OCTOBER 2018
Can you hear me now?
Hearing loss is permanent and irreversible. October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, and it’s also a time of year farmers are working around combines, dryers, augers, and other equipment with high noise levels that harm hearing without proper protection.
Prevent hearing loss with the Farm Safety Check.
SAFETY CHECKLIST
- Are you using job-appropriate hearing protection? Match protection to decibel levels of exposure.
- Are you using hearing protection sized/fitted for your body?
- Are you inserting foam protection with clean hands?
- Are you inserting/placing PPE on correctly? Some foam plugs should be rolled.
- Are you updating used/old PPE that is no longer effective?
- Are you cleaning reusable PPE, like ear muffs?
- Are you performing routine maintenance on equipment to reduce excess noise? (such as rattling/clanging)
- Are you limiting exposure to hazardous levels of noise?
- Are high noise areas marked with warnings or signage?
- Are employees trained on PPE use?
- Are you storing PPE near machinery or areas where it should be worn?
- Have you had your hearing tested?
You and/or your employee(s) can download and print a pdf checklist to complete safety checks on your farm. Keep the completed forms for follow-up, future reference and inspections.
DOWNLOAD PDF CHECKLIST
Disclaimer: The facts and information listed above are suggestions for your safety, but are in no way a comprehensive and exhaustive list of all actions needed to ensure your safety.
