Abstract:
This paper presents an in-depth evaluation of the University of Washington’s Hearing
Loss Prevention Program, a proactive initiative aimed to protect the auditory health of university
employees. This analysis covers a comprehensive assessment of the program’s written
framework, an evaluation of its overall effectiveness, and an exploration of distinctive challenges
faced during the program’s reconstruction following a 6-month hiatus and the introduction of a
new team. The primary objective of this evaluation is to pinpoint areas that require improvement
in alignment with state regulations. This aims to ensure that employee noise exposure remains
below the action level, and to take necessary actions when noise levels reach regulatory exposure
limits. The findings aim to provide actionable recommendations for exposure controls and
process management improvements. By employing a combination of observations, discussions,
sampling survey results, and a thorough examination of historical records, numerous areas for
improvement were identified. The results along with observational insight and subsequent
recommendations are discussed, in addition to unresolved aspects that still require attention.