Imagine your average paving project on a two-lane road. One lane is closed for the paving crew to do its job and the other is accommodating both directions of travel, controlled by flagging operations at each end of the job site.

Then, all of a sudden, a semi speeds around a turn leading up to the work zone and, unable to stop in time, slams into the flagging operation. An alarm blares, notifying the paving crew of the work zone intrusion. Thankfully, the semi comes to a stop before reaching the crew. And, because the job site was equipped with an Automated Flagger Assistance Device (AFAD), the flagger is also safe and sound.

That’s because, in early 2023, AWP Safety, North Canton, Ohio, announced a partnership with Site 20/20 to deploy its Guardian SmartFlagger AFADs on AWP’s work zones in more than 20 states across the country.

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AWP Safety’s services range from work zone flagging to design and engineering for transportation management plans, as well as equipment sales, rentals and support in 28 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces.

AFADs allows an operator to monitor and control traffic through the lens of two HD cameras. Using a smart tablet instead of a flag, operators can perform their duties at a distance.

Recognized by the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) for advancing roadway safety, Guardian SmartFlagger aims to increase motorist compliance and improve work zone safety. Since its inception, these devices have been used by more than 100 traffic control companies in North America.

The Road to Autonomy

According to Greg Ryan, vice president of AWP Safety’s north business division, the technology behind AFADs has been around for 20 years. “I first learned of the Guardian SmartFlagger five years ago, but I didn’t think the technology was 100% ready or that the market was ready for such a device,” he said. Then, in 2020, Ryan decided it was time to reconsider the concept.

“In 2020, we started facing an even more acute workforce shortage and began looking for alternative solutions to achieve the capacity we needed,” he said. “We began investigating what autonomy could do and learned of all the additional features Site 20/20 has added over the last five years.”

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These improvements included integrations with Google/Waze, reducing the weight of the device by half and adding video recording capabilities and the ability to pair up to four devices. In that time, the devices had also been tested according to the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH), a standard for testing work zone traffic control devices from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

“They were something we were ready to run with,” Ryan said. “Once we were in that mindset, the next question was ‘How do we get our customers to adopt this?’”

Customers Hop Aboard

AFADs boast a number of benefits, from the safety of construction workers by removing flaggers from the flow of traffic to reducing labor costs and improving operational efficiency.

Ryan said some of AWP’s customers got on board with the idea right away, but others were initially resistant to the change. The first step was developing support for the idea across AWP’s organization. “Today, we have at least one local champion for the device in every office,” Ryan said. “They use these devices every day.”

According to Ryan, the most resistant customers were what he calls the “old school” individuals. “They’d say, ‘I trust people, not machines,’” Ryan recalled. Most would open up to the idea once AWP showed them data that the general public actually responds better to these than they do a human flagger. “When they see the data and see them in action, they start to understand the benefits.”

For example, Guardian SmartFlaggers were deployed on a job site where a car plowed through the AFAD’s gate arm. The gate arm fell off, the alarm sounded to notify the crew, and the car stopped before it reached the crew. A customer resistant to the use of AFADs who was on the job turned to Ryan and cited the event as evidence the AFAD didn’t work as intended.

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“I told him it worked exactly as planned,” he said. “The car stopped, the crew is safe, and I’m not calling an ambulance for a struck flagger. The only damage done was a scratch on the intruding vehicle, and we have video showing them to be at fault.”

Ryan shared an event where a motorist drove through the gate arm and attempted to sue the contractor performing the work. “The contractor reached out to us, we found the video of the lady as she hit the gate arm showing both her hands were on her phone,” Ryan said. “We sent that to the contractor and that was that.”

“The flagger is 100% safer if they’re operating the AFAD from a safe distance instead of standing out there for a traditional flagging operation,” Ryan said. The other benefit that brought customers around was the increased capacity these devices afford. “When we implement AFADs on appropriate jobs, it means we have additional manpower to use for jobs where AFADs don’t make sense,” Ryan said, for example, double lane closures or any job that calls for arrow boards or similar devices/setups.

According to Ryan, one person can control up to four AFADs, however, on a typical closure with one lane of split traffic, he said AWP still utilizes one person per AFAD. Often, customers prefer a mile-long work zone in order to optimize paving efficiency. “But you’ll usually have a number of side streets, driveways, etc. along a mile-long work zone,” Ryan said. “Normally, we’d need three or four people out there to account for that level of complexity. With the AFADs, we can do it with two people, one operating the ends and one controlling the ins and outs to ensure folks aren’t turning left when traffic’s going right.”

With the use of AFADs, AWP is also able to locate its flaggers closer to the crew for improved communication and allow for cool down and warm up breaks without having to find someone to relieve the flagger. “When we’re able to do more for less while providing better safety, that’s hard for a customer to say no to,” Ryan said.

AWP has also found a number of creative uses for its AFADs. For example, traffic assessments/car counting and storm responses. “We got a call in the middle of the night to reroute traffic around an icy road,” Ryan said. “We didn’t initially plan to use AFADs for storm work, but we quickly learned that’s one more option for them.”

How SmartFlagger Works

Guardian SmartFlagger is designed to fit in the back of a standard pickup truck and boasts a 60-hour battery life. It’s equipped with extendable legs for level operation on all types of terrain and can run either on the cellular network or on an independent network in areas without cellular service.

Ryan said setup of the device is as simple as placing an AFAD where it’s needed and putting down the gate arm to safely set up the rest of the work zone and remaining AFADs. “Then, all you have to do is turn the tablet on and it senses however many devices you have out there,” he said. “Then, the operator selects the AFADs he or she will control and will be able to see the camera view from the AFAD to begin operating the device.” The HD cameras offer a 360-degree view and include night vision capabilities and up to 80 hours of recording time.

Ryan said one of his favorite features is the system’s integration with Google/Waze, instantly informing those apps of the active work zone. “Studies show that notifying drivers of an active work zone results in a 20 to 25% reduction in traffic,” Ryan said. “Anytime you can go from having 100 cars driving past a work zone to 75, I’ll take that deal.”

In the event that a vehicle drives around or hits the fully detachable gate arm, Guardian SmartFlagger automatically triggers a 115-decibel intrusion alarm to notify workers. The operator can also manually trigger this alarm.

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Another feature Ryan appreciates are the built-in redundancies to prevent accidentally opening a gate. “The system asks several times if the operator is sure they want to open the gate,” he said, adding that the operator can also enter the speed limit and size of the work zone into the system to receive estimated gate times. “If you set the speed right and the distance right, the app might suggest that it would take a car 32 seconds to clear from gate one to gate two. If you try to close a gate before that lower limit, the app asks you several times if you are sure.”

The system will also inform the operator if traffic is heavier in one direction and suggest how much longer to keep open the busier direction for optimal traffic flow. “It does a lot of the things our folks naturally do on a daily basis,” Ryan said.

Site 20/20 also makes the Guardian Cone, the 2022 winner of ATSSA’s Innovation Award. Guardian Cone monitors vehicle speeds and detects work zone intrusions to alert workers of danger. AWP Safety utilizes both Guardian Cone and SmartFlagger to improve work zone safety. “Guardian Cone is one more technology we can use to watch our backs and our customers’ backs,” Ryan said.

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The Future of Traffic Control

AWP Safety rolled out its first Guardian SmartFlagger devices in 2020 in central Ohio and Indiana. “By the end of the year, we had more than 50 units between the two states,” Ryan said. Now, the company has more than 200 units deployed in 27 of the 28 states in which AWP operates. “The only reason we haven’t introduced them in the last state yet is because we’re working through the final DOT approvals there,” Ryan said. “With the size and scale of our operation and our role as leaders in the market, this technology is definitely something we will be pushing for in the future.”

Ryan doesn’t see a future where AFADs replace qualified safety professionals, but he does see a future where AFADs enhance AWP’s workforce. “We still require the same certified person to operate the AFAD,” he said. “The AFADs simply assist us in what we do to protect our employees, customers and the traveling public.”

According to AWP Safety’s Chief Commercial Officer Josh Shipman, introducing new work zone safety technologies will continue to be a constant priority for the company. “Keeping our roads and highways safe as they continue to bear new levels of traffic will require trained professionals and even better tools for the job, and we believe we are working with the best available,” he said. “As the complexity of transportation projects grows, so too must our safety procedures.”

From capturing photos of job sites to measuring aggregate stockpiles, drones are nothing new to the asphalt industry. However, the Autonomous Aerial LED (ALED) portable light from Blue Vigil, Sterling, Virginia, illustrates a new frontier for the use of drones: lighting nighttime job sites.

“Currently, towed light towers are the de-facto standard for a majority of nighttime roadside, bridge, overpass and other horizontal construction sites,” said Blue Vigil CEO Robert Schumann. “We have a better, and safer, solution to answer what will soon become known as ‘yesterday’s problems.’”

Earlier this year, the portable drone light received a 2023 Innovation Award at the 53rd Annual American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) trade show in Phoenix, Arizona.

The ALED can be positioned anywhere from 40 to 100 feet above the job site, providing more than 8,000 square feet of light at an intensity of 5 foot candles when flown at 100 feet.

Drone Details

Blue Vigil’s ALED is a compact area lighting system that mounts a high-intensity LED array on a tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), also known as a drone. The ALED can be positioned anywhere from 40 to 100 feet above the job site, providing more than 8,000 square feet of light at an intensity of 5 foot candles when flown at 100 feet.

“The ALED Portable Light will dramatically improve work zone safety and operational efficiency by putting more usable light on the ground where it’s needed,” Schumann said. “Illuminating a work area from directly above eliminates dangerous shadows or glare that create hazardous conditions for workers and motorists.”

Schumann recommends flying the ALED at a height of 80 to 100 feet, with a minimum of at least 40 feet. Anything lower than 40 feet, he said, would result in the same issues ground-based lighting solutions often present.

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The exact height a crew might choose to fly the ALED depends on the OSHA requirements for that job site and the type of work the crew is performing, Schumann said. “If you need more light, you can bring the light lower to achieve higher lumens,” he said. “For example, if you’re doing detail work like the guys at the paver, you might want to fly it lower than 100 feet.”

The ALED can be powered by wall/shore power, a portable 3000-watt generator, or a common vehicle inverter. “You can literally use one of those little Honda generators that you use for camping,” Schumann said. “Power comes up the tether, so the unit can stay in the air as long as you have a power supply.”

Because the ALED is classified as a drone, Schumann said a Part 107 licensed pilot must be on site to monitor each ALED. However, customers receive free registration for the Part 107 course for two operators per ALED.

Each ALED unit is 75 pounds, so it can be transported in a pickup truck bed and rolled like a suitcase to where it’s needed.

Although the drones do not require manual control once set up, the Part 107 licensed operator must maintain visual line of sight with the ALED at all times. So, if a crew of 10 all went through Part 107 training, they could have a maximum of 10 ALEDs on the job site.

However, aside from the Part 107 license, Schumann said there aren’t additional requirements for most work environments. One example he gave: “If you’re working on an airport or near an airport, the Part 107 training will teach you the proper procedures.”

At the ATSSA trade show, one group that showed particular interest in Blue Vigil’s drone light were companies performing night work in parking lots. “We assumed the parking lots have lights, so the crews wouldn’t need to light the job site,” Schumann said. However, most parking lot lights turn on/off automatically, so crews must provide their own lighting. “They can put four of these ALEDs in their pickup truck, drop them at the corners of the parking lot and they’ll have light all night long.”

Simple Set-Up

Blue Vigil’s all-weather ALED light is enclosed in a wheeled case (30x42x24 inches) that also serves as the base of the tethered drone.

Each ALED unit is 75 pounds, so it can be transported in a pickup truck bed and rolled like a suitcase to where it’s needed. “Today, you’ve got 1800-pound lights on wheels, which means it has to be towed. That constraint limits where it can be positioned on the job site.”

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Once the case is in place, the operator opens the case, plugs it into the generator, and pushes a single button to raise the light into position. “The drone is tethered to the case, so it literally can’t fly anywhere else,” Schumann said. “The controls basically consist of on/off, up/down, brightness and aiming.”

“At the end of the night, the operator hits the down button and the drone automatically lands,” Schumann said. “Just close it up and roll it back to the truck or wherever you want.”

The ALED is equipped with many safety features. As the drone, which is made of foam, goes up and down, the base will flash red and emit a beeping sound similar to a backup alarm. These audible and visual indicators will also occur in the event of low power. If the ALED loses power, both the drone and base are equipped with small backup batteries to enable the drone to safely land itself. If the tether were somehow severed, the drone would still be able to land itself, Schumann said. “We’ve designed our ALED specifically to maximize safety and ease of use.”

Blue Vigil is currently taking pre-orders for the ALED, with production planned for the last quarter of 2023 or the first quarter of 2024.

Undergoing an inspection from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration can be a stressful and intimidating experience. However, going into the process informed can not only help you reduce stress, but can also reduce the chances of making one of the following mistakes.

During his 33 years in the occupational safety and health field and 25 years as an OSHA compliance safety and health officer, Matthew Humphreyville has seen it all. Now a senior industrial hygienist and safety consultant at Universal Engineering Sciences (UES) following his retirement, Humphreyville shares some of the mistakes he’s seen during OSHA inspections.

Mistake #1: Not having a safe, OSHA-compliant job site in the first place

This one may be obvious, but the biggest mistake a company can make is not having a safe job site in the first place.

“We all understand a solid safety and health plan is important,” Humphreyville said. For example, he added, “When the compliance officer is on the job is the wrong time to be thinking about fall protections.”

“Preparing an inspection plan helps you avoid penalty fees and abatement costs into the thousands of dollars,” Humphreyville said. In the example of fall protection, the gear, the procedures, and training should be purchased, discussed and implemented long before OSHA shows up. “The capital costs can be high getting these things figured out up front, but in the long term, you’re going to save yourself money,” he added.

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Mistake #2: Not understanding what prompts an OSHA inspection

“A lot of people believe an inspector can just drive down the road, pick out a site, drive in there and do an inspection,” Humphreyville said. “But that’s not legal. If [an inspector] does that, you need to call their department on it.”

Reasons for an OSHA inspection include catastrophes, fatalities, complaints, referrals from other government agencies and program inspections for construction.

Under the plain view doctrine, a compliance officer can also cite any imminent dangers he or she may see. For example, if an officer is driving down the street and sees a 20-foot trench with type C soil with water in the bottom, spalling off the side, the spoil pile right on the side and three guys inside, Humphreyville said the officer can stop and inspect the site. “The plain view doctrine means that if I see a hazard not related to my inspection, I can start investigating that hazard,” he said.

Mistake #3: Not resolving citations by pre-inspection, when possible

When OSHA receives a report of a lower risk hazard, Humphreyville said OSHA may not send out an inspector. Instead, they might call, fax or email the employer to let them know they’ve received a complaint.

“They give [the employer] five working days to look into the issue and reply with a written response,” Humphreyville said. Some of the information that may be helpful in resolving a complaint without an inspection include photographs showing resolution of the issue, safety product purchases and invoices, or conducting employee training.

“If [your response] satisfies the OSHA office, they’ll normally close that [complaint] out,” Humphreyville said. “If you don’t respond, or they have additional questions, they’ll call you. Sometimes, they may actually perform an inspection.”

Mistake #4: Not notifying OSHA yourself in the event of a qualifying incident

“In the event of a fatality on your job site, you have eight hours to call OSHA,” Humphreyville said. “You have 24 hours for loss of an eye, amputation or an inpatient hospitalization other than for observation.” Humphreyville notes that if a person is hospitalized overnight for observation, it may be recordable, but it’s not reportable.

“A lot of times, what happens is the employer thinks the worker’s compensation company is going to report it [to OSHA],” Humphreyville said. Although some districts may be okay with the report coming from other organizations, such as workers compensation or the police department, others want the report to come directly from the contractor. Ultimately, filing that report in the proper time frame is the contractor’s responsibility.

Mistake #5: Not establishing a point of contact within your company to work with OSHA

“You should always have a point of contact with the company to deal with OSHA,” Humphreyville said. “I don’t know how many times I walked onto a site, introduced myself to the foreman, and they didn’t know who to call.”

When that would happen, he would usually suggest calling the person’s direct boss. “But instead of me walking that person through what I think is best, the company should have that process in place.”

The OSHA contact point should have information on the company’s safety program, injury/illness prevention program, the company’s safety manual, hazardous assessments, PPE requirements, logs, equipment records, daily inspection reports and the like. “You don’t have to give all this to the compliance officer right off the bat, but you should have them ready in case they ask for it,” Humphreyville said.

Each ALED unit is 75 pounds, so it can be transported in a pickup truck bed and rolled like a suitcase to where it’s needed.

Mistake #6: Not knowing your rights when OSHA shows up at your job site

“The first thing [an OSHA compliance officer] is supposed to do when they show up to your site is show you their credentials,” Humphreyville said. “They should also be able to tell you why they’re there. Always ask the reason for the visit.”

Humphreyville also recommends checking the officer’s paperwork during the opening conference to ensure the address listed is actually your address. It’s not unheard of for officers to show up at the wrong address; if you don’t check, you may undergo an unnecessary inspection. “It’s incumbent on you to ask those questions, to verify these things when they get there, to know your rights,” Humphreyville said. “They aren’t going to get mad at you; they expect you to ask questions.”

During the opening conference, the officer should provide you with a copy of any complaints and review the employer’s rights, including the right to refuse entry. Although Humphreyville was only refused entry once in his career, it is the employer’s right. In that event, he said OSHA must be granted a warrant before returning for the inspection, which can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

“I don’t recommend this because, in the inspector’s mind, they’ll wonder why you’re refusing them,” Humphreyville said. Although officers aren’t supposed to treat a company differently, he said refusing entry could cast suspicion in the officer’s mind. “They might look a little closer than they normally would.”

During the opening conference, the officer will ask basic questions about the company, including number of employees, management structure, contact information and similar details. “They may ask if there’s a union representation, because the union has a right to be a part of [the inspection], either in the same opening conference or in a separate opening conference,” Humphreyville said.

Mistake #7: Being a jerk to the compliance officer

“Be respectful and courteous,” Humphreyville said. “Even if they’re a nitwit or act like a cop who wants to flex their muscles, just be professional. If you have a problem with a compliance officer, you can always take it up with the area office.”

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Mistake #8: Not following proper safety procedures during the inspection walk-around

Humphreyville said the officer may conduct a walk-around, if necessary. During the walk-around, be sure to wear the appropriate PPE and ensure the OSHA representative also has the appropriate PPE. “You want to show some initiative here,” he said.

If the compliance officer sees something during the walk-around, Humphreyville recommends taking some kind of immediate corrective action if possible. For example, taking the machine in question out of service.

Mistake #9: Not taking your own photos and notes during the inspection

“As the walk around occurs, if the [compliance officer] takes a picture, I recommend you take the same picture,” Humphreyville said. If they write down an issue, you should write it down, too, he continued.

Mistake #10: Giving the compliance officer more information than requested

“Don’t offer information unless the compliance officer requests it,” Humphreyville said. “Don’t be evasive and don’t lie, but don’t roll out the red carpet and start throwing information at them.”

Although it’s an obvious mistake to lie during an OSHA inspection, Humphreyville said the types of actions that are most likely to result in a criminal review include mail fraud, lying to investigators or sending false documents. “Those are the types of cases that tend to get picked up by the Department of Justice,” Humphreyville said.

There’s also some information you aren’t required to supply. For example, a copy of your incident report. Although this was something Humphreyville always asked for, he added that “the investigator is supposed to investigate that on his own. The reason I asked for it was I wanted to see what internal processes [a company] has in place to investigate these events for future improvement.”

Furthermore, Humphreyville stressed the importance of providing the officer with copies of any documentation you supply. “Don’t ever give them your original.”

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Mistake #11: Not understanding your employees’ rights

According to Humphreyville, OSHA now performs employee interviews at almost every inspection. During these interviews, the officer will ask employees questions, write down his or her answers, and request that the worker sign his or her statement.

“Employees have the right to talk to the [compliance officer],” Humphreyville said. “They can request to talk to them and the employer cannot refuse the employee’s request.” If an employee cannot speak English but wants to speak to the officer, OSHA will get an interpreter.

If an employee brings up issues beyond the scope of the investigation, Humphreyville added, the officer is supposed to focus on the specific inspection. However, any additional information provided may be featured in the report or may instigate a separate complaint.

On the other hand, employees also have the right to refuse to talk to OSHA. They also don’t have to sign their statement if they don’t want to. Humphreyville said he’s seen some employers’ lawyers advise them never to sign a statement or even read it. “[These attorneys] look at [the statement] as if it’s notes on the conversation,” he said.

Humphreyville said it’s also relatively common for employers to try to oversee employee interviews. Although some employees may agree to this, he adds that the employee has the right to talk to OSHA by themselves or have their own designated representative with them.

“When you cross the line into management personnel, then you can have a company representative in there,” Humphreyville said.

Mistake #12: Not asking questions during the closing conference

After the inspection is concluded, the compliance officer is supposed to hold a closing conference. Humphreyville said this is an ideal time to ask any questions and request an abbreviated version of what they’ve found.

“I’d also ask if they think they’ll need to come back for more interviews, more walk-arounds, etc.” Humphreyville said, to get an idea of what’s to come. He said this also provides a time to review citations and even to request that serious citations be reduced to other than serious. “Sometimes that’s a way to settle [disputes],” Humphreyville said.

Mistake #13: Not following proper procedure in the event of a citation

“When you get a citation, you’re supposed to post that for employees to view,” he said, for three days or until the hazard is abated.

“Failure to abate is when you don’t abate a violation; a violation repeat is when you fix the violation but it reoccurs,” Humphreyville said, adding that OSHA can cite you for a repeat on a different standard so long as it’s closely related to the original citation.

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Mistake #14: Promising corrective measures you can’t deliver on

In the event of OSHA proposing corrective measures, Humphreyville said it’s acceptable to request more time to research potential solutions “so long as it’s in good faith.”

“Take the time to look into solutions, to research them, to see if that’s really something you’re going to be able to do,” Humphreyville said. “You don’t want to tell OSHA something and then have to backtrack.”

Mistake #15: Not going above and beyond OSHA’s standards when necessary to maximize employees’ safety

“Remember, OSHA standards are minimal safety standards,” Humphreyville reminds us. There may be safety best practices above and beyond OSHA’s requirements, including state or local standards or even requirements from the general contractor on the job.

“OSHA can’t cite you for [breaking] an employer’s rule,” he said. For example, if a GC requires hardhats on a site where OSHA doesn’t require them and a subcontractor doesn’t follow the GC’s rule, that is not an OSHA issue. But, it may still be necessary to improve safety on that particular job site.

And we should all be doing our best to maximize employee safety—not only to avoid OSHA citations, but because it is the right thing to do.

In May, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published its spring semiannual regulatory agenda, which included potential changes to acceptable noise levels and solutions in construction work zones.

“When OSHA noise regulations were crafted in the 1970s and 1980s, the construction industry was specifically exempted from the broader general industry standards,” said Brad Witt, director of hearing protection for Honeywell Safety Products. “This was due to unique conditions within the industry, such as a transient workforce, changing worksites and intermittent noise levels that are very task-dependent.”

As a result, OSHA limits noise exposure to 85 decibels over an eight-hour period for employees in manufacturing and service sectors, but caps noise exposure at 90 decibels over an eight-hour shift for the construction industry. This limit of 85 decibels for an eight-hour shift is also recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

OSHA also requires that workers of all industries who are exposed to hazardous noise levels be included in a hearing conservation program. However, OSHA requires certain standards for hearing conservation programs for general industry, such as annual audiometric testing, “But in the OSHA standard for construction, no such requirement exists,” Witt said.

Changes to noise regulations for the construction industry could affect a variety of areas, from noise limitations to employer responsibilities.

According to the Federal Highway Administration’s Construction Noise Handbook, the average paver runs at 89 decibels, and the average truck, 88 decibels. Changes of even a few decibels could require some changes for asphalt paving crews.

“OSHA has long desired to update the noise standard for construction to provide more guidance to employers in terms of hearing conservation,” Witt said, adding that several models at the state level have proven quite effective in reducing workplace hearing loss.

Some states, such as Washington, have already mandated more stringent noise standards. Washington limits construction employees’ exposure to 85 decibels over an eight-hour shift. In 2004, a worker’s compensation report showed that construction workers, which made up 7 percent of the state’s workforce, filed 21 percent of all accepted worker’s compensation hearing loss claims.

Loss of Hearing, Explained

According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, noise-related hearing loss is one of the most prevalent occupational health concerns. Loud noise can also make communication difficult, as well as make it hard to hear warning signals, such as backup alarms.

Signs that a workplace may be too noisy include hearing ringing or humming or experiencing temporary hearing loss after you leave work, and needing to shout to be heard by a coworker an arm’s length away, according to OSHA.

“One of the best indicators of noise damage is to take a hearing test regularly,” Witt said. However, thus far, “it’s up to workers to take the initiative to monitor their own potential hearing loss.”

Even a small change in the number of decibels results in a significant difference in volume. For example, a vacuum produces 70 decibels, while a chain saw produces 120 decibels. However, 120 decibels is actually 32 times louder than 70 decibels.

OSHA mandates that for every 5-decibel increase above the required limit, the amount of time a person can be exposed would be cut in half. NIOSH recommends a 3-decibel exchange rate, so every increase of 3 decibels above the required level halves the recommended exposure time.

For example, if OSHA limited noise exposure of construction workers to 85 decibels—the average volume of a milling machine—to eight hours, it would limit exposure to a jackhammer at 100 decibels to only one hour. NIOSH’s 3-decibel exchange rate would allow 8 hours near the milling machine, but only 15 minutes near the jackhammer.

What Would It Mean?

In November, OSHA will be requesting information to gauge how effective and feasible a lower noise standard would be in the construction industry. Depending on that information, a variety of new requirements could potentially come to light.

Employers may be required to reduce noise levels to new limits, either by enclosing the noise source or placing a barrier between it and the employee, buying quieter equipment and properly maintaining and lubricating the equipment, rotating employees from louder jobs to quieter jobs, providing quiet areas, or restricting worker presence to a certain distance away from noisy equipment. According to the OSHA website, hearing protection is another option that is “acceptable, but less desirable” than other solutions.

Although hearing protection can reduce noise to lower levels, it comes at a risk.

“While the main concern with hearing protection is too little protection, it’s also critical to avoid overprotection—the earplugs or earmuffs are blocking noise so well, that critical communication or warning signal detection is impaired,” Witt said. “In a paving operation, with constantly moving equipment and hazards coming from a variety of directions, a worker who loses situational awareness is a safety liability.”

“When employees are exposed to high levels of noise, OSHA requires employers to provide hearing protectors and to train their employees to wear them correctly,” said Tim Chismar, technical service specialist with 3M. “Failure to do so can lead to noise induced hearing loss, OSHA fines and increased insurance costs. The reality of the situation is that many employers go out and buy the highest level of hearing protection available thinking that they may be erring on the side of caution.”

If employees are exposed to noise levels beyond OSHA limits, employers in the construction industry could be required to follow more stringent hearing conservation programs, specifics of which could include measuring noise levels, providing free annual hearing exams, as well as training and evaluations of hearing protection.

Find the Right PPE

According to Witt, it’s important to offer your employees the right hearing protection solutions from the start so they’ll be more likely to wear them. He first suggests determining the best hearing protector for the situation.

“Where noise levels are extremely high and continuous, most workers find conventional foam earplugs to be the most comfortable,” Witt said. “They are excellent noise-blockers when they are inserted correctly (deeply), and they are comfortable enough to be worn all day.” This type of protection also only requires a few seconds of preparation—roll down, pull back the ear, insert and hold.

For short-term noise, Witt recommends banded earplugs or earmuffs. “They can be quickly inserted for short-duration exposure, like saw cuts or brief power tool use, and then can hang conveniently around the neck when not in use,” he said. However, banded earplugs don’t block as much noise as foam earplugs, as they aren’t inserted as deeply into the ear canal.

“Convenience is the main benefit of banded earplugs, as a hearing protector is more likely to be worn when it’s readily available.”

Witt recommends reusable earplugs for intermittent noise sources. “Ease of insertion is the main benefit of these earplugs,” he said. “They have the added benefit of being ideal for dirty-hands environments. The worker inserts them by pushing on a stem, without touching any part of the earplug that goes inside the ear.

“Dirty hands are the norm in a paving operation, so a roll-down foam earplug might not be the best choice,” Witt said of hearing protection that would need to be used multiple times throughout a shift. He recommends a pre-molded earplug with a stem, or a push in earplug like Honeywell’s TrustFit Pod.

Another key component of choosing the right ear protection is ensuring a proper fit.

“A number of hearing protector manufacturers now provide fit-test systems, training aids, posters and video tutorials to ensure workers understand how to properly fit their protection,” Witt said. “The goal is not simply to pass out earplugs. The goal is to protect the worker, so that nobody needs to leave the job with less hearing than when they arrived.”

To verify protection levels, Honeywell offers VeriPRO, which allows workers to check the fit of any earplug from any manufacturer. He also suggests offering a variety of sizes to provide options to your crew that are both comfortable and do not interfere with hard hats and eyewear, which can “break the acoustic seal” of hearing protection.

A very important last piece of the hearing-protection-as-PPE puzzle is maintaining communication and situational awareness with earplugs or earmuffs in place.

Other members of the crew may not require communication capabilities. For these employees, level-dependent earmuffs will allow them to maintain situational awareness while offering protection.

Innovations in Noise Reduction

“In the past, it was not uncommon to hear workers say, ‘I don’t wear the earplugs because I’d rather lose my hearing than be hit by a hazard I didn’t hear coming,’” Witt said. “Fortunately, hearing protector manufacturers have responded with a variety of styles and features that take this into consideration.”

“There are no magic valves that block hazardous noise but allow ‘good noise’ to pass through,” Witt said. However, there are a few hearing protection options that try to manage sound while still offering workers much-needed situational awareness.

The two options Witt suggests are passive hearing protectors and electronic protection. Passive speech-friendly earplugs have filters or design features that give them a very flat frequency response, allowing speech and warning signals to be heard more naturally, Witt said. “Here’s an analogy: A stereo will often have both a volume control and a tone control. A conventional earplug reduces both volume and tone, by clipping the high frequencies of the surrounding noise, making understanding speech difficult.” However, a speech-friendly earplug “turns down” the volume without affecting tone control, Witt said. “Speech sounds more natural, and warning signals are more audible.”

The second suggestion, electronic protection, is level-dependent.

“When noise levels are relatively quiet, surrounding sound is slightly amplified in the earmuff to optimize situational awareness,” Witt said. “But as soon as surrounding sound reaches hazardous levels, the earmuff circuitry instantly detects and adjusts to optimize protection. In an environment with fluctuating noise levels, that kind of balance between protection and situational awareness is critical—and we now have hearing protectors that can do both.”

“The bottom line of these technological advances means the paving crew worker does not need to sacrifice hearing in order to keep situational awareness,” Witt said.

According to Chismar, this type of hearing protection is already popular in hunting and shooting sports circles, as well as with law enforcement and the military. Level-dependent electronic hearing protection is available both as earmuffs and in-ear devices.

“Level-dependent hearing technology can be great for environments where there are intermittent loud sounds, such as in the construction industry,” Chismar said.

The 3M level-dependent earmuffs are also equipped with volume control, so any quieter noises can be amplified by up to around 10 decibels. The earmuffs’ electronics can also be turned off to provide traditional hearing protection.

3M also provides other hearing protection and communication solutions, like two-way radio and Bluetooth® capabilities, and AM/FM radio, as well as many combinations of these options. For example, the paver operator, dump man and haul truck driver may want to use level-dependent hearing protection that also offers two-way radio communication so they can coordinate mix delivery. Alternatively, the foreman might want hearing protection that offers Bluetooth® compatibility so he/she can talk on a mobile phone without having to leave the noisy environment.

“Many times falls, struck by, and eye injuries are the first priorities for construction companies as those hazards may seem more immediate,” Chismar said. “However, noise-induced hearing loss has been one of the most widespread occupational health concerns for the past few decades. When hearing protection is needed on the job site, selecting the most appropriate hearing protector for the application is critical for worker compliance and protection. Newer technologies, such as level-dependent hearing protection and wireless communication, may require a higher upfront investment, but these types of protectors can help improve a worker’s situational awareness and ability to communicate, which may ultimately help to improve the safety and productivity of the work crew.”

A Case Study on Today’s Job Site

According to Paving Superintendent Ray Eisner, crewmembers in Martin Marietta’s Denver Metro Paving Division are already required to wear hearing protection. However, this is part of the company’s policy, not an OSHA requirement.

“Most of our crews actually prefer [the hearing protection],” Eisner said. They are presented with a variety of options for hearing protection at the beginning of each paving season. “We go through a lot of earplugs out there.”

To maintain communication on the job site, Eisner said it’s easy to hear someone talking near you, as long as you’re not right next to the paver. “If you’re too close to the paver, you might have to take one earplug out to be able to hear someone talking to you,” he said. Additionally, he said, his crew has had no issues hearing backup alarms and other audible warnings while wearing hearing protection.

The paver operator, dump man and Shuttle Buggy operator wear noise-suppressing headphones equipped with radios so they can continue to communicate effectively.

“They really come in handy when we’re paving at night, which we’re doing a lot of right now,” Eisner said. “During the day, though, they may wear them as needed, but they still use hand signals to communicate with each other, too.”

Eisner has noticed job sites getting quieter over time as equipment gets quieter. “I ran rollers for 17 years and they were noisier than heck, but now they’re a lot quieter and more comfortable,” he said. “The equipment has gotten significantly quieter, even just in the past 5 years.”

Look To The Future

Witt said that it’s important to note that any change to OSHA noise regulations would be a lengthy process with multiple levels of input and review. The agency plans to issue a request for information this November.

Noise Reduction Ratings

Most earplugs and earmuffs have a noise reduction rating (NRR) between 20 and 35 decibels. However, that doesn’t mean wearing earplugs with a 33-decibel NRR would reduce the sound of a paver running at 89 decibels to 56.

According to Tim Chismar, technical service specialist with 3M, although it’s possible for an individual to obtain the full NRR value and reduce the paver volume in our example from 89 decibels to 56, actual achieved NRR value will depend on a variety of factors.

“Due to many factors, such as selecting the proper size of protector, the variation of fit, fitting skill, and the motivation of the user, many people may receive less protection than the NRR value,” he said. “It’s important to understand that the NRR value is an accurate measure of noise reduction of a hearing protection device in a laboratory setting (as set forth in government standards), but not necessarily an accurate reflection of noise reduction for an individual user in a workplace setting.”

OSHA recommends taking the NRR number, subtracting seven and then dividing by two. For our previous example, that means those NRR 33 earplugs would conservatively reduce the paver’s noise to 76 decibels.

Equation:

(33 – 7)/2 = 13

(NRR # – 7)/2 = Noise reduction in decibels

“[That equation] is a derating method recommended by OSHA to help employers select adequate protection for their employees,” Chismar said. “In addition, 3M recommends fit testing of individual workers by their employers to validate that each worker receives an adequate level of protection.”

If your job site is louder than required limits, even with earplugs, your crew may be required to wear both earplugs and earmuffs. Earplugs generally cannot offer attenuation ratings higher than the mid-30s, due to physical limitations, reduction in comfort and general effectiveness.