CDR Glen Rovig, MSC
Navy Environmental Health Center, Norfolk, VA
The presentation will describe a successful defense of the Navy Hearing Conservation Program (HCP) before the Fleet Review Board (FRB). The FRB is a group of Flag Officers, Fleet Master Chiefs, and other senior Line personnel tasked by the Chief of Naval Operations with reducing the the Inter-Deployment Training Cycle (ITDC) by at least 20%. The ITDC includes a multitude of inspections, training, qualifications, and other administrative taskings which contribute to 14-16 hour workdays while in port.
In a 31 March FRB briefing, Operational Audiologist CDR Glen Rovig, MSC, described a planned 40% reduction in Fleet manhours through disenrollment of personnel not at risk, provision of training in conjunction with the annual audiogram, streamlined follow-up procedures, and recordkeeping/tracking improvements associated with conversion to Defense Occupational Health Readiness System - Hearing Conservation module (DOHRS-HC). The FRB accepted the briefing and recommendations without change.
As the military services downsize, it is a time for aggressive cost-benefits analysis. Military unique operations are currently exempt from OSHA oversight, and the only true mandate for most occupational health and safety programs is preserved readiness through Force Health Protection. Survival of our programs requires that we keep good metrics and stay "lean and mean".