Builders’ Notes October 2016
Only Two More Meetings Remain In 2016
Don’t Miss Out – Register Now
OCTOBER MEETING
Date: | Tuesday, October 25, 2016 | ![]() |
Co-Sponsor: | Benjamin Obdyke / HydroGap | |
Topic: | How to Spot the Signs and Manage the “Tough Client” A Round-Table Discussion to share experiencesand suggestions on working with difficult-to-please clients |
NOVEMBER MEETING
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Date: | Tuesday, November 22, 2016 |
Co-Sponsor: | Sierra Pacific Windows | |
Topic: | Is It Reasonable for Builders and Remodelers to be Given a Project Price Range in Advance – and – What Are Architects Really Looking For in a Builder Relationship? | |
Guest Speaker: | Vince Piacente, President, Inside Architecture LLC |
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Safety Matters: Avoiding Hearing Loss
It has been estimated that approximately 22 Million U.S. workers are exposed to damaging noise each year. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control, hearing loss is the most common work-related injury in our country today. Statistics show that workers in the mining sector and the construction and manufacturing industries are at the greatest risk to suffer from hearing impairment. The Department of Labor calculates that an estimated $242 Million is spent annually on worker’s compensation for hearing loss disability. Yet many other factors besides a noisy work environment can contribute to hearing loss since it is a problem intensified by cumulative exposure. That means that noise exposure in crowded restaurants, at concerts and sporting events all add to a person’s risk of sustaining a loss in hearing.
What can be done to reduce the hazards from exposure to loud noise?
- Choose low-noise-level tools and machinery whenever possible.
- Maintain and lubricate machinery and equipment.
- Place a barrier between the noise source and employees (e.g., sound walls or curtains).
- Wherever possible, enclose or isolate the noise source.
- Operate noisy machines during shifts when fewer people are on the job.
- Limit the amount of time any one person is required to spend at a noise source.
- Provide quiet areas where workers can gain relief from a hazardous noise source.
- Establish guidelines governing suitable distances to be maintained between workers and noisy equipment.
- Provide workers exposed to loud noise levels with hearing protection devices (HPDs).
How do you know if you may have a hearing loss problem?
Frequently, hearing loss comes on so gradually that people barely even notice they have a problem. They may think that others are mumbling more or that everyone needs to learn to speak up! At early stages, high-pitched sounds (such as children’s and female voices) and the sounds “S” and “F” become harder to decipher. Other symptons of hearing loss include:
- A ringing or humming in the ears (called “tinnitus”) or you notice a temporary hearing loss when you leave work.
- Trouble understanding phone conversations or you experience problems following a conversation when more than one person is speaking at once
- Frequently needing to ask people to repeat themselves.
- You often misunderstand what people say and respond inapporpriately.
- Friends and family members compain that the TV is too loud.
Remember: Not all hearing problems are correctable, so prevention is the best ticket to long-term healthy hearing.
This article contains information published by OSHA(www.osha.gov), from webmd.com and from www.pbs.org