Periodical hearing examinations are to be conducted to monitor the effectiveness of the hearing conservation program.

Education is vital to the overall success of a hearing conservation program.

The Navy's Permissible Exposure Limit (NPEL) for occupational noise is 84 decibels (unit of measure to express sound pressure levels) for an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA). When TWA exposures exceed 84 dB, then include personnel in the Navy's Hearing Conservation Program. The formulas to compute decibels are in the OPNAVINST 5100.23 .1802.2

Any work area where the TWA sound level exceeds 84 dB and where the noise level would peak at 140 dB will be designated as hazardous noise areas and labeled as per

Navy Medicine, NAVMED 6260/2 (series). These labels should read Hazardous Noise Warning Decal, 8 inches by 10 1/2 inches (displayed on stationary equipment and all entryways) and Hazardous Noise Labels, 1 inch by 1 1/2 inch (displayed on power tools). These are approved decals and labels for marking hazardous noise areas and equipment.

Remember Builders, you work mainly with power tools and machinery with which the decibels will range from 50 dB (power saws) to 140 dB (radial saw at peak operations), so it is your responsibility to protect your hearing. If you have any further questions regarding hazardous noise areas, do not hesitate to contact your safety officer.

Sight Conservation

Navy policy requires that Navy personnel exposed to eye hazards are to be provided adequate eye protection at government expense. The following basic program requirements are to be implemented:

1. A complete survey of all activity work areas, equipment, and processes must be conducted to determine which eye hazards exist, which personnel require eye protection, and what type of eye protection is required.

2. All areas designated as eye hazards must be posted with the appropriate warning signs. Such signs should be consistent with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.145 and are to be located at all entrances to designated areas as practical.

3. Emergency eyewash stations must be provided in all areas where the eyes of any employee may be exposed to corrosive materials.

Remember Builders, your eyesight is the most valuable tool you will ever possess.

For further references to SAFETY, contact your safety officer or refer to the OPNAVINST 5100.23 (series), Naval Safety Supervisor course (TRAMAN), and Army Corps of Engineers, EM-385.

POLLUTION AND HAZARDOUS WASTE

Pollution abatement is the responsibility of all Navy personnel whether military or civilian. We need to become more innovative in finding ways to reduce pollution in our environment. Land, air, and water are the three primary parts that make up this planet and are ecologically balanced. When one of the parts is severely damaged, it has an equally damaging effect on the other two parts. It is absolutely essential for us to review practices that have or may have a detrimental effect on the environment and determine whether measures can be taken to lessen or eliminate these undesirable effects further.

Historically, the most prevalent polluters have been in the fields of manufacturing, facilities maintenance, construction, and waste disposal. NCF personnel can do little to control manufacturing pollution. However, they can provide some control over the methods in which many manufactured items are used and the ways in which residues, such as construction waste and potential pollution materials, are disposed. This is particularly important when it could have an adverse effect on the immediate environment at an NCF jobsite.

POLLUTION IMPACT AREAS

Nearly all pollution is caused by substances from the following categories of materials:

Hazardous - any material, substance, chemical, and so forth, that is regulated as hazardous (harmful, exposing one to risk), requiring an MSDS.

Nonhazardous - any material, substance, chemical, and so forth, that is not regulated and does not require an MSDS.

Organic - a material or substance generally characterized by chains of connected carbon atoms.