Readiness Through Hearing Conservation A Commander’s Guide OUCH!!!

Readiness Through Hearing Readiness Through Hearing ConservationConservation

A Commander’s GuideA Commander’s Guide

OUCH!!!

OutlineOutline

• Hearing and combat readinessHearing and combat readiness

• Your hearing conservation programYour hearing conservation program

• Hearing ProfilesHearing Profiles

• SummarySummary

• QuestionsQuestions

• ConclusionConclusion

“Shortly after moonrise, Howe was

startled by loud voices… over where

Stebbins and Heard had been hit… He

popped an earplug and listened harder.

The voices were speaking Somali. They

must have been half deaf like everyone

else from all the explosions, and didn’t

realize how loud they were talking.

Sometimes it took soldiers two or three

days to regain full hearing after a fight.”

Battle of the Black Sea

Mogadishu, Somalia

Delta Force, SFC Paul Howe

DETECTION OF SOUND BY HEARING ABILITYDETECTION OF SOUND BY HEARING ABILITY

100m

180m

1000m

5.5m

100m

210m

0.6m

32m

46m

0 200 400 600 800 1000

Footsteps inLeaves

NormalVoice

Rifle BoltClosing

Poor Hearing(H-2)

Acceptable Hearing(H-1)

Poor Hearingw/ TTS (H-3)

Detection Decreases Rapidly as Hearing Loss Increases

The Hearing Conservation The Hearing Conservation ProgramProgramIt’s the Commander’s ProgramIt’s the Commander’s Program

• AR 40-5 Preventive MedicineAR 40-5 Preventive Medicine

• DA PAM 40-501 Hearing DA PAM 40-501 Hearing ConservationConservation

• Insert USAEUR’s PolicyInsert USAEUR’s Policy

• Part of Command Inspection Part of Command Inspection ProgramProgram

HC Program ElementsHC Program Elements

• Noise hazard identificationNoise hazard identification• Engineering controlsEngineering controls• Hearing protectorsHearing protectors• Health EducationHealth Education• Monitoring AudiometryMonitoring Audiometry• EnforcementEnforcement• Program evaluationProgram evaluation

What is required of you?What is required of you?

• IMPLEMENT A UNIT LEVEL PROGRAMIMPLEMENT A UNIT LEVEL PROGRAM– Assign a unit level hearing conservation Assign a unit level hearing conservation

officer/NCO officer/NCO – Command emphasis letter (sample provided)Command emphasis letter (sample provided)– SOP (sample provided)SOP (sample provided)

• ENFORCE THE PROGRAMENFORCE THE PROGRAM– Soldiers use hearing protection in noiseSoldiers use hearing protection in noise– Noise-hazardous areas and equipment identifiedNoise-hazardous areas and equipment identified– Soldier’s report for annual educationSoldier’s report for annual education– Soldier’s report for annual hearing testingSoldier’s report for annual hearing testing

Annual Hearing Testing / Annual Hearing Testing / TrainingTraining• Annual testingAnnual testing

– A deployment requirement A deployment requirement – Available at all military treatment facilitiesAvailable at all military treatment facilities– Hours (consult local facility for hours)Hours (consult local facility for hours)

• Annual trainingAnnual training– Can be completed by unit training NCOCan be completed by unit training NCO– Videos/presentations available for check-outVideos/presentations available for check-out– Document trainingDocument training– Must cover all areas outlined in DA-PAM 40-Must cover all areas outlined in DA-PAM 40-

501501

Annual Hearing Testing / Annual Hearing Testing / Training (Cont.)Training (Cont.)

• Standard Threshold Shift (STS)Standard Threshold Shift (STS)– A significant change in hearing from baseline A significant change in hearing from baseline – Commander must be notified of all STSCommander must be notified of all STS– What caused this? (Lack of Education? New What caused this? (Lack of Education? New

Noise Hazard? Non-compliance with program?)Noise Hazard? Non-compliance with program?)• OSHA Reportable STSOSHA Reportable STS

– A significant change in hearing resulting in A significant change in hearing resulting in material hearing impairment.material hearing impairment.

– CA-1, CA-2, DA-285 must be completed by CA-1, CA-2, DA-285 must be completed by CommanderCommander

– Notify Command SafetyNotify Command Safety– Name of soldier goes on OSHA 300 LogName of soldier goes on OSHA 300 Log

Hearing ProfilesHearing Profiles

• Issued by Audiologist or PhysicianIssued by Audiologist or Physician• H1 = Good to goH1 = Good to go• H2 = Some hearing loss H2 = Some hearing loss (one ear may be deaf)(one ear may be deaf). .

Know your soldiers and don’t put them in Know your soldiers and don’t put them in positions which may compromise the mission or positions which may compromise the mission or safety of the troops.safety of the troops.

• H3 = Significant hearing loss that may affect H3 = Significant hearing loss that may affect communication ability. communication ability. NON-DEPLOYABLE NON-DEPLOYABLE without MMRB/MEB.without MMRB/MEB.

• H4 = Significant hearing loss and significant H4 = Significant hearing loss and significant communication deficit even with amplification. communication deficit even with amplification. NON-DEPLOYABLE without MMRB/MEBNON-DEPLOYABLE without MMRB/MEB

COMBAT ARMS EARPLUGCOMBAT ARMS EARPLUG

• Keep filter holes free of earwax and other debris.

• Check proper insertion for slight tension by gently tugging on plugs.

• Ensure that plugs are cleaned with soap and water and dry when returned to case. NSN 6515-01-466-2710

• Keep filter holes free of earwax and other debris.

• Check proper insertion for slight tension by gently tugging on plugs.

• Ensure that plugs are cleaned with soap and water and dry when returned to case. NSN 6515-01-466-2710

• Insert YELLOW plugs for weapons fire in dismounted mode.

• Insert YELLOW plugs for weapons fire in dismounted mode.

• Insert OLIVE DRAB plugs for steady state noise in and around aircraft, noisy vehicles and watercraft, etc.

• Insert OLIVE DRAB plugs for steady state noise in and around aircraft, noisy vehicles and watercraft, etc.

SUMMARYSUMMARY

• Hearing and combat readinessHearing and combat readiness

• Your hearing conservation programYour hearing conservation program

• Hearing ProfilesHearing Profiles

QUESTIONS???????QUESTIONS???????

ConclusionConclusion ““If I could change one If I could change one thing from the past 20 thing from the past 20 years, it would be the years, it would be the constant ringing in my constant ringing in my ears I live with now - all ears I live with now - all because I didn’t wear because I didn’t wear hearing protection hearing protection when I should have… when I should have… The only thing I can The only thing I can change now are the change now are the batteries in my hearing batteries in my hearing aids.”aids.”

After 20 Years of Service…Only One After 20 Years of Service…Only One RegretRegret

SGM Kevin M. SkellySGM Kevin M. SkellyNCO Journal, Fall 95NCO Journal, Fall 95

ContactsContacts

• USAREUR HCPM-CPT Kel Kratzer CHPPMEURUSAREUR HCPM-CPT Kel Kratzer CHPPMEURDSN: 486-6034 [email protected] DSN: 486-6034 [email protected]

• Wuerzburg HCPM-CPT Andy MerkleyWuerzburg HCPM-CPT Andy MerkleyDSN: 350-3201 [email protected] DSN: 350-3201 [email protected]

• Landstuhl HCPM-LTC Angela WilliamsonLandstuhl HCPM-LTC Angela WilliamsonDSN: 486-8188 DSN: 486-8188

[email protected] [email protected] • Heidelberg HCPM-Hal McPhersonHeidelberg HCPM-Hal McPherson

DSN: 371-3224 [email protected] DSN: 371-3224 [email protected]