Research Laboratory

11. Results - Measurements With and Without Noise Controls Pittsburgh Research Laboratory

12. Results - Administrative Controls Program Modules: –Profile Editor –Observation Editor –Analysis –Implications and Exposure Reduction Techniques

13. Pittsburgh Research Laboratory Admin. Controls Program

14. Pittsburgh Research Laboratory Outcomes/Outputs Direct: Administrative controls program Detailed trip reports Publications and presentations Database of worker exposures

15. Pittsburgh Research Laboratory Outcomes/Outputs Indirect: Increased awareness of worker noise exposures in the mining industry Better understanding of noise source/exposure relationship Increased knowledge of equipment noise Improved selection of engineering noise control research (Ex: Prep plants – vibrating screens)

16. The End Pittsburgh Research Laboratory Any Questions?