Occupational Soundscapes – Part 18: TSM Maturity Assessment

     Maturity assessment is one element of the Continuous Improvement component of a Total Soundscape Management program.  It provides an at-a-glance reference to a program’s development and current status.  A consolidated summary of program development progress is useful for budgeting, executive summaries, and comparisons between sites.
     This installment of the “Occupational Soundscapes” series presents the fundamental structure of a TSM Maturity Assessment.  This structure includes a rating scheme for each program component and a summary report with both textual and visual representations of assessment results.  Additional guidance is also provided for portions of the assessment that are most amenable to customization.

Component Rating Schemes
     Each component of a Total Soundscape Management (TSM) program is assessed on a 0 – 5 scale, as shown in the rating tables in the following supplement images.  The overall maturity rating of a program (Table A) is equal to the lowest assessment score attained by any of its components (Tables B – M).  This method represents the “weakest link” philosophy:  the performance of a system cannot exceed that of its lowest-performing component.

     As Table A requires input from Tables B – M to determine an overall program maturity level, Table C requires input from a subset of rating tables to score the Hearing Loss Prevention Program (HLPP) as a component of TSM.  Tables C-1 – C-7 are used to assess HLPP components; the lowest assessment score attained becomes the value of C.  The following supplement images present the HLPP rating tables.

     Some components of TSM may appear redundant to those within an HLPP; however, there is a significant difference in scope.  The scope of TSM is much broader, incorporating concepts and responsibilities that are not included in a traditional HLPP.  For example, sound level measurement, in the HLPP context, is concerned with defined workspaces.  TSM expands this to the entire site, and offsite in the case of community and recreational noise risks.  Other elements are similarly expanded beyond the HLPP to inform and protect employees in all aspects of life.

     One area with extensive potential for customization or further refinement is the assessment of noise control (NC – Table F).  When an organization has reached a high level of maturity and sophistication, it may be advantageous to score each element of the source-path-receiver (SPR) model (see Part 11) separately.  Doing so can improve project tracking and drive prioritization of source NC (i.e. addressing root causes).
     At the outset, a larger number of assessments may overwhelm a fledgling TSM team.  Therefore, a consolidated NC assessment has been presented as a lower barrier to initiating a TSM program.
     Advanced programs may also benefit from splitting Quiet Product Development and Equipment Procurement (Table G) assessments.  Analyzing salable products separately from equipment used in-house could accelerate improvement in both categories.  Like NC, a consolidated approach has been presented to facilitate the launch of TSM.
     The value of dividing the assessment of Communication System Design (Table H) is highly dependent upon the operating environment.  Frequent safety-critical communication in an extremely challenging (e.g. high-intensity noise) soundscape, high cognitive loads, and other variables may justify a refined assessment scheme.  This modification, for the majority of environments, is a lower priority than refining the noise control and “quiet product” assessments; it may be unwarranted in less-challenging settings.
     The assessment of Continuous Improvement (CI – Table M) efforts could be expanded to consider each component of TSM individually.  The weakest link philosophy is often applied implicitly to determine an overall CI score.  Presenting separate assessments would do so explicitly and could facilitate management of multiple projects or competing objectives.
     As a TSM implementation team gains experience, appropriate timing for program and assessment modifications, and their likely value, become easier to identify.  As with any new initiative, planning is essential, but futile without action.  Implementing a simplified or imperfect program is a superior strategy to waiting for a “perfect” program while problems grow.

TSM Maturity Assessment Summary Report
     A TSM Maturity Assessment Summary Report provides a visual and textual comparison of two assessments.  A comparison can be made between two times at a single site, two sites, or two organizations.  Comparison sites can be within the same organization or a single site and a benchmark.  Organization-level comparisons can also be made to a benchmark company if sufficient information is available.
     The supplement images below present two Summary Report forms; the first is a blank form that can be used for manual data entry or linked to software.  The rightmost blank column is to be populated with assessment information for the date, site, or organization of concern.  The left column is for information from a previous assessment or benchmark.  The radar charts at right provide visual comparisons of the TSM program components (upper chart) and HLPP components (lower chart).  The second supplement provides an example of what an annual review summary might look like.

     The Summary Report can also be customized to compare more than two assessments.  A large organization may consist of several sites for which a single summary may be desired.  Evaluating the effectiveness of a TSM program, and CI efforts in particular, can be aided by a comprehensive comparison of assessments over an extended period of time.  The presentation of results is highly customizable, allowing individual preferences of executives receiving the information to be satisfied.

     For additional guidance or assistance with Safety, Health, and Environmental (SHE) issues, or other Operations challenges, feel free to leave a comment, contact JayWink Solutions, or schedule an appointment.

     For a directory of “Occupational Soundscapes” volumes on “The Third Degree,” see Part 1: An Introduction to Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (26Jul2023).

Jody W. Phelps, MSc, PMP®, MBA
Principal Consultant
JayWink Solutions, LLC
[email protected]