DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’VE GOT TILL IT’S GONE
Mick Whitaker, Director, at ProtectHear® discusses the importance of appropriate hearing protection and explores the impact of losing your hearing.
48 out of 100,000 people have sadly lost their hearing in the past year, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
It’s a topic on many people’s lips at the moment and the irreversible condition known as NIHL (Noise Induced Hearing Loss) or Occupational Deafness has resulted in a rise in claims against employers.
If employes can’t stem noise above the lower exposure action values, which are a daily or weekly personal noise exposure of 80 dB (A-weighted) at source then they should definitely be thinking about hearing protection.
Hearing protection equipment varies from throwaway foam earplugs, through to sturdy bulky ear defenders or muffs. They each have their own pros and cons. It is important to consider the individual holistically, both from a mind and body perspective, and provide products to address all of these issues.
Physically, it is quite obvious as to why employers wouldn’t want their employees to lose the ability to hear! Deafness reduces one’s ability to function in the outside world and could make some occupations
18 | Personal Protection 2016
impossible or difficult, to say the least. Specifying the right product and, more importantly, how and when to wear it is the first step.
ProtectHear® products are personally moulded, giving the user protection from NIHL and a sense of product ownership. The unique fit means they are more comfortable, making users more inclined to wear them. However it isn’t just PPE that is important.
Sufferers of NIHL experience many psychological problems such as difficulty in conversation or tinnitus which can cause depression and anxiety, as well as difficulty sleeping and concentrating.
OVERPROTECTION... AS BAD
AS UNDER PROTECTION? From a mental health point of view, overprotection or choosing the wrong protection could be a big issue. Over-protection, where users cannot hear anything at all in their environments can cause difficulties with communication causing people to become isolated from their environment and their peers. Some products, have a clever passive filter that is fitted inside the earplug, enabling the user to hear speech,
meaning that their working world can be social as well as productive. From a health and safety point of view these types of products allow wearers to hear warning signals.
The HSE make a valid point when they say that over protecting can lead to safety risks; in these circumstances users have a tendency to remove the hearing protection and therefore risk damage to their hearing.
www.protecthear.co.uk www.tomorrowshs.com “48 OUT OF
100,000 PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR HEARING IN
THE PAST YEAR,
ACCORDING TO THE HSE.”
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