California Code of Regulations
Title 8 - Industrial Relations
Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations
Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety
Subchapter 7 - General Industry Safety Orders
Group 15 - Occupational Noise and Ergonomics
Article 105 - Control of Noise Exposure
Section 5098 - Hearing Protectors
Universal Citation: 8 CA Code of Regs 5098
Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024
(a) General.
(1) Employers shall make hearing protectors
available to all employees exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85
decibels or greater at no cost to the employees. Hearing protectors shall be
replaced as necessary.
(2)
Employers shall ensure that hearing protectors are worn by all employees:
(A) Who are required by Section
5096(b) to wear
personal protective equipment; or
(B) Who are exposed to an 8-hour
time-weighted average of 85 decibels or greater, and who:
1. Are required by Section
5097(c)(9) to wear
hearing protectors because baseline audiograms have not yet been established;
or
2. Have experienced a standard
threshold shift.
(3) Employees shall be given the opportunity
to select their hearing protectors from a variety of suitable hearing
protectors provided by the employer.
(4) The employer shall provide training in
the use and care of all hearing protectors provided to employees.
(5) The employer shall ensure proper initial
fitting and supervise the correct use of all hearing
protectors.
(b) Hearing Protector Attenuation.
(1) The employer shall
evaluate hearing protector attenuation for the specific noise environments in
which the protector will be used. The employer shall use one of the methods
described in Appendix E, Methods for Estimating the Adequacy of Hearing
Protector Attenuation.
(2) Hearing
protectors must attenuate employee exposure at least to an 8-hour time-weighted
average of 90 decibels as required by Section
5096(b).
(3) For employees who have experienced a
standard threshold shift, hearing protectors must attenuate employee exposures
to an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels or below.
(4) The adequacy of hearing protector
attenuation shall be reevaluated whenever employee noise exposures increase to
the extent that the hearing protectors provided may no longer provide adequate
attenuation. The employer shall provide more effective hearing protectors where
necessary.
1. Amendment filed 10-3-83; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 83, No. 41).
Note: Authority cited and Reference: Section 142.3, Labor Code.
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