Hearing Protection Devices

Hearing Protection and Communication in the Field

Hearing protection might not be at the top of the technician’s to-do list each morning before work, but, for many, occupational hearing loss is a silent predator preying on innocent and unsuspecting utility workers trying to put in a day’s work. Exposure to short but frequent high noise levels can have long-term consequences. Occupational hearing loss is a serious health concern for today’s utility workers and is costing unnecessary dollars in preventative and post exposure measures. Surprisingly, this is a topic that is just recently getting the attention it deserves.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Occupational deafness is an irreversible, sensorineural condition that results from damage to the nerve cells of the inner ear. Recent estimates from surveys indicate that between 7.4 and 10.2 million people work at sites where the level of noise presents an increased risk of hearing loss 85 decibels or higher. During the period 1978-1987, an estimated $835 million was paid in workers’ compensation claims for occupationally induced hearing impairment.”

Occupational hearing loss is considered by some to be the fastest growing workplace epidemic in America. Some corporations and government agencies are attempting to take steps to prevent hearing loss by spending hundreds of millions of dollars to tackle the problem by reducing noise in the workplace, which has rarely, if ever, been accomplished with any modicum of success. The resolution that should be considered is not to eliminate background noise all together, but, instead, offer a highly advanced hearing protection device that allows technicians to maintain communication and situational awareness in any noise level.

In December 2010, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a press release stating, “Thousands of workers every year continue to suffer from preventable hearing loss due to high workplace noise levels. Since 2004, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has reported that more than 125,000 workers have suffered significant, permanent hearing loss. In 2008 alone, BLS reported 22,000 hearing loss cases.” Though OSHA has a history of trying to effectively reduce noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) by passing laws that limit occupational noise in the workplace, for in-the-field technicians covering everything from electrical, cable and telecom utilities, reducing occupational noise in a constantly changing work environment is probably an impossible feat.

Electronic Hearing Protection - Some Basic Ideas - Ear Hearing ...

The Benefits of Electronic Hearing Protection

If you are working in a place that requires continuous communication, but you cannot understand what other says because of the noise then an device will offer you a great alternative. This will ensure you to stay protected from the noise that could damage you or just discomfort your routine and also with the new equipment will help you in having the best results in hearing. By understanding how these tools work you will know a new, better way to care your hearing, while the communications are still open.

The idea of electronic is to offer an amplifier system inside your that are required to protect your ears. An usual set of are constructed to reduce the noise from any work area if you are working in a place where the sound levels is over 85 DB, then these will stop additional noise from entering into your ear. Anyway, the persons that are already working in such a place know that the problem appears when you need to communicate with somebody around you. Having in your ears can complicate even more the situation than if you wouldn’t have.

That is why electronic can provide a set of safety features that will reduce the noise and also provides an alternative to communication. Using these specific protective devices you will be able to hear other talking if they will have their ear connected through an amplifier system. Also if you have problems in hearing then you can take an sound amplifier which will help you in understanding what other are saying.

If you understand the components of this electronic hearing protection device, you will realize that this is the best option to provide a protection against the powerful sounds and also can facilitate the communications between your co-workers.

So weather you live in a noisy environment or you are just exposed to increase sound level over short periods of time, it is very important to care of your ears so your hearing will not be affected. You should wear the right earplug or earmuff, that will reduce the noise and stop the complications from occurring. This way there will be less to worry about in each work day of your life.

Hearing protection devices, AS 1270-1975

Hearing protection devices, sugar mill employees' knowledge, attitudes and use

Hearing conservation in industry

Personal hearing protection devices in real working situations, development of a simplified attenuation test method for personal hearing protection devices and determination of attenuation values in real working situations

Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety: Chemical, industries and occupations