Is Hearing Protection Legal ?????

Dosn't help, does it?

 

The sirens are really loud in the trucks. However, we have to listen to the radio as well.

We are switching to headphone radio for the driver and first seat. It will allow for clearer communication through the noise of the siren.

 

So you are suggesting he can wear hearing protection for one ear?

Best regards

 

Headphones/earbuds are NOT the same as hearing protection. Even the states which prohibit headphones usually make an exception for communication purposes. If there is enough truck noise that you are concerned about your hearing, you should absolutely look into some sort of hearing protection. Lose your hearing, lose your livelihood.

 

yes it does , actually.lol

 

Did they password-protect the FMCSA regulation web page? It has a search box on it the last time I was there.

 

I've never wore protection in my life -- doesn't feel the same.

 

In every modern truck I have researched, including the Volvo, the cabin noise level is reported by the maker as at or near the level OSHA used as detrimental in an industrial setting(89 or 90dB, IIRC). Here is the point no driver on the internet ever recognizes, so far, just because today's trucks are quieter than a 1968 Freightliner cabover it doesn't mean today's trucks don't cause hearing loss. Hearing loss is a function of how loud are the sounds you hear and how long you are exposed to them. Truck drivers are exposed to sound levels (80-88dB) for many or most hours of the day, for most days of the week, for years on end. You will lose plenty of hearing if you drive trucks long enough.

Hearing loss is a gradual process and you won't notice you have lost a lot of you ability to hear if you spend most of your time alone, how could you? You'll first be told by others, when you are around them, you have the TV too loud or you think everyone is starting to mumble. If almost everyone you are around is also a loud talking, gradually deafening truck driver, you won't notice your hearing loss for years.

Hearing protection, like ear plugs, are more like sunglasses than a blindfold. They reduce a range of noise, and with that range reduced you can hear more coherent noises, like speech, warning sounds, and sirens. Imagine trying to read a newspaper while looking at very bright lights. You can't do it without sunglasses because the bright light overwhelms your eyes. Reduce the sunlight with sunglasses and you can read the print.

There are industries not dissimilar to trucking where hearing protection is mandatory. The people in those industries still need to hear important sounds. Those industries operate based on facts and data, unlike trucking where everything is a matter of who can most loudly state the most common piece of folk wisdom.

Whether ear plugs are legal or not, how is anyone going to see into your ear canal while you drive? Who was the last driver here to be pulled over by a cop staying behind your trailer and just sounding his noisemaker? You are going to hear a siren while the engine noise is blaring in your ear?

Here are 2 links about this topic

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/noisehearingconservation/index.html
FMCSA http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/tb99-001.pdf

read especially the paragraphs lables "Empirical Measurments" at the second link. Since OSHA doesn't regulate truck cabin noise it's not been well studied. If you hunt around you can find info indicating truck inetriors, even modern ones, are at or near the level OHSA would require other workers to use hearing protection. However, what trucks lack in exceeding that OSHA level they make up for in duration of exposure. When you are in almost high noise levels all day every day you will lose your hearing.

Now, let's see how many drivers start arguing about whether or not old trucks are louder than new trucks, completely missing the point.

 

And add to that the fact that audio overload causes stress, and stress is a contributing factor in a wide range of traffic accidents.

Best regards