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2017Issue1
Our hearing protectionguide.
www.sitexindustrial.com
Hearing Protection
PPE Selection Guide 2017
Our hearing protection guide.Answering common questions ina handy guide.
02
More information available online at www.sitexindustrial.com
Introduction
Issuing an employee with hearing protection should really be considered a last resort whenall other options have been explored. There are many ways to reduce noise levels beforethey even reach the ear including screens, enclosures, acoustic jackets to name a few.Modern machinery should be engineered to keep noise levels as low as practical as detailedin The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008. If noise levels are still high, thisshould be clearly stated on the machinery concerned. Many noise sources cannot bereduced in practice, and it is in this event that individual protection should be evaluated. Afull risk assessment should be carried out by suitably qualified persons who can measure therelevant levels and advise of the level of protection needed.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
OUR REF: UC-EP03C
Soft CORDED PU foam earplugs which expandgradually to conform exactly to the size andshape of virtually any ear canal. Extremelyhigh SNR 37 for very noisy environments.Extremely cost effective.
EN 352-2:2002
Who needs protection
It is self evident that a worker in a noisy pressshop or using pneumatic tools needs someform of protection but what about thecleaner using a vacuum for 8 hours a day or aworker in a busy restaurant?
Areas where some form of hearing protectionmay be needed vary considerably and onlyan accurate Risk Assessment and noise surveycan give a definitive answer. In simple terms,if you cannot hold a normal conversationwith another person who is within 2 metresthen you may need some form of protection.Lower noise levels for long periods can bejust as damaging as short term exposure tohigher levels.
More is not always better…
The better the protection, the more thehearing is protected? This may seem to bethe obvious solution to noise in theworkplace but this is one of the fewsituations where this does not apply. Usingvery high levels of protection can have theeffect of isolating the worker. They will beunable to communicate verbally and have toremove the ear protection to have a verbalconversation. In very high noise levels thisshort exposure can have serious implications.
Noise levels should be reduced to a “safe”level only so that the wearer can still hearwhat is going on around him. Consider aworker in danger, would he hear a shoutedwarning from a nearby colleague? Thismeans that different ear protection may needto be worn in different areas so that noiselevels are reduced to a safe level, yet stillallow communication. In practice levels of75 - 80dB at the ear are optimal but youshould not reduce these levels below 70dB orallow them to exceed 85dB.
Hearing loss
Exposure to high levels of noise, typicallyover 87dB can cause damage to a personshearing that is permanent. Thousands ofpeople within the UK have damaged hearingdirectly as a result of excessive noise at work.Loss of hearing is not the only problem whenexposed to high noise levels, tinnitus (aconstant ringing or buzzing in the ears) canbe a permanent distressing condition whichcan be life altering.
Hearing loss can be slow to becomenoticeable, with slight losses over manyyears. Others around will often becomeaware of the loss in someones hearing first,with the individual themselves not noticinganything for several years, by which time thedamage is done and irreversible.
A simple indication of protection levels
A-weightednoise level (dB)
Select a protector withan SNR of …
85-90 20 or less
90-95 20-30
95-100 25-30
100-105 30 or more
SNR 37
More information available online at www.sitexindustrial.com
Our selection guides to eyewear,respiratory, hand and arm protection,work at height, head protection,workwear and clothing and footwear.
An extensive range of Scott safetyProtector™ hearing defenders.
Hearing Protection
PPE Selection Guide 2017
Our hearing protection guide.Answering common questions ina handy guide.
03
Hearing protection - what do I need to do?
Full details on managing noise in the workplace are beyond the scope of this guide but invery simple terms you will need to ensure that a worker is not exposed to noise levels above87 decibels on a daily or weekly basis after taking into account any hearing protection beingused. Once you have measured the workplace noise levels, anything over 80 decibels willrequire action. More information on this is readily available on line from many sourcesincluding the Health and Safety Executive.
They tend to offer lower protection levels butare easier to insert and remove without theneed to touch the contact surface. They areoften described as re-usable earplugs as theyare easy to wash and dry but in practice stilltend to be discarded at the end of the shift.
Earbands or semi-inserts
Earbands or semi-inserts are part waybetween earplugs and earmuffs. Variousstyles are available and comprise of a foamplug which is held in place by a plastic bandover the head or around the neck. Moreexpensive than the two options above, theycan be economic choices as the foam plugcan usually be replaced. They are easy to useand remove and do not require the user totouch the foam plug which is important if theuser has contaminated hands or is wearinggloves.
Earmuffs
Earmuffs are one of the more expensiveoptions but are re-usable and can beincorporated with other protectiveequipment such as safety helmets.Available with a wide range ofprotection levels and fitting options, forexample headbands, neckbands, helmetmounts. There are also electronicversions for communications,entertainment and control of noiselevels but these can be expensive to buyand maintain.
What types of hearing protection areavilable?
A very brief description of some of the morepopular hearing protection is covered belowto help with preliminary choices.
Foam earplugs
Foam earplugs are available in various stylesand can offer very high levels of protection.The type of foam used can also be adjustedto give different levels of protection for lowernoise levels. While some styles can bewashed, dried and re-used, they are moretypically disposed of at the end of the shift.Various dispensing systems are available witha very low cost per plug. This style ofprotection can come in standard, corded ordetectable versions for use in the foodindustry. While cheap to buy they requirecareful fitting and have to be rolled betweenthumb and forefinger to compress the foambefore insertion. We would not recommendthese in dirty environments or where theyneed to be frequently removed.
Detectable earplugs
Detectable earplugs are generally confinedto the food industry where they can bedetected if lost, potentially into the productbeing processed. Typically they are similar tostandard plugs but have an added metalliccomponent such as a brass ball bearingincorporated into the earplug for detectionby automated scanning equipment and areusually coloured blue.
Flanged earplugs
Flanged earplugs can be made of siliconrubber or thermoplastic and are moreexpensive than foam plugs.
UC-EP07B headband. SNR 20
