Fibers Plant, Army Program Win Safe-in-Sound Excellence Awards
NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard said the 2011 winners "show us the power of teamwork and ingenuity in developing innovative solutions to protect workers from the home front to the front lines."
NIOSH and the National Hearing Conservation Association presented the 2011 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards™ on Friday during the association's 36th Annual Hearing Conservation Conference in Mesa, Ariz.
The award honors exceptional hearing loss prevention programs designed to protect workers in the construction, manufacturing, and service sectors. In addition, it recognizes individuals or organizations for innovation in hearing loss prevention and their dedication to fostering and implementing new and unique advances in the prevention of hearing loss.
The recipient in the manufacturing sector is Shaw Industries Group, Fibers Division, Plant WM, in Dalton, Ga., part of Shaw Industries Group, Inc., the world's largest carpet manufacturer. "The Fibers Division was recognized for the demonstrated results in noise control, hearing loss prevention and their continuous effort to improve the quality of implementation of several of their hearing loss prevention program components," according to the presenting organizations' news release. The recipients in the services sector are CPT Leanne Cleveland and the Fort Carson Army Hearing Program in Colorado Springs, Colo. "The noise hazards of war are extreme and inherently challenging to manage in terms of hearing loss prevention. CPT Cleveland and the FC Hearing Program team were recognized for their innovative efforts to implement the far-reaching programmatic changes outlined in Army Hearing Program (Special Text 4-02.501, 2008). Their organizational teamwork and flexibility is especially noteworthy in this high volume, time-critical work environment. The FC Hearing Program has had a direct impact on the hearing status of individual soldiers and their ability to continue to perform military duties," the release states.
Nominations for the 2012 awards will be accepted until Sept. 1, 2011. For information, visit www.safeinsound.us.
"Noise-induced hearing loss can affect workers in any sector of the workforce," said NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard. "This year's winners show us the power of teamwork and ingenuity in developing innovative solutions to protect workers from the home front to the front lines."