What does 5.3-MAINT require?

Hearing protectors are inspected and maintained regularly so they stay in good, clean condition: ear-muff seals intact, headband tension not slackened, no home-made modifications, compressible earplugs still soft, pliable and clean, and disposable plugs used once only. The PCBU must train, inform and instruct workers in using, fitting, caring for and maintaining their protectors, and should also write the requirement to wear them into safety procedures, give one person charge of issuing protectors and keeping replacements to hand, run spot checks to see that workers are wearing them when required and using them properly, and make sure every manager and supervisor sets the example by wearing protection whenever they are in a hearing protector area.

Australia Model Code of Practice Managing Noise and...

Other controls in Chapter 5 Controlling the risks: hierarchy of controls, maintenance and review, personal hearing protectors, audiometric testing – Australia Model Code of Practice Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work

5.1-ADMIN Use administrative controls to cut exposure time: schedule noisy work when few workers are present, give advance notice of noisy work, keep workers out of noisy areas they need not enter, provide quiet rest areas, rotate jobs before daily exposure exceeds the standard, and check regularly that administrative controls are being followed
5.1-HIER In consultation with workers and HSRs, eliminate noise risk so far as is reasonably practicable, otherwise minimise it through the hierarchy: substitute quieter plant, processes and non-ototoxic substances with a buy-quiet purchasing and hiring policy based on supplier emission data, change the way the job is done, isolate sources by distance, barriers, enclosures, absorbent surfaces and remote operation, and apply engineering controls at the source before administrative controls and PPE
5.1-MAINT Maintain plant and noise control equipment regularly, checking for changes in noise level from worn bearings and gears, poor lubrication, blunt blades, loose or unbalanced parts and air or steam leaks, and inspect and maintain vibration mounts, impact absorbers, gaskets, seals, silencers and barriers, roadways, suspensions and tyres
5.2-PLAN Implement controls through an occupational noise management plan that assigns actions, owners and dates based on the assessment and includes confirmatory measurements of attenuation achieved, purchasing and hiring specifications, training and supervision, controls for temporary work areas, and timeframes for reviewing assessments and controls
5.2-REVIEW Maintain controls so they stay fit for purpose and correctly installed and used, and review and revise them when a control fails to minimise the risk, before a change likely to create a new or different risk, when a new hazard or risk is identified, when consultation indicates it, or when an HSR requests it, using inspection, consultation, testing and records, checking the listed questions, and repeating the noise assessment on installation or removal of noise sources, changed workload or operating conditions, building changes or changed time in noisy areas
5.3-AREAS Sign-post and clearly bound hearing protector areas where people may be exposed to hazardous noise, require everyone including managers and visitors to wear protectors on entry however brief, and where signs are impracticable use warning notices on tools and equipment, written and verbal instructions on when protectors are needed, and effective supervision of hazardous tasks
5.3-REG44 Where PPE is used, select it to minimise risk and ensure it suits the work and hazard, fits and is reasonably comfortable, and is maintained, repaired and replaced so it keeps working and stays clean and hygienic; provide information, training and instruction in its use, wearing, storage and maintenance; workers must use it as instructed and not misuse it
5.3-SELECT Select and maintain hearing protectors under AS/NZS 1269.3 with worker involvement and a reasonable choice of types, using supplier attenuation data (SLC80, class, octave band values measured per AS/NZS 1270), matching the class to the measured exposure per Table 4 without overprotecting, suiting the environment and task (earplugs versus ear-muffs for hygiene, heat, confined spaces and helmets), weighing comfort, weight and clamping force, and checking individual fit with the worker's usual equipment and spectacles

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The graph holds this control, the 0 it maps to, and the evidence behind each claim, over MCP and REST.

MCP endpoint All Australia Model Code of Practice Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work controls