PROTECTING EYES & EARS
3M TAKES IT STEP-BY-STEP
Science-based technology company 3M has designed a four-step approach for health and safety managers to keep their workers safe from hearing damage.
Excessive noise in the workplace poses a major risk to the long- term health of workers as it can result in incurable – but completely preventable – conditions.
According to HSE 17,000 people in the UK suffer from deafness, tinnitus or other ear conditions as a result of exposure to loud noise at work and these can lead to other associated health problems such as insomnia.
As the impact of excessive noise exposure can go unnoticed for years – with Action on Hearing Loss finding that people, on average, wait 10 years before seeking help – it is vital the right control measures are in place to prevent irreversible damage.
However, it can be difficult to decide how to best protect workers as the requirements can vary from person-to- person and could change depending on where they are on the site.
3M has designed a four-step approach for health and safety managers to keep their workers safe from hearing damage.
DETECTION First, the noise levels in the workplace need to be assessed to see if there is a problem. If employees need to raise their voices when speaking to each other or if the noise is intrusive, it is likely that the levels are too high. Noise measurements should be conducted in any areas highlighted during your initial assessment. Noise surveys can be carried out in-house or by hiring a consultant. It’s important to use the results of these surveys effectively; deciding on noise control methods, re-evaluating risk assessments and selecting appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
PROTECTION As part of The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, employers are required to eliminate or reduce risks to health and safety from noise at work.
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Depending on the level of risk, you should;
• Take action to reduce the noise exposure.
• Provide your employees with suitable personal hearing protection.
When deciding on hearing protection equipment (HPE), it is crucial to select a product that is not only adequate for the task at hand, but also suitable so the wearer is motivated to use it. If the HPE does not fit correctly or is uncomfortable, the worker is less likely to use it properly, which can significantly reduce the level of protection. You can find out more about how to involve employees in the selection process by reading about our Workers’ Choice campaign here.
When deciding on protection, you should ensure that it is effective enough to eliminate risks, but does not leave the worker isolated. Some people could be tempted to buy a product which blocks out the most amount of noise, but this could also present dangers if it leaves the worker unable to hear warning messages or alarms.
You also need to consider the working environment and check it does not interfere with other PPE.
TRAINING Reinforcing to workers the importance of protecting their hearing and how they can do it effectively can help them become more aware of their own safety, as well as their colleagues. Employers need to provide suitable information, instruction and training covering the noise hazards present, the control measures to be used and the correct use of these, including hearing protection.
VALIDATION Once you have offered hearing protection to your workers, you then need to be confident that it is protecting them. The protection offered by HPE will vary from person-to-person
depending on the type of product, the size and shape of the ear canal and how well the worker fits the product.
To get around the issue of differing levels of protection from one worker to the next, 3M has launched its E-A- Rfit Validation System, which takes noise measurements from inside and outside of the hearing protection to calculate a PAR (Personal Attenuation Rating) for each employee.
“OUR FOUR-STEP
APPROACH CAN ACT AS A CHECKLIST FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGERS TO ENSURE THEY HAVE EVERYTHING COVERED AND THEIR EMPLOYEES
ARE LEAVING WORK JUST AS HEALTHY AS WHEN THEY WALKED IN.”
The test takes only eight seconds to complete and can be used as part of a robust training programme, showing workers how correctly inserting the right ear plug increases their level of protection.
Simon Field, a technical specialist at 3M, said: “Noise can be very dangerous if it is not controlled properly, particularly in a working environment. The impact of exposure to excessive noise can be long-lasting and really affect a person’s quality of life, but as the negative effects of noise exposure are completely preventable, nobody should ever be put at risk.
“Our four-step approach can act as a checklist for health and safety managers to ensure they have everything covered and their employees are leaving work just as healthy as when they walked in.”
www.3M.co.uk www.tomorrowshs.com
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