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WA DOSH

Hearing Loss Prevention - Washington (DOSH)

This talk follows Washington (WAC) rules · See the federal OSHA version →

Updated 2026-09-30

In this bundle Health & Environmental Exposure

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On most construction sites, earplugs are something you are offered. In Washington, above a certain noise level, they are something you must wear, and the employer must make sure you do. Washington applies its general hearing loss prevention rule, chapter 296-817 WAC, to construction through WAC 296-155-210, and that rule draws its main line at 85 dBA averaged over eight hours. Federal construction rules start at 90. This Washington Hearing Loss Prevention Toolbox Talk covers the four Washington noise numbers and what each one requires.

Where the boundary of this talk sits#

This talk covers what Washington requires once noise reaches its trigger levels: monitoring, controls, hearing protection, training, signs, and hearing tests. How noise damages hearing and how to insert an earplug correctly belong to their own talks.

The anchor#

Here is the distinction that carries this whole talk: in Washington 85 dBA over an eight-hour day is not a warning level — it is the point where hearing protection becomes mandatory, not just available, and where training and annual hearing tests begin; 90 dBA is where the employer must also reduce the noise with feasible controls; and the protector itself must be good enough, judged by its rating minus 7 dB, to bring the worker to 85 or less — so "I've got earplugs in my pocket" does not meet the rule, and neither does an earplug that is in but not rated high enough for the job.

The four Washington numbers#

WAC 296-817-100, Table 1, sets the triggers:

  • 85 dBA TWA8 (full-day average): a hearing loss prevention program — hearing protection, training, and audiometric testing.
  • 90 dBA TWA8: all of the above, plus noise controls.
  • 115 dBA (slow response sound level meter): hearing protection, plus warning signs in the work area.
  • 140 dBC (fast response, impulse or impact noise): hearing protection.

"TWA8" means the time-weighted average over an eight-hour period, usually measured with a dosimeter worn by the worker.

Measure when there's reason to think it's loud#

WAC 296-817-20005 requires noise monitoring when reasonable information indicates any employee's exposure may equal or exceed 85 dBA TWA8. The rule lists indicators that fit construction closely: noise that interferes with speech at close range, ringing ears or temporary hearing loss, difficulty hearing alarms, being near abrasive blasting or jackhammering, and operating heavy equipment, fuel-powered hand tools, compressed air tools, power saws, grinders, chippers, or powder-actuated tools.

Workers and their representatives must be given the opportunity to observe the measurements. Each employee at or above 85 dBA TWA8 must be told the results within five working days of when the employer receives them. Monitoring must be repeated when changes in equipment, processes, or schedules could reasonably increase exposure.

At 90 dBA: reduce the noise#

WAC 296-817-20010 requires the employer to reduce noise exposure using feasible controls wherever it equals or exceeds 90 dBA TWA8. The rule's notes give examples: quieter equipment, silencers and mufflers, enclosures, damping, rotating workers, limiting use of noisy equipment, and rescheduling work. It also says plainly that hearing protection protects employees but is not considered a control of the noise hazard.

At 85 dBA: hearing protection is required#

WAC 296-817-20015 requires the employer to make sure employees wear hearing protectors that provide sufficient protection when exposure equals or exceeds 85 dBA TWA8, 115 dBA, or 140 dBC. The employer must:

  • offer at least two distinct types for each exposed employee, such as foam plugs, molded plugs, earcaps, or earmuffs, covering different protection levels, sizes, and working conditions;
  • consider employee requests about comfort, environment, medical needs, and communication;
  • provide hearing protection at no cost;
  • supervise employees to make sure it is used correctly; and
  • make sure protectors fit and are replaced as needed.

Is the protector good enough?#

WAC 296-817-20015(6) requires protection sufficient to bring the worker's eight-hour exposure to 85 dBA or less, and Table 2 tells you how to count the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) printed on the package:

  • Single protection (earplugs, earcaps, or earmuffs): the NRR minus 7 dB. The rule's example: earplugs with an NRR of 20 reduce 95 dBA TWA8 to 82.
  • Dual protection (earplugs and earmuffs together): the higher NRR minus 2 dB. The rule's example: plugs rated 20 with muffs rated 12 reduce 100 dBA TWA8 to 82.

Where noise reaches 115 dBA or 140 dBC, the protection must also have an NRR of at least 20 dB.

Training and signs#

WAC 296-817-20020 requires training when an employee is first assigned to work at or above 85 dBA TWA8, and at least annually after that. It covers the effects of noise on hearing, including off-the-job noise; the controls in use; the advantages and limits of different protectors; how to select, fit, use, and care for them; the purpose of hearing tests and audits; and the employee's right to see the records.

WAC 296-817-20025 requires signs at the entrances or boundaries of well-defined work areas where noise may equal or exceed 115 dBA, stating that it is a high-noise area and hearing protectors are required.

Hearing tests, and the option for short-term hires#

WAC 296-817-40010 requires a baseline audiogram, at no cost to the employee, no more than 180 days after an employee is first assigned to work at or above 85 dBA TWA8, or up to one year where mobile test units are used. The employee must have no workplace noise exposure for at least 14 hours before the baseline test (hearing protectors can be used to meet this) and should avoid loud off-the-job noise in that window. Annual audiograms follow as long as exposure continues. If a test shows a standard threshold shift, the employee must be told in writing within 21 calendar days.

For employees hired for less than one year, which is common in construction, WAC 296-817-500 allows hearing protection audits, conducted at least quarterly by trained staff, in place of baseline audiometric testing.

Washington versus federal#

The federal construction rule, 29 CFR 1926.52, uses 90 dBA for an eight-hour day, requires feasible controls above the table, and requires "a continuing, effective hearing conservation program" without spelling out an 85 dBA action level, protector selection, training topics, or audiogram timing for construction. Washington sets all of those, starting at 85.

Where the duty sits#

WAC 296-155-210 applies chapter 296-817 to construction. WAC 296-817-100 sets the four triggers. WAC 296-817-20005 sets monitoring and five-day notice. WAC 296-817-20010 sets controls at 90. WAC 296-817-20015 sets mandatory hearing protection at 85 and the NRR math. WAC 296-817-20020 sets training, -20025 signs at 115, -40010 the baseline audiogram, and -500 the audit option. For contrast, federal 29 CFR 1926.52.

What can go wrong?#

  • Earplugs are in the truck but nobody on the saw crew is wearing them.
  • A worker uses one type of plug that doesn't fit and nobody offers another.
  • An NRR 22 plug is used at 105 dBA without doing the math.

How do we manage this properly?#

  • Measure when it's loud — and tell workers their results within five working days.
  • Control at 90 — quieter equipment, enclosures, rotation, scheduling.
  • Wear protection at 85 — at least two types offered, free, fitted, and supervised.
  • Do the NRR math — minus 7 for single, higher minus 2 for dual, down to 85 or less.
  • Test hearing — baseline within 180 days, then annually; or quarterly audits for short-term hires.

Before you start#

Know which tools and areas on today's job are over 85. Check that you have protection that fits and is rated high enough, and that it's in your ears, not your pocket.

Talk it over#

  • Which tasks on this job put us over 85 dBA?
  • What is the NRR on the plugs we use, and is it enough for that task?
  • When was your last hearing test?

The bottom line#

Washington applies its hearing loss prevention rule to construction and draws the line at 85 dBA over eight hours, not 90. At 85, hearing protection is mandatory, at least two types must be offered free, training is annual, and hearing tests start within 180 days. At 90, the employer must also reduce the noise. The protector must bring the worker to 85 or less using the NRR minus 7, and areas at 115 dBA need warning signs.

Frequently asked questions about Washington hearing loss prevention#

At what noise level does Washington require hearing protection?

At 85 dBA as an eight-hour time-weighted average, under WAC 296-817-20015, which applies to construction through WAC 296-155-210. Protection is also required at 115 dBA on a slow-response sound level meter and at 140 dBC for impulse or impact noise.

Download the Washington hearing loss prevention toolbox talk PDF#

Download this Washington Hearing Loss Prevention Toolbox Talk as a printable PDF in English and Spanish, and use it before the next day of saw cutting or demolition.

Related toolbox talks#

Sources#

Written by FieldSafetyTalk's safety professional — a CSP, ASP, CHST and OSHA Authorized Outreach Trainer with 14+ years of international construction safety experience across federal, heavy civil, and industrial projects.

Hazards covered

noise
By Mustafa Tok, CSP, ASP, CHST

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