Monitoring Requirements

General

When reasonable information indicates that any employee’s exposure may equal or exceed an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 dBA, Pacific Lutheran University must obtain individual or representative exposure measurements for the employees who may be exposed at or above that level. If you suspect that your work environment exceeds 85 dBA, please contact the Environmental Health & Safety Manager for assistance in obtaining exposure measurements.  The most recent PLU noise surveys are available upon request of the Environmental Health & Safety Manager.

Where circumstances such as high worker mobility, significant variations in sound level, or a significant component of impulse noise exist, we will use representative personal sampling unless area sampling will produce the same results.

Repeating Monitoring of Environments

Monitoring must be repeated whenever a change in production, process, equipment, or controls increases noise exposures to the extent that:

Additional employees may be exposed at or above an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 dBA.
Employees are exposed to higher level of noise requiring more effective hearing protection.

Employee Notification

The supervisor or the Environmental Health & Safety Manager will notify each affected employee when the results of the monitoring show that they are being exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 dBA or greater.

Observation of Monitoring

The university will provide effected employees or their representatives with an opportunity to observe any measurements of employee noise exposure.