Hearing Protection
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Introduction
Under The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 employers must provide suitable hearing protection where noise exceeds 80dB(A). All EU member states should have complied with the directive as of February 2006.
Continued exposure to noise above 80dB(A) may cause permanent hearing damage costing industry dearly. In addition, noise at work can interfere with communications and make warnings harder to hear causing safety issues
Topics in this guide
Types of Hearing Protection
Hearing protection products differ in construction, their benefits and applications. Click one of the hearing protection types on the left to discover what each can offer.
Disposable Earplugs
Made from expandable, slow-recovery foam and combining comfort with protection. Once in the ear, foam plugs expand to provide a secure and snug custom fit. This type of earplug should usually be disposed of after single use and is available as individual earplugs or as a corded pair.
| Benefits and Application | Tips for use |
|---|---|
Reusable Earplugs
Reusable earplugs are made from flexible materials that are preformed to fit the ear. Generally available with a joining cord to prevent loss these reusable earplugs are hygienic, economical and comfortable to wear. No sizing is required. Also available in metal detectable format.
| Benefits and Application | Tips for use |
|---|---|
Banded Earplugs (Reusable/ Disposable)
These are easy to use, convenient and extremely comfortable to wear. Easy and quick to put on, take off or store around the neck when not required. These earplugs are ideal for intermittent use.
| Benefits and Application | Tips for use |
|---|---|
Ear Defenders
Ear defenders consist of rigid cups with soft plastic cushions that seal around the ears to reduce noise. They are a popular choice in hearing protection due to their ease of use and greater levels of comfort. Available in headband, neckband, helmet-attachable and folding models to meet the needs of most applications.
| Benefits and Application | Tips for use |
|---|---|
Communication Ear Defenders
Two options are available: Listen Only offers the wearer the ability to press a button on the shell to reduce attenuation allowing them to hear a conversation without removing the ear defenders.
Alternatively, Speak and Listen hearing protectors come with either a built-in communication radio for cable-free, short-range communication with other headsets and portable two-way radios which are programmed on the same frequency, or the input to connect a radio receiver and microphone.
| Benefits and Application | Tips for use |
|---|---|
Easy to Damage - Easy to Protect
Move the slider along the volume scale to discover typical decibel levels and potential implications to employee hearing.
WARNINGEmployers must provide suitable hearing protection equipment where noise exceeds 80dB(A)
Short exposure causes moderate to severe loss Wear hearing protectors with extra care
Brief exposure can cause permanent loss
European Standards
European standards which are relevant to the RS range of hearing protection include the following. To find out what each covers, click on topics below.
Construction, Design and Testing
EN 352
Specifies the construction and safety requirements of hearing protectors. Divided into eight parts, protectors may meet one or more of these.
EN 13819
This standard describes methods of test for hearing protectors. Divided into two parts, Part 1 covers physical test methods ; Part 2 covers acoustic test methods.
EN 24869
This standard specifies methods of measurement of sound attenuation in hearing protectors.
Radio Disturbance
EN 55013
Specifies the limits and methods of test of radio disturbance for sound and television broadcast receivers and associated equipment, including communication ear defenders.
Hazardous Substances
EN 50581
Specifies documentation that a manufacturer needs to provide in respect of a product's compliance with hazardous substance restrictions.
Electromagnetic Compatibility
EN 61000
Applying to communication ear defenders, the various parts of EN 61000 cover all aspects of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) including testing and measurement techniques and limits.
EN 55022
An EMC emissions standard which covers multimedia equipment (including broadcast equipment) and also applies to communication ear defenders.
EN 55024
This standard defines the immunity test requirements for information technology equipment - including communication ear defenders - in relation to EMC.
EN 301489
This specifies requirements for radio communications equipment and associated ancillary equipment, such as communication ear defenders, in relation to electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).
EN 300328
Communication ear defenders which comply with this standard are acceptable to be sold across the EU. It relates to effective use of the radio spectrum for wideband transmission systems such as wi-fi and Bluetooth.
Safety of Equipment
EN 60950
Covering the safety of information technology equipment, this standard applies to communication ear defenders.
For further information and clarification, please see page 22 of the downloadable guide:
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