Why Hearing Protection Matters


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Our free Luma Learning Lessons include objectives, estimated time, materials and instructional procedures for classroom and online/blended teaching. We will provide strategies on how to use our new LumaLive technology to collaborate virtually in real-time. We include these pillars from our learning research to illustrate where they are infused in our lessons.

11/15 Luma Learning Lesson #12: Why Hearing Protection Matters

Objectives

  • Listen to sounds and identify when a noise becomes dangerous.
  • Determine when hearing protection is needed.
  • Use hearing protection devices.

Estimated Time

30 minutes

Materials

  • Listen Up! Protect Your Hearing
  • Luma’s Hearing Protection eNugget® or similar online materials
  • Foam plugs, molded plugs, earmuffs
  • Computers/iPads/phones
  • Internet

Instructional Procedures for F2F
1. AuthenticityAsk the participants what type of sounds they think are too loud. Write examples on the board.
2. AuthenticitySee if anyone knows how loud is too loud.

OSHA’s permissible exposure limit (PEL) for noise exposure is 90 dBA for an 8-hour TWA and the standard uses a 5 dBA exchange rate. This means that when the noise level is increased by 5 dBA, the amount of time a person can be exposed is cut in half. For example, a person who is exposed to noise levels of 95 dBA (5 dBA above the OSHA PEL of 90 dBA) can be exposed for only 4 hours in order to be within the daily OSHA PEL. See Table D-2 for permissible Noise Exposure.
3. EfficiencyEngagementPlay the sounds on the protect your hearing website. Get participant’s reactions. Is the sound too loud? How do they know?
4. AuthenticityEfficiencyHave participants list (you can write on the board or project on a computer screen) what sounds they encounter during the day and which are ok with and without hearing protection.
5. EfficiencyDo a demonstration of the different types of ear protection. Show how to select, fit and procedures for use. Have participants practice inserting foam earplugs if you brought enough for everyone. Discuss upsides and downsides of each.
6. Discuss where hearing protection can be purchased if it is not provided by your company.
7. Have the drivers download a free sound level meter app for their smartphone.

Instructional Procedures for Online
1.   AuthenticityPost an online poll to see how many of your drivers use hearing protection.
2. EfficiencyAssign Luma’s Hearing Protection® or similar online materials that walk through the importance of hearing protection.
3. EfficiencyHave them complete hearing protection questions that assess if they can determine when hearing protection is needed.
4. AuthenticityPick an LMS like eNuggets® that allows you to create a 30 second video that shows how to insert foam plus. Provide your company policy on hearing protection.
5. EngagementOptional: Turn on a discussion board where drivers can share their experiences with using hearing protection. Let them ask questions about it.
6. Encourage drivers to download a free sound level meter app for their smartphone!

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