Technologically achievable engineering and administrative noise controls for the mining industry

摘要

The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) health standard forrnoccupational noise exposure (30 CFR Part 62), became effective onrnSeptember 13, 2000. An important feature of this revised noise standard is the emphasisrnit places on the implementation and use of feasible engineering and administrative noiserncontrols to maintain a miner’s noise exposure at or below the permissible exposure levelrn(PEL). In an attempt to help answer questions regarding the feasibility of engineeringrnand administrative noise controls relating to specific mining equipment and situations,rnMSHA developed and issued a Program Information Bulletin (PIB) 04-18, entitledrn“Technologically Achievable, Administratively Achievable, and Promising NoisernControls (30 CFR Part 62).” This paper discusses the terms “feasible,” “achievable,” andrn“promising” in terms of engineering and administrative noise controls, the goals of thernPIB, and the impact this approach has had in the application of noise control technologyrnin the mining industry.