by Brianna Crandall — March 9, 2011—The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA), is honoring companies and individuals who have shown their dedication to the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss with the 2011 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards, presented at the Hearing Conservation Conference on February 25, 2011 in Mesa, Arizona.
The award honors exceptional hearing loss prevention programs designed to protect workers in the construction, manufacturing, and service sectors. In addition, it recognizes individuals or organizations for innovation in hearing loss prevention and their dedication to fostering and implementing new and unique advances in the prevention of hearing loss.
The 2011 recipient for Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention in the Manufacturing Sector is Shaw Industries Group, Fibers Division, Plant WM, GA. Shaw Industries Group, Inc., is the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, says NIOSH. The Fibers Division was recognized for the demonstrated results in noise control, hearing loss prevention, and their continuous effort to improve the quality of implementation of several of their hearing loss prevention program components.
The recipients for Innovation in Hearing Loss Prevention in the Service Sector are CPT Leanne Cleveland and the Fort Carson (FC) Army Hearing Program in Colorado Springs, CO. CPT Cleveland and the FC Hearing Program team were recognized for their innovative efforts to implement the far-reaching programmatic changes outlined in the Army Hearing Program (Special Text 4-02.501, 2008), related to the extremely challenging noise hazards of war. Their organizational teamwork and flexibility is especially noteworthy in this high volume, time-critical work environment, notes NIOSH. The FC Hearing Program has had a direct impact on the hearing status of individual soldiers and their ability to continue to perform military duties.
NIOSH recommends removing hazardous noise from the workplace whenever possible and implementing an effective hearing loss prevention program in those situations where dangerous noise exposures have not yet been controlled or eliminated. For more information about Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention research at NIOSH, visit their Web site.
