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Safety Compliance Solutions Blog

The Science of Compliance.
OccuFit is committed to providing compliance information whenever possible. Blog posts will be posted regularly to keep you updated on the latest developments related to OSHA compliance, specific industries, and general safety information. Visit this page frequently for the most up-to-date news.

COVID-19 Safety

21 Apr, 2023
OccuFit provides high-volume hearing tests AND keeps participants at a safe distance during COVID-19.

OccuFit Performing Hearing Tests and Keeping Employees at a Safe Distance

19 Nov, 2020
Because OccuFit utilizes individual sound booths in its testing units, up to 8 employees can be tested at one time without coming in close contact with each other. At full capacity, OccuFit can test over 400 employees per day and keep everyone at a safe distance, complying with CDC guidelines. To watch how this is done, click the link to watch the video .

National Hearing Conservation Association issues guidelines for conducting hearing tests during COVID-19

07 Jul, 2020
NHCA initiated a Task Force for developing guidance to safely conduct hearing testing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The intent of this document is to provide a “Best Practices” guidance to Hearing Testing Professionals to help minimize their risk of SARS CoV-2 infection through person-to-person spread within occupational health clinics, company in-house testing and mobile test environments. Among other topics such as PPE and screening, the document addresses social distancing on mobile testing units. It states the following: - Mobile unit testing multiple employees within a single test booth: a. Social distancing may not be possible but reducing the number of individuals tested at one time should be practiced i. Consider testing ≤ 50% of test booth capacity ii. Consider spacing employees in an alternate or zig-zag layout and not physically opposite each other iii. Dividers, curtains or protective screens are recommended between employees next to and opposite each other iv. Require employees to wear face cloth covering v. Monitor employees for coughing or sneezing vi. If any employee starts coughing or sneezing, all employees must be immediately removed, and the test area disinfected THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE WITH OCCUFIT BECAUSE WE USE INDIVIDUAL SOUND BOOTHS WHICH ALLOWS FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING DURING THE ENTIRE TEST. This helpful document can be found here.
Manufacturing Facility Toolkit for COVID-19 published by OSHA and CDC

Facility Assessment Toolkit for COVID-19

26 Jun, 2020
A new 16-page document is available for occupational health and safety health professionals. The toolkit can help assess COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures at manufacturing facilities. The document can be accessed by clicking HERE .

CDC creates COVID-19 flyers in 13 different languages for meat and poultry processors

19 Jun, 2020
CDC has developed one-page flyers with recommendations and strategies for preventing the spread of COVID-19 in meat and poultry processing facilities. The first flyer includes key strategies for employers to prevent COVID-19 infection among employees. The second flyer includes tips for employees to protect themselves and other from COVID-19 at work and at home. Access them by clicking here . (Scroll to bottom of the page) The fliers are available in the following languages: Amharic Arabic Burmese Chinese French Haitian-Creole Karen Korean Nepali Spanish Somali Tigrinya Vietnamese

Florida Company Fined $162,688 for Lacking an Effective Hearing Conservation Program, Among Other Violations

By OccuFit • 15 Jun, 2020
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a manufacturer for exposing employees to amputation, noise, struck-by and other safety and health hazards at their Pompano Beach, Florida, manufacturing facility. The window and door manufacturer faces $162,688 in penalties. OSHA cited the company for a lack of machine guarding, failing to develop and implement a hazardous energy control program, improperly storing and handling flammable materials, and electric shock hazards. Other violations include failing to provide an effective hearing conservation program and adequate personal protective equipment, not anchoring machinery, and exposing employees to slip and trip hazards. To read the OSHA news release, click here. OccuFit provides a comprehensive hearing conservation program solution. Send an email to sales@occufit.com for more information.

On the road again! OccuFit conducting hearing tests and keeping social distance.

By Travis Flenniken • 09 Jun, 2020
OccuFit has always used individual sound booths to improve the quality of the hearing test. In the age of COVID-19, the individual sound booths serve an additional benefit - keeping participants at a social distance while taking a hearing test. On the top row, OccuFit is at a flooring manufacturer in Dalton, GA. The bottom images are of OccuFit technicians at a factory in North Carolina. Each participant enters the booths one-at-a-time, and they are dismissed one-at-a-time. They are provided hand sanitizer and alcohol wipes when they enter and when they exit. After the test, each booth is blasted with a sanitizing solution by a electrostatic sprayer. OccuFit continues to keep customer compliant with OSHA regulations despite the challenges of COVID-19!

OccuFit Creates Video to Demonstrate COVID-19 Testing Protocol

By Travis Flenniken • 21 May, 2020
Individual sound booths are the only way to conduct hearing tests on multiple participants and maintain social distance.

OSHA continues to conduct investigations for non-COVID-19 complaints

By Travis Flenniken • 20 May, 2020
U.S. Department of Labor released quotes from written testimony from postponed OSHA hearing on May 20, 2020. Principal Deputy Assistant Loren Sweatt of OSHA was scheduled to testify at the House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee hearing this morning, but the hearing was postponed at last minute. In the Deputy Assistant Secretary's testimony, the following was written, "The work of the agency continues uninterrupted even as we respond to this pandemic. Since February 1, 2020, and through May 14, 2020, OSHA has received 5,500 non-COVID-19 complaints and conducted 4,575 investigations based on these complaints. During this time, OSHA has received 2,290 non-COVID-19 whistleblower complaints, which are being evaluated along with the COVID-19 whistleblower complaints”. Inspections reached a 3-year high in 2019, as Ms. Sweat also wrote, “During Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, OSHA conducted 33,401 inspections—more inspections than in each of the previous three fiscal years.” The news release can be found here. Despite the extra precautions and procedures required for COVID-19, health and safety managers must maintain OSHA regulations. This includes making a good-faith effort to complete annual hearing tests for those with a hearing conservation program.
mobile hearing testing

OccuFit changes testing protocol in age of COVID-19

30 Apr, 2020
Health and safety managers responsible for their company's hearing conservation program are working with OccuFit to execute a new protocol that keeps employees at a safe distance from each other while testing and ensures that testing equipment is sanitized. OccuFit's mobile audiometric (hearing)testing units vary in size and can test 4, 6, or 8 individuals per testing session, with each session lasting a maximum of 15 minutes. Each tester takes the hearing test in an individual sound booth , rather than with a group separated only by a small partition. OccuFit's testing procedures are as follows: Each booth will be disinfected with a sprayer that creates a cloud coverage over all equipment in the individual sound booth. Employees will enter the testing unit one at a time to give the OccuFit technician his or her history questionnaire. The employee will be given a sanitizing wipe for themselves and for the hearing test equipment and booth. The employee will go to the designated sound booth and wipe down their own equipment. The process will continue until the testing unit is at half-capacity, with every other booth filled. Then the testing will begin. Booths will be alternated, for example in the 8-booth unit, the first round will use booths 1,3,5,& 7 and the next will be 2,4,6 & 8. The booths not in use will be sprayed with the disinfectant solution between groups. At the completion of the testing session, employees will exit the booths one at a time and each will receive another sanitizing wipe as they exit. OccuFit technicians will wear masks and will self-administer temperature checks prior to their shift. If desired, OccuFit technicians will administer temperature checks on everyone that enters the testing unit. EH&S managers agree that in the age of COVID-19, its a smart trade off to allow for slower testing procedures if it means employees will be safer from the spread of the virus. The protocol can be adjusted based on the customer's preference. On April 16, 2020 OSHA announced that all companies with a hearing conservation program must show a good-faith effort to stay compliant with OSHA regulations, including annual audiometric exams. This new protocol will create an environment where EH&S managers can do their jobs during this unprecedented time.
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