NIOSH Hearing Loss Publications

Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Noise Exposure, Revised Criteria 1998
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 98-126 (June 1998)
This criteria document reevaluates and reaffirms the recommended exposure limit (REL) for occupational noise exposure established by NIOSH in 1972. The recommendations in this document go beyond attempts to conserve hearing by focusing on prevention of occupational NIHL. For workers whose noise exposures equal or exceed 85 dBA, NIOSH recommends a hearing loss prevention program (HLPP) that includes exposure assessment, engineering and administrative controls, proper use of hearing protectors, audiometric evaluation, education and motivation, record keeping, and program audits and evaluations.

Health Hazard Evaluations: Noise and Hearing Loss: 1986-1997
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 99-106 (November 1998)
Through the Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) Program, NIOSH staff evaluate noise exposures in many workplaces. From 1986-1997, NIOSH conducted 27 HHE's that addressed noise as a hazard in industries such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing, transportation, and service. This publication presents summaries of these 27 HHE's organized by industry including the type of facility, the purpose of the HHE, keywords associated with it, and an abstract of the findings. Information on obtaining full copies of individual HHE reports is provided.

National Occupational Research Agenda
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 96-115 (April 1996)
Hearing loss was identified by NIOSH and the occupational safety and health community as one of the 21 priority areas in the National Occupational Research Agenda. This publication summarizes the NORA process and details the importance of hearing loss research and the occupational hearing loss research opportunities which exist.

NIOSH Compendium of Hearing Protection Devices
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 95-105
This compendium was put together to allow those who select hearing protectors to do so in a more informed manner. The compendium profiles three hundred and sixty devices. Tables in the compendium show listings for protector type, composition, features, and compatibility. The test laboratories that performed the attenuation testing and manufacturer-provided comments about special features are also listed. Full data sets on each protector are included in an appendix, rather than in the body of the compendium.

Noise and Mining
NIOSH Pittsburgh Research Laboratory Publications
Researchers at NIOSH's Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (part of the former Bureau of Mines), have produced a series of documents of noise in the mining environment.

Preventing Occupational Hearing Loss: A Practical Guide
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 96-110 (June 1996)
This guide, developed by experienced hearing conservation professionals, presents some of the important attributes of successful hearing loss prevention programs. Concepts and action items are presented in terms of the responsibilities of three groups of personnel: those representing management, those who implement the hearing loss prevention programs, and those who are affected by exposure to noise or ototoxic chemicals. Checklists are provided in the appendices to assist in evaluating hearing loss prevention programs on a step-by-step basis.

Today's Supervisor / Safeworker
In February 2000, NIOSH and the National Safety Council developed issues of Safeworker and Today's Supervisor devoted specifically to the topic of hearing protection on the job. The user-friendly documents provide workers and employers with practical information and advice on preventing work-related hearing loss.
Today's Supervisor
Safeworker