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Michigan employers are not governed by federal OSHA 1910.95 for hearing conservation. They are governed by MIOSHA — the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration — which enforces General Industry Safety and Health Standard Part 380, Noise Exposure. MIOSHA is one of the most actively enforced State Plans in the country, with a large general industry inspection program targeting Michigan’s automotive, metals, food processing, and manufacturing sectors — all high-noise industries with significant hearing conservation obligations.
Soundtrace supports MIOSHA Part 380-compliant hearing conservation programs across Michigan, with documentation designed to satisfy MIOSHA inspection requirements.
MIOSHA Part 380 is substantively equivalent to federal OSHA 1910.95 — same action level, same STS definition, same audiometric requirements. The critical difference is enforcement: MIOSHA cites violations under Michigan’s own administrative process, with its own penalty structure, citation categories, and appeal procedures. A MIOSHA inspection is not a federal OSHA inspection, and the enforcement outcomes differ.
Michigan operates an OSHA-approved State Plan under the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act (MIOSH Act), MCL 408.1001 et seq. The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA), a division of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, has primary enforcement jurisdiction over workplace safety and health for private-sector employers in Michigan. Federal OSHA 29 CFR 1910.95 does not directly govern Michigan private-sector employers.
MIOSHA administers two enforcement divisions relevant to hearing conservation:
For general industry employers, the applicable hearing conservation standard is MIOSHA General Industry Safety and Health Standard Part 380, Noise Exposure.
MIOSHA General Industry Safety and Health Standard Part 380 (Noise Exposure) is available from the MIOSHA Standards and FOIA Division. Current standards are published in PDF form at Michigan’s official MIOSHA standards page.
Michigan is required under its State Plan agreement to adopt standards that are at least as effective as the corresponding federal OSHA standard. For noise and hearing conservation, MIOSHA Part 380 is substantively equivalent to 29 CFR 1910.95 — it adopts the federal standard’s core requirements including the action level, STS definition, audiometric testing obligations, HPD requirements, training, and recordkeeping. The standard references the same threshold values, the same frequency range for STS calculation, and the same age correction methodology as federal OSHA.
▶ Bottom line: If you operate a federally compliant hearing conservation program at your Michigan facility, you are meeting the substantive requirements of MIOSHA Part 380. The compliance gap is not in the standard’s content — it is in understanding that enforcement runs through MIOSHA, not federal OSHA.
MIOSHA Part 380 requires Michigan general industry employers to establish and maintain a hearing conservation program whenever any employee’s noise exposure equals or exceeds an 8-hour TWA of 85 dBA. The required program elements are equivalent to federal 1910.95:
| Program Element | MIOSHA Part 380 Requirement |
|---|---|
| Noise monitoring | Required when any employee may be exposed at or above 85 dBA TWA; repeated when changes may increase exposures |
| Baseline audiogram | Within 6 months of first exposure at or above action level; 12 months if mobile van used |
| Annual audiogram | Required for all enrolled employees annually |
| STS definition | 10 dB average shift at 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz in either ear |
| Age correction | Permitted per appendix tables (equivalent to federal Appendix F) |
| STS notification | Written notification to employee within 21 days of determination |
| HPD provision | At no cost; variety of suitable types; proper fitting and training required |
| HPD attenuation | Evaluated using Appendix B methods (equivalent to federal OSHA) |
| Annual training | Required for all enrolled employees |
| Noise exposure records | 2 years |
| Audiometric records | Duration of employment |
| Requirement | Federal OSHA 1910.95 | MIOSHA Part 380 |
|---|---|---|
| Action level | 85 dBA TWA | 85 dBA TWA (same) |
| PEL | 90 dBA TWA | 90 dBA TWA (same) |
| STS definition | 10 dB avg at 2000/3000/4000 Hz | 10 dB avg at 2000/3000/4000 Hz (same) |
| Age correction | Optional, Appendix F | Optional, equivalent tables (same) |
| Substantive requirements | 29 CFR 1910.95 | Equivalent under Part 380 |
| Enforcement body | Federal OSHA | MIOSHA — Michigan administrative process |
| Citation categories | Federal OSHA violation types | MIOSHA citation types (Part 65 of MIOSH Act) |
| Penalty structure | Federal OSHA penalty schedule | Michigan penalty schedule — verify current amounts at MIOSHA |
| Appeal process | OSHRC | MIOSHA Administrative Law Judges |
| Consultation service | Federal OSHA On-Site Consultation | MIOSHA CET Division — free, confidential |
▶ Bottom line: The content of the standard is the same; the enforcement apparatus is Michigan’s. MIOSHA citation procedures, penalty appeals, and abatement verification all run through Michigan’s administrative process, not federal OSHA’s.
MIOSHA conducts its own programmed inspection program targeting high-hazard industries in Michigan. The general industry enforcement program regularly includes workplace noise and hearing conservation as a focus area, particularly in:
MIOSHA also participates in federal OSHA’s National Emphasis Programs (NEPs) and Local Emphasis Programs (LEPs) targeting high-noise industries. When MIOSHA identifies hearing conservation violations, they are cited under Michigan’s administrative process with Michigan penalty amounts. MIOSHA citations are appealed to MIOSHA Administrative Law Judges — not the federal Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC).
For current MIOSHA enforcement statistics, inspection data, and citation information, see the MIOSHA Enforcement page.
Michigan’s industrial base creates significant hearing conservation compliance obligations across multiple sectors:
MIOSHA’s CET Division offers free, confidential workplace safety and health consultations. A consultation covers hazard identification, program evaluation, and compliance guidance — and cannot result in citations. For Michigan employers without an existing hearing conservation program or with programs that haven’t been audited recently, a CET consultation is the best starting point.
Soundtrace supports MIOSHA Part 380-compliant hearing conservation programs across Michigan’s automotive, metals, and manufacturing sectors.
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