10 Hearing conservation training programs in 2024
Whether working with loud machinery or in bustling environments, hearing protection should be a top priority. But in fast-paced workplaces, it’s easy to overlook hearing protection when things get busy. To help your teams preserve their senses, prevent hearing loss, and improve their quality of life, we’ve listed 10 hearing conservation training programs in 2024!
Noise and Hearing Conservation (US)
We’re kicking off this list with this Noise and Hearing Conservation course from SC Training (formerly EdApp). It starts with an overview of noise and hearing conservation by tackling the consequences of long exposure to loud noise, symptoms of hearing loss, and ways to lower noise.
It also dives into the use and importance of hearing protection and the hows of conducting an audiometric test to measure one’s ability to hear.
With SC Training’s (formerly EdApp) powerful reporting and analytics dashboard, you can see how your team performs in this course. This makes it easier to track compliance and spot problems, so you can work on what needs improvement as soon as possible.
This OSHA-compliant course was co-created with the expertise of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP). With two of the leaders in safety training working behind the scenes for this hearing protection training, your teams will finish this course equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to safeguard their hearing.
Created by: SC Training (formerly EdApp)
Length: 5-10 minutes per lesson (self-paced)
Certificate: Available
Cost: Free (up to 10 users)
Hearing Conservation Program Fundamentals
Honeywell Training also offers a free hearing conservation program that your teams can take online. It’ll familiarize employees with the fundamentals of hearing protection through its five self-paced modules that they can take in any order.
Specifically, this course covers how we hear, the effects of noise exposure, the definition of noise reduction training, and how to care for and maintain hearing protection equipment. The modules included in this course are also optional so you can select which ones your teams must go through.
Noise & Hearing Conservation (US) Training
Next on the list is this Noise & Hearing Conservation Training designed by Mintra. Unlike other courses in this list, the content of this training is created based on the US best practices for hearing protection instead of specific laws or standards.
This course delves into the definition and early warning signs of noise-induced hearing loss, the workings of the ear, the damages of prolonged noise exposure, and the responsibilities of employers in hearing conservation under the law.
The downside is that this paid training is only accessible for a year. But if your goal is to give your business a consistent approach when dealing with noise hazards, then this course addresses that need.
Hearing Conservation Training for Employees
Another hearing protection training you can use is this one from American Training Resources. It talks about the damaging effects of noise, how your hearing conservation program should protect employees, the pros and cons of the different types of hearing protection, and the importance of hearing conservation.
This training is only available in video format, so it works best for visual and auditory learners. It’s also available in English and Spanish, but you’ll have to purchase the two videos separately.
Created by: American Training Resources
Length: 15 minutes
Certificate: No information available
Cost: Starts at 250 USD/month
Hearing Conservation Safety Training
The National Safety Compliance also carries its own OSHA hearing conservation program. It’s a quick and comprehensive course that will help employers train their teams on hearing protection.
It tackles the workings of the ear, different types of hearing loss, the effects of too much noise exposure, and designing your hearing protection program.
If you’re on a tight budget, this may not be the right training for you, as it requires you to purchase one course per employee.
Created by: National Safety Compliance
Length: 30 minutes
Certificate: No information available
Cost: 20 USD
Hearing Conservation Training
Up next is this course from MySHEQA. It’s created with occupational health and safety professionals, environmental practitioners, managers, executives, engineers, and technicians in mind.
This training talks about creating a hearing conservation program, addressing noise-related problems, and investigating engineering and administrative controls. This course also serves as PPE training as it discusses the use of hearing protective equipment.
It’s important to note that there are certain limitations to this course. For example, you can only take it in-house so your teams won’t have as much flexibility and it can only be taken by up to 25 students. But its targeted approach makes it nuanced and suitable for the demographic it’s intended to serve.
Hearing Conservation Program Management
This one is another OSHA hearing protection training designed for supervisors and managers. If you’re planning to create a new program or improve your existing one, take this OSHAcadaemy course for guidance.
Some important topics included in this training include evaluating exposures, conducting a walk-around survey, eliminating and reducing hazards, hearing protection devices, recordkeeping, and required monitoring.
Hearing Conservation
eSafety offers another OSHA hearing protection training that you can use for your teams. It’s a comprehensive course with over 15 modules designed to give employees an overview of the fundamentals of a good hearing conservation program.
Some modules that stand out in this training include hearing protection selection, noise measurement, hearing sensitivity assessment, and the OSHA standard on hearing protection. This course also delves into the intricate details of the human ear. Particularly, it talks about the cochlea, the main organ of hearing.
OSHA-compliant Hearing Conservation
Made by FMTC Safety, this course focuses on the benefits of a hearing conservation program. The aim is that the more the employees understand the program’s purpose, the more encouraged they are to apply it in their work.
It also goes into detail about decibel levels and hearing protection. While this is a paid course, FMTC Safety offers free cancellation for up to 24 hours in advance. Keep in mind that this training may be fully booked so it’s necessary to choose a date suitable for you in advance.
Hearing Conservation Training
Last but not least, we have Lion Technology’s training course designed for teams to monitor workplace noise levels, know the pros and cons of ear muffs and ear plugs, and familiarize workers with all the essential concepts needed for hearing protection.
This is a paid course that includes interactive exercises and an assessment. But you might have to ask your teams to finish this course as soon as possible since it’s only accessible for up to 90 days after purchase.
From workers in loud construction sites to artists and crews in concerts, hearing conservation is key to preserving the sense of hearing. This is particularly true for teams in environments that deal with noise levels above 85 decibels (dB).
But how loud exactly is 85 dB? It’s not as noisy as one would expect. We deal with 85-dB sounds in our everyday lives. It can be equivalent to the noise that emanates from a loud, busy restaurant, the accumulated sounds from vehicles stuck in heavy traffic, or that of a train passing by.
Thankfully, 85 dB is safe if you aren’t exposed to this level of noise for more than 8 hours per day. But this isn’t the case for workers in certain industries who deal with noise exceeding this threshold for long periods. When this noise level is unavoidable, hearing conservation becomes an essential tool for workplace health and safety.
What is hearing conservation training?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 40 million adults aged 20 to 69 experience noise-induced hearing loss in the US. You’re at higher risk if you work in noisy environments exposing you to loud noises for long hours.
Hearing conservation training is important to protect your teams from being a part of this statistic. An effective training program preserves their hearing and equips them with the hows of hearing conservation and protective equipment, saving their future selves from further ear damage.
OSHA mandates that employers should give hearing protection and training to workers with noise exposure levels at or above 85 dB. This hearing protection program usually covers measuring noise levels, identifying noise hazards, and training teams to protect themselves.
Tick off one box in your OSHA-required annual training list by investing in hearing protection training now.
What are the three common types of hearing protection?
If you’re having trouble deciding what hearing protective equipment to get for your teams, check out this handy list of the three most common types of hearing protection:
- Earplugs - These are small hearing PPEs that fit into the ear canal to reduce the noise level entering the ear. Some pros of earplugs include a portable and versatile design that suits varying needs.
- Earmuffs - This hearing protection device covers the entire outer ear and acts as a barrier to block out noise. If your teams need to remove and reapply their protection devices from time to time, then this is perfect for them.
- Semi-insert earplugs - These are the earplugs and earmuffs combined. From the name itself, these are earplugs connected to a band or strap, holding it in place against the ear canal. It’s easily removable like the earmuffs and versatile like the earplugs.
Safeguard your team’s senses with hearing conservation training
Noise-induced hearing loss doesn’t only affect your employees’ well-being; it also disrupts your business’s daily operations. One’s sense of hearing plays a vital role in many aspects of their day-to-day lives, including communication, learning, social interaction, and safety.
Without hearing protection, workplace health and safety fall on deaf ears. Jumpstart your team’s hearing conservation training. Join SC Training (formerly EdApp) today!