2-12 Noise control and hearing conservation directive

Chapter 2-12 - Noise Control and Hearing Conservation Directive

(Publié aussi en fran?ais sous le titre Chapitre 2-12 - Directive sur la lutte contre le bruit et la protection de l’ou?e)

This Directive was developed in partnership by employer and bargaining agent representatives at the National Joint Council. Its provisions form part of the collective agreements of the participating parties under the By-Laws of the National Joint Council. The provisions also apply to persons not covered by collective agreements as indicated in the Directive or by employer policy.

For more information on the National Joint Council, visit their web site at

http://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca.

Table of Contents

Grievance procedure (1)

Application (1)

Definitions (1)

Monitoring and exposure (2)

Hazard investigation (2)

Measurement of exposure (2)

Limits of exposure (4)

Warning signs (5)

Reference (5)

Appendix A - Maximum permitted duration of exposure to A-weighted sound pressure level at work place (6)

Appendix B - Maximum permitted duration of exposure to A-weighted sound level for motor vehicle operators (8)

Grievance procedure

In cases of alleged misinterpretation or misapplication arising out of this standard, the grievance procedure, for all represented employees, within the meaning of the Public Service Staff Relations Act, will be in accordance with Section 7.0 of the National Joint Council By-Laws. For unrepresented employees the departmental grievance procedure applies.

This standard is deemed to be part of collective agreements between the parties to the National Joint Council and employees are to be afforded ready access to this standard. Application

1.This standard incorporates the minimum requirements of the Canada Labour Code,

Part II, and applicable regulations issued pursuant to that legislation, and applies to all departments and other portions of the Public Service, as defined in Part I of

Schedule I of the Public Service Staff Relations Act.

Definitions

2.In this standard:

(1)a-weighted sound pressure level means a sound pressure level indicated by a

measurement system that includes an A-weighting filter as specified by the

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard 651-1979 "Sound Level Meters", as amended from time to time (niveau de pression acoustique pondéré A);

(2)dBA means "decibel A-weighted" and is a unit of A-weighted sound pressure level

(dBa);

(3)motor vehicle operator means an employee operating a motor vehicle with a gross

vehicle weight of more than 4,500 kg (10,000 lb) (conducteur de véhicules

automobiles);

(4)noise exposure level (LEX,8) means ten times the logarithm to the base 10 of the

time integral over any 24-hour period of the squared, A-weighted sound pressure re.

20 micropascals, divided by 8 (niveau d’ambiance sonore (LEX,8));

(5)sound level meter means a device for measuring sound pressure level, the

specifications of which meet the performance requirements for a Type 2 instrument as specified by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard

651-1979, Sound Level Meters, as amended from time to time (sonomètre);

(6)sound pressure level means 20 times the logarithm to the base 10 of the ratio of the

root mean square pressure of a sound to the reference pressure of 20 micropascals expressed in decibels (niveau de pression acoustique).

Monitoring and exposure

3.Environmental health officers of Health and Welfare Canada will monitor noise

levels and exposure to noise and, where necessary, give appropriate direction to departments and agencies in accordance with the requirements of this standard and Treasury Board procedure 4-2: Occupational health investigations.

Hazard investigation

4.Where an employee, other than a motor vehicle operator, is or may be exposed in a

work place to an A-weighted sound pressure level equal to or greater than 84 dBA for a period that is likely to endanger his or her hearing, the department shall,

without delay:

(a)appoint a qualified person to carry out an investigation of the degree of

exposure; and

(b)notify the safety and health committee or safety and health representative, if

any, of the proposed investigation and the name of the qualified person

appointed to carry out that investigation.

Measurement of exposure

5.(1) The exposure of an employee to sound shall be measured using an

instrument appropriate for that measurement that meets the standard set

out for such an instrument in clause 4, Instrumentation, of the Canadian

Standard CAN/CSA-Z107.56, the English version of which is dated

December 1986 and the French version of which is dated September

1987, as amended from time to time.

(2) The procedure for measuring the exposure of an employee to sound shall

be appropriate for that measurement and meet the standards set out for

that measurement in clauses 5, 6.4.1, 6.4.4, 6.5.2, 6.5.4, 6.6.2, and 6.6.4

of the Canadian Standard CAN/CSA-Z107.56-M86, the English and

French versions of which is dated December 1986, as amended from

time to time.

(3) The A-weighted sound pressure level referred to in paragraph 4 shall be

measured instantaneously using the slow response setting of a sound

level meter at any time during normal operating conditions.

7.In the investigation referred to in paragraph 4, the following criteria shall be taken

into consideration:

(a)the levels of sound to which the employee is or may be exposed;

(b)the duration of exposure to such levels of sound;

(c)the sources of sound;

(d)the control methods used to eliminate or reduce the exposure; and

(e)whether the exposure of the employee to sound is likely to exceed

the limits prescribed in paragraph 11.

7.(1) On completion of the investigation referred to in paragraph 4 and after

consultation with the safety and health committee or the safety and health

representative, if any, has taken place, the qualified person shall set out in a

signed written report:

(a)observations respecting the criteria considered under paragraph 6;

(b)recommendations respecting the manner of compliance with

paragraphs 4 and 6;

(c)recommendations respecting the use of hearing protectors by

employees who are exposed to a noise exposure level equal to or

greater than 84 dBA but less than 87 dBA; and

(d)an indication of which employees are likely to be exposed to a noise

exposure level equal to or greater than 84 dBA.

(2) The signed report referred to in this paragraph shall be kept readily

identifiable to the work place to which it applies for a period of ten years

and a copy shall be given to the appropriate safety and health committee.

8.Where the investigation referred to in paragraph 4 reveals that the employee is or is

likely to be exposed to a noise exposure level equal to or greater than 84 dBA, the department shall:

(a)post and keep posted a copy of the report referred to in paragraph 7

in a conspicuous place in the work place to which it applies; and

(b)provide information and instruction to the employee that outlines the

hazards associated with routine exposure to high sound levels.

9.(1) Departments shall ensure that employees exposed to a noise exposure level

equal to or greater than 84 dBA have their hearing level tested, including the

required audiograms, in accordance with the requirements outlined in the

Occupational health evaluation standard, chapter 2-13.

(2) Audiogram test results shall be permanently retained on employees’

medical files.

Engineering controls

10.As far as is reasonably practicable, every department shall, through engineering

controls, reduce the exposure of every employee, other than a motor vehicle operator, to or below a noise exposure level of 87 dBA whether or not the employee is using a hearing protector.

Limits of exposure

11.(1) Notwithstanding paragraph 10, no employee other than a motor vehicle operator

shall, in any 24-hour period, be exposed to:

(a)an A-weighted sound pressure level listed in column I of Appendix A for a

duration of exposure that exceeds the number listed in column II of that

appendix for that A-weighted sound pressure level; or

(b)a noise exposure level that exceeds 87 dBA.

(2) No motor vehicle operator shall, in any 24-hour period, be exposed to an

A-weighted sound pressure level listed in column I of Appendix B for a

duration of exposure that exceeds the number listed in column II of that

A-weighted sound pressure level.

Report to regional safety officer (Labour Canada)

12.Where it is not reasonably practicable, without providing hearing protectors, for a

department to maintain the exposure to sound of an employee, other than a motor vehicle operator, at or below the limits prescribed in paragraph 11, departments shall:

(a)make a report in writing to the regional safety officer at the regional

office setting out the reasons why the exposure cannot be so maintained;

and

(b)provide a copy of the report referred to above to the safety and health

committee or the safety and health representative, if any.

13.(1) Where a department has made a report referred to in paragraph 12(a), the

department shall provide every employee, other than a motor vehicle operator,

who is exposed to sound in excess of a limit prescribed in paragraph 11 with a

hearing protector that:

(a)meets the standards set out in CSA Standard Z94.2-M1984, Hearing

Protectors, the English version of which is dated June 1984 and the French

version of which is dated February 1985, as amended from time to time; and

(b)prevents the exposure of the employee using the hearing protector from

exceeding the limits prescribed in paragraph 11.

(2) Where the department has provided a hearing protector to an employee,

the department shall:

(a)in consultation with the safety and health committee or the safety and health

representative, if any, formulate a program to train the employee provided

with the hearing protector in its fit, care and use; and

(b)implement the program referred to above.

(3) Every person, other than an employee, granted access to a work place

whose exposure to sound is likely to exceed a limit prescribed in

paragraph 11 shall use a hearing protector that meets the standard

referred to in paragraph 13.(1)(a).

Warning signs

14.Departments shall post and keep posted at conspicuous locations at any work place

where an employee, other then a motor vehicle operator, is or may be exposed to an A-weighted sound pressure level equal to or greater than 87 dBA, warning signs that there exists a potentially hazardous level of sound in the work place. Reference

This chapter replaces chapter 3-12 of PMM volume 12.

Appendix A - Maximum permitted duration of exposure to A-weighted sound pressure level at work place

Maximum permitted duration of exposure to A-weighted

sound pressure level at work place/

Durée maximale d’exposition autorisée à un niveau de

pression acoustique pondéré A, dans un lieu de travail

Column I/Colonne I Column II/Colonne II

A-weighted sound pressure level dBA/ Niveau de pression acoustique pondéré à, dBA Maximum duration of exposure in hours per employee, per 24-hour period/durée maximale d’exposition en heures, par employé par période de 24 heures

80 40

81 32

82 25

83 20

84 16

85 13

86 10

87 8.0

88 6.4

89 5.0

90 4.0

91 3.2

92 2.5

93 2.0

94 1.6

Column I/Colonne I Column II/Colonne II

95 1.3

96 1.0

97 0.80

98 0.64

99 0.50

100 0.40

101 0.32

More than 102/Plus de 102 0.00

Note 1

While exposure durations in excess of 24 hours per day are not possible, they have been listed in this table to allow calculation of the noise exposure.

Note 2

This table reflects an exchange rate of 3 dB.

Appendix B - Maximum permitted duration of exposure to A-weighted sound level for motor vehicle operators

Maximum permitted duration of exposure to A-weighted

sound pressure level for motor vehicle operators/

Durée maximale d’exposition autorisée à un niveau

de pression acoustique pondéré A, pour les

conducteurs de véhicules automobiles

Column I/Colonne I Column II/Colonne II

A-weighted sound pressure level dBA/ Niveau de pression acoustique pondéré A, dBA Maximum duration of exposure in hours per employee, per 24-hour period/Durée maximale d’exposition en heures, par employé, par période de 24 heures

90 8

92 6

95 4

97 3 100 2 102 1.5 105 1 110 0.5 115 0.25 More than 115/Plus de 115 0