We all know that the requirements for OSHA workplace noise measurements involve establishing the individual noise exposure for our workers to be sure that we are protecting them from excessively high noise levels. High noise levels over prolonged periods of time can lead to premature deafness, lack of concentration, unsafe stress on the job and poorer quality manufacturing. Working in lower noise levels decreases the risks of workers’ hearing loss and results in improved product quality and reduced stress in the workforce.
The overall noise exposure is expressed as the Time Weighted Average noise level (TWA). This is intended to include all significant noise events during the day and express the result as a single overall number in decibels. The OSHA regulations, CFR 1910:95, require the measurement of the TWA in two slightly different ways depending on whether we want the Permitted Exposure Level (PEL) or the Hearing Conservation Amendment (HCA) result.