Listen Up! … From the Experts at NHCA

2025 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award™

KCNSC recipient (Alyson Gray) accepting the Safe-in-Sound Award at the NHCA Annual Conference. (photo courtesy Ted Madison and Chuck Kardous, NHCA)

By: Ted Madison, Chuck Kardous, Contributors

The Safe-in-Sound Award, by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) and the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA), recognizes organizations that demonstrate measurable achievements in hearing loss prevention and noise control in the workplace. The award is presented at the annual NHCA conference.

On February 7, 2025, the Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award was presented to the Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC) for its excellence in hearing loss prevention practices. As a Department of Energy facility, KCNSC is tasked with missions centered around global nuclear security and supply chain management of nuclear energy.

Their program adheres to 85-3 noise exposure threshold (TWA of 85dBA/3-dB exchange rate). Comprehensive noise surveys are conducted every three years, and risk assessments are performed annually. They employ a “management of change” program that includes a “Buy-Quiet” component (purchase of quieter equipment and systems) and the “Good Catch” program, which allows for employees to report hazards for Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E) interventions.

Approximately 400 Good Catches are reported annually, and 85% are fixed promptly. Additionally, HS&E staff conduct regular Gemba walks (Japanese word that refers to workplace walk-throughs by managers/leaders) to ensure compliance with safety procedures and gather feedback from workers. Engineering solutions, such as enclosing noisy equipment and implementing a closed-system for filling liquid nitrogen tanks, have effectively reduced noise levels to below NIOSH-recommended exposure level.

Employees exposed to noise at or above 80dBA are enrolled in the Hearing Conservation Program (HCP), with audiometric testing by CAOHC-certified technicians. Audiometric technicians coach employees on proper hearing protection fitting techniques. Overall, there have been no threshold shifts in the past five years.

Since KCNSC has restrictions on the use of Bluetooth devices in the facility, a new program was established for hearing-
impaired employees to provide non-Bluetooth hearing aids to address communication barriers and safety risks in secure areas. Overall, the KCNSC has a comprehensive and successful hearing loss prevention program, with high worker engagement and innovative solutions.

For more information, please visit the Safe-in-Sound website at: https://www.safeinsound.us/ IHW

Ted Madison and Chuck Kardous are Safe-in-Sound Committee Members and NHCA Experts. Visit NHCA at: https://www.hearingconservation.org/

Safe-in-Sound Committee members with KCNSC recipients (from left to right): Jeremie Voix, Chuck Kardous, Laurie Wells, Kaitlyn Ruether (KCNSC), Alyson Gray (KCNSC) and Ted Madison. (photo courtesy Ted Madison and Chuck Kardous, NHCA)