Best practices for hearing protection selection

Despite the ongoing industry-wide attention and investment in hearing conservation programs and engineering solutions, extreme noise levels — and the potential for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) — are encountered by workers throughout industry.

In many environments, perhaps the simplest solution for the highest level of protection is a properly fitted foam earplug. These protectors — available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and even stems — are often recommended where exposure to potentially damaging levels of noise may be encountered. Proper fit, however, is critical.

For use where noise is intermittent or where noise levels may require raised voices for clear communication, multiple-use
earplugs can be quickly and easily removed or replaced as hazardous noise levels increase or subside. A variety of shapes and sizes are available to ensure the best fit by matching the variations in users’ ear canals.

For use alone or with insertable earplugs, consider the use of earmuffs. Some rules of thumb include: the larger the earcup of the
muff, the greater attenuation or noise protection; and when an earplug is used in combination with an earmuff, add 5 decibels to the provided attenuation.

In practical use, many workers need both hearing protection and clear communications. In these cases, technology offers
selection alternatives to removing one’s hearing protector (which is not recommended) in a noisy environment in order to communicate:

• Option1 is a ‘uniform attenuation’ hearing protector, which has filters that reduce the overall amount of noise reaching the ear and still allows a segment of the high-frequency sounds that comprise speech.
• Option 2 is the use of an advanced communication system, which is recommended when clarity in communications is critical for preventing injury or death. Such systems combine hearing protection, active noise reduction and voice signal amplification.

Hearing protection access

As workers move around areas in or between worksites, the challenges of providing hearing protection increase — from noise levels, to the availability of protection equipment, to the policies and monitoring of protector use.

As with all personal protective equipment, hearing protectors should be readily available everywhere they are needed.

Regardless of worksite, workers need the training and education to know how, where and when to use their protectors.

Another rule of thumb: If you are at arms-length from someone and need to shout in order to have them hear you, then the noise level in the environment is such that you both need hearing protection.

The solution is to keep hearing protectors at hand. Store earplugs in pockets, and re-usable earplugs and folding earmuffs in their cases. Many earmuffs can be used with belt clips. Be sure to also use available engineering controls. This might be as easy as closing the door on a piece of heavy equipment.

Hearing protection plus

Every worksite can present a stunning variety of hearing hazards as machinery, equipment and tools of all varieties assault the ears with all sorts of constant, intermittent and impact noise. In such environments, people and machines are often on the move and as such workers, for their own safety, must maintain situational awareness. In such cases, maximising hearing protection to the point of overprotection, that blocks out all noise including speech and warning sounds, could prove counterproductive or even dangerous.

Believe it or not, chemicals found on the worksite are another risk for hearing loss. Benzene, toluene and xylene are ototoxic (ear poisons) and damage hair cells in the ear much like the damage caused by harmful noise. The impact of both noise and chemicals is even more damaging. To guard against the effects of ototoxins, workers should not only don appropriate protective clothing and respirators, but ensure that they are achieving the fit with their hearing protection. In fact, earplug fit-testing is perhaps the single most important key in helping workers select the correct hearing protection.

The bottom line

The bottom line for safety managers is to provide a safe work environment where workers can leave with the same level of health and wellness with which they arrived. Selecting the right hearing protector enables workers to achieve this success, as well as to function more safely, and productively, while on the job.

*Theresa Y Schulz, PhD, Lt Col USAF (Retired) is the Hearing Conservation Manager for Honeywell Safety Products. Dr Schulz holds a PhD in hearing science from the Ohio State University.

For information on how to achieve a good hearing protector fit, visit www.howardleight.com.