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Re: Is it mandatory to wear ear plugs by FRA or Carrier?
Author: Curtis R. Milburn
Date: 06-25-2017 - 21:24
Hearing protection for employees in operating trades (TY&E) is covered by 49 CFR Part 227. As I understand it is basically styled after OSHA requirements.
Use is required when exposed to exposures over 85 dBa and the employee has not had an audio metric baseline or a threshold shift in hearing loss. Use is also required if exposed to an 8-Hour total working allowance of 90dBa +. A bunch of sciency mumbo jumbo with no easy way to measure it on a day to day basis, so it's just easier for the railroad to write a rule mandating their use at all times. The railroad also has to take a sampling of employee work exposures to determine the level of exposures. These would all theoretically be different based on switching service, road service, cab windows open, closed.
[www.ecfr.gov]
My railroad requires ear protection within 100' of a running locomotive, except if within the cab and all doors and windows are closed.
Use is required when exposed to exposures over 85 dBa and the employee has not had an audio metric baseline or a threshold shift in hearing loss. Use is also required if exposed to an 8-Hour total working allowance of 90dBa +. A bunch of sciency mumbo jumbo with no easy way to measure it on a day to day basis, so it's just easier for the railroad to write a rule mandating their use at all times. The railroad also has to take a sampling of employee work exposures to determine the level of exposures. These would all theoretically be different based on switching service, road service, cab windows open, closed.
[www.ecfr.gov]
My railroad requires ear protection within 100' of a running locomotive, except if within the cab and all doors and windows are closed.
