There is noise in just about every mechanical device that the fire service uses. Noise from chain saws, extrication equipment, sirens, air horns, and fire apparatus engines are all potential noise exposures for firefighters. Imagine getting halfway through your fire service career and failing your hearing test. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1582, Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments, has hearing requirements that must be adhered to for the safety of firefighters and everyone around them.
When people join the fire service, they often have motives of giving back to their community and helping others. It is important that once someone becomes a firefighter, he is taken care of and every effort is made to ensure he is still in great physical and mental shape when he eventually leaves the fire service. There have been numerous developments within the fire service when it comes to making it safer, but hearing protection is a topic that is often not discussed. There are numerous instances where a firefighter has lost part of his hearing and then stated that he thought it would never happen to him.
Hearing Damage
Hearing protection is critically important because once someone has damaged his hearing from noise exposure, it is likely permanently damaged. As recently as the early 1990s, it was common for a firefighter to ride in the jump seat right next to the loud diesel engine with the siren speaker and air horn directly over his head. The fire service has redesigned its vehicles to place siren speakers and air horns in the lower front area away from personnel, and firefighters now ride inside a cab that is required to have a certain level of soundproofing.
Have you ever thought about firefighters who leave their windows down while driving with lights and sirens to a call? The average siren can emit around 110 decibels (dBs) of noise. Add to that the average 85 dBs of traffic noise, and even with the changes to the siren placement in the vehicles, firefighters are still at risk of hearing loss because of noise exposure. These realities are the primary reasons for improving hearing protection within the department.
Acceptable Risk
Several years ago, a firefighter left the Sandoval County (NM) Fire Department and went to work for a nearby department. He was disqualified for hearing loss for not being in compliance with NFPA 1582 while he was in the fire academy. This was alarming to the command staff at the Sandoval County Fire Department. As fire chief for the department, I (Maxon) believe that our personnel are our most valuable asset, and taking care of them is a top priority. I purchased a decibel meter to see if our personnel were being exposed to high levels of noise. The outcome of the test showed that personnel were being exposed to noise that was within the “acceptable range” per standards published by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
When compared to other published standards used worldwide, OSHA is the most liberal, meaning based on OSHA standards the “acceptable risk” is 29 to 30 percent.1 If this standard is followed, 29 to 30 out of every 100 firefighters could get debilitating hearing loss because of noise exposure-and this is considered acceptable. Compare this to the World Health Organization, which has the most conservative standards allowing for 0 percent acceptable risk.(1) Although OSHA standards are widely accepted, more can and should be done to strive for a 0 percent acceptable risk.
Customized Protection
In 2013, Kathleen Romero approached the Sandoval County Fire Department with a concept of customized hearing protection and education for every firefighter. Each firefighter would be custom fitted for hearing protection and educated about methods to protect their hearing. In talking with many firefighters, there was awareness about noise exposure risks and they were already being provided with hearing protection; however, it was not being used consistently and or correctly. Two regularly reported issues with noncustom hearing protection were the need to still be able to “hear” their surroundings and a lack of accessibility when on a call or on the go.
With these things in mind, we came up with custom, filtered hearing protection. The filter system allows the firefighters to have different levels of noise reduction. With the hearing protection on, they can still hear speech and warning signals around them. Making it custom increases the likelihood that the hearing protection will be inserted correctly for greatest effectiveness. The hearing protection is attached to the back of the shirt so that it is always on the person and hanging at chest level for easy access; if it needs to be removed temporarily, it stays hanging on the uniform for reinsertion as needed.
Educational Sessions
Providing adequate, easy-to-use hearing protection is only half of the hearing conservation program implemented by the Sandoval County Fire Department. The second part involves education for the firefighters. Before receiving the hearing protection, each firefighter must take part in an educational session designed to educate and motivate every individual.
Hearing loss from noise exposure can result from a onetime sudden event or an accumulation of events. In general, we are all exposed to potentially dangerous levels of noise exposure from everything from music and riding all-terrain vehicles to fireworks and traffic noise. Generally, the exposure time is not enough to cause hearing loss in the general public. However, add the workday of a firefighter to the normal exposure we all get, and the risk becomes greater.
Each firefighter is educated on ways to cut down on noise exposure in their daily lives as well as on shift. We have designed a program that is able to evolve as we learn more about the specific challenges presented with the fire department population and as technologies and needs change.
For additional information on the Sandoval County Fire Department hearing protection program, e-mail Chief James Maxon at jmaxon@sandovalcountynm.gov.
Reference
1. Berger, E.H., L.H. Royster, J.D. Royster, D.P. Driscoll, and M. Layne (eds.). The Noise Manual, 5th Edition. American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2003.
