The need to revise the NIOSH REL for Noise Downward -- Dr. Daniel Fink

Dr. Daniel Fink, MD, MBA discusses the NIOSH REL (recommended exposure limit) for noise and the need to revise it downward. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has set the recommended limit at 85 dBA. A-weighting adjusts sound level measurements to reflect the frequencies heard in human speech. However, at this noise exposure level, for the standard occupational exposure time of 8 hours/day, 5 days/week, 50 weeks/year, for 40 years at work, there is an 8% risk of developing occupational noise-induced hearing loss. OSHA's permissible exposure limit (PEL) for noise is 90dBA which creates a 25% excess risk of developing occupational noise-induced hearing loss. For the general public and for inherently quiet industries such as healthcare these RELs are far too high since the excess risk for developing hearing loss in these settings should be exceedingly low. Acceptable risk as outlined by the WHO in a book about safe drinking water standards should be between 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 1 million. Thus, we need more stringent guidelines for the protection of the public and workers in inherently quiet industries. Health Watch USA(sm) meeting Oct. 17, 2024