What type of PPE is required when workers are exposed to noise levels of 95 dBA for an 8-hour time-weighted average?
Correct Answer
B) Hearing protection required
OSHA requires hearing protection when noise exposure exceeds 90 dBA for an 8-hour TWA. At 95 dBA, protection is mandatory.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 requires a Hearing Conservation Program when noise exposure reaches or exceeds 85 dBA TWA (action level), and mandates hearing protection when exposure reaches or exceeds 90 dBA TWA (PEL). At 95 dBA, hearing protection is not just recommended — it is legally required.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: No hearing protection required
No hearing protection required is incorrect. OSHA's PEL for noise is 90 dBA over an 8-hour TWA. At 95 dBA, the exposure exceeds the PEL, making hearing protection mandatory — not optional.
Option C: Hearing protection recommended but not required
Recommended but not required is the threshold language used below 85 dBA. At 95 dBA — 5 dB above the PEL — protection is required by law, not merely advised.
Option D: Work prohibited at this noise level
Work is not prohibited at 95 dBA. OSHA regulates noise through a combination of engineering controls, administrative controls, and mandatory PPE. Work may continue with proper hearing protection; no ceiling value prohibits work at this level.
Memory Technique
Remember the '5-9 rule': 85 dBA = start the program (action level), 90 dBA = protection required (PEL). 95 is above 90, so it's mandatory. Think of 90 as the 'line in the sand' — cross it and protection is law.
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