Hearing Conservation Program Wins
Support Of Fieldcrest Employees
Fieldcrest Mills early recognized a correlation
between loss of hearing and nodse exposure and
determined to protect its employees against the
risk of hearing loss due to noise on the job. Be
cause of this, Fieldcrest became one of the first
textile companies to have a fully-developed and
complete hearing conservation program.
Kenneth R. Baggett, Fieldcrest safety director,
said, “The Company’s belief in the importance of
the program, the extensive planning that went
into it and the thorough implementation of the
program make it one of the best. This is borne out
by the many requests we get from companies in
the area for assistance in setting up such a pro
gram.”
The hearing conservation program includes
primarily three phases: the identification of noise
levels by areas; audiometric testing of employees;
and mandatory wearing of hearing protection in
areas identified as hazardous.
The change in the attitude of employees is due
primarily to two things. One is the changeover
from ear muffs to the more comfortable ear canal
caps. The other and most important factor is the
growing realization by employees that the pro
gram has been established for their benefit and
that it is indeed helping them.
Fieldcresters Praise Hearing Program
The reaction of many Fieldcresters to the pro
gram is typified in the comments of Lawrence
Rhodes, head loom fixer in the Bedspread Mih
Weave Room.
“I have been in weave rooms 41 years continu
ously and I didn’t think the protection would help
me at my age,” he said. “I felt it would help save
the hearing of the younger people, but it’s actually
helped mine!
Noise Abatement Is Ultimate Solution
In addition, the Engineering Department evalu
ates high noise level areas and attempts, by the
use of engineering techniques, to reduce these
high noise levels to a safe limit. This noise abate
ment aspect of the program is seen as the ultimate
solution.
However, such a solution will require much time
and work as well as large sums of money. Until
the goal of removing the noise hazard can be
reached, hearing protective equipment must be
used.
Dr. Joseph G. Springer, corporate medical di
rector at Fieldcrest, said of the program, “While
we did have difficulty in the beginning because
of the problems that heat and humidity created
in the wearing of ear muffs we can now say that
the program is amazingly well-received by the
employees. Thus it has changed from a negative
to a very positive program in the eyes of the em
ployees.”
“My hearing has improved at least 25 %. I know
. t I 1 t gjl
it has because I can hear the telephone ring
night from where I sleep. I couldn’t hear it six ot
eight months ago.”
Cecil Wilson, a weaver at the Fieldale Towel
Mill, has also noticed an improvement in his hear
ing since wearing hearing protection. “I can
TV and people’s voices better when I get out crt
the mill now than I used to. I feel like the plug®
are saving my hearing. I’m not running any risk
from weave room noises,” he said.
Mr. Wilson, like several other Fieldcrest eiU'
ployees, has found a use for his ear canal cap®
outside of the mill. “I am a fan of NASCAR racing
and I wear my ear plugs at races. They really
help,” he said. ,
Thurman Land, a loom fixer in the Bedspread
Mill Weave Room, feels that the hearing prograin
is “definitely a good thing.” He has been made
aware of the damage that excessive noise can do
by the experience of a friend. “I know one boy
that was in Vietnam and a shell exploded near
his ear. The noise from the shell did damage td
his ear,” he said.
I ‘ ii i
I e
ESSIE BRANCH
Columbus Towel Mill
EDNA HOPPER
Bedspread Mill
THE MILL W
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