What Makes An Effective Hearing Protector for Industrial Workers?
There are thousands (if not millions) of hearing protection options on the market, and choosing the best one for industrial noise can feel overwhelming. It’s important to focus on the goal of the hearing protection, and the best way to get there.
Things to consider when choosing hearing protection for factory employees
Employees are required to wear hearing protection if they are exposed to noise levels over 90 decibels during an 8-hour TWA. According to the CDC, that’s millions of employees across hundreds of industries – from transportation to manufacturing to construction.
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#1. Choose hearing protection that will provide the appropriate attenuation
When it comes to comparing Noise Reduction Ratings, bigger isn’t always better. The goal of hearing protection is to reduce the noise that reaches an employee’s ear to a safe level, not to isolate them from all the noise around them.
You wouldn’t wear welding goggles to drive on a sunny day, even though they’re darker than sunglasses: it’s not safe. The same applies with hearing protection – your employees should still be able to communicate safely & hear important warning signals.
At the same time, it’s important to make sure your employees are not underprotected. For most companies, OSHA requires that hearing protection is worn if employees are exposed to above 90 decibels over an 8-hour TWA, or 85 decibels if an employee has had a Standard Threshold Shift.
Fit testing: best method to select appropriate attenuation for your employees
#2. Hearing protection should be easy to insert correctly
It’s important to choose hearing protection that’s easy for employees to insert correctly, every time. Many universal fit hearing protectors can be worn incorrectly, and still look like they are being used.
Studies have found that at least half of employees who wear hearing protection receive ½ or less of the possible NRR, because the hearing protectors are either not worn consistently or not inserted correctly.
#3. If they aren't comfortable to wear for the entire shift, keep looking
When hearing protection is removed for 2 minutes while exposed to noise, it becomes 25% less effective. If employees aren’t able to wear the hearing protection the entire time they are exposed to dangerous noise, they are at increased risk of a hearing injury.
Custom hearing protection: the most effective hearing protection for factory & industrial employees
Custom hearing protection has become a favorite for safety teams who are looking to go the extra mile in preserving their employees’ hearing health. At Anadyne, we don’t take a ‘one size fits all’ approach – because one size doesn’t fit all. Our custom hearing protection is manufactured individually for each employee.
Worn consistently & correctly
With our custom hearing protection, there’s only one way to insert it – the correct way. And Anadyne’s filtered options don’t need to be removed for face-to-face or radio communication, protecting your employees the entire time they’re exposed to noise.
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