Hearing conservation processes that involve people can be better understood as behavioral challenges subject to human frailty. Essential tasks can be mind-numbingly repetitive and disarmingly simple. Checklists can help get the “stupid stuff right” while leaving “room for judgment, but judgment aided — and even enhanced by procedure.”1 The continued prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss after 30 years under the OSHA Noise Amendment suggests that we are still not getting it right all the time and we could use more effective management tools.
Part I of this article explores program pitfalls and management issues that may be common to most hearing conservation programs with special attention to how checklists can facilitate teamwork, help manage the complexities and even help get the so-called “stupid stuff” right. Stratified checklists, designed for overall program management, will be introduced in a follow-up Part 2 article in ISHN’s December issue.