FEATURE HEALTH & SAFETY
BE ALL EARS WHEN IT COMES TO HEARING PROTECTION W
hen working in any type of industrial environment, protecting
employees’ hearing is essential. Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the biggest occupational health problems facing the UK, with over 170,000 people suffering from deafness, tinnitus or other ear conditions because of exposure to high levels of noise in the workplace. Exposure to regular, long lasting noise damages the sensitive hair cells in the cochlea, which can result in permanent noise induced hearing loss or tinnitus (buzzing or ringing in the ears). Although ear damage can be caused by sudden, extremely loud noises, injuries such as NIHL are known as long latency diseases, as their affects will not become apparent for some years. NIHL takes time to develop, causes no
pain or visible trauma and is unnoticeable in its infancy stage; it is only after repeated exposure to high levels of noise the worker will start to notice the affects, by which time it is too late.
NOISE RISK ASSESSMENT By law, employers must assess and take measures to eliminate or reduce risks from noise exposure to protect the hearing of employees. A noise risk assessment is required if any employee is likely to be exposed at or above the lower action value (80dB). Action values give an indication of noise exposure and the damage potentially caused, for instance: normal conversation is measured at 60dB, busy city traffic at 85dB. For more industrial settings: forklift trucks are measured at 90-95dB, saws and cutting machinery at around 110dB. One of the main changes within the new PPE Regulation (EU) 2016 saw hearing protection move from Category 2 to Category 3, the highest risk category. This shift in regulation reflects the critical importance of wearing hearing protection, as the risks can cause irreversible damage to health.
OVER PROTECTION Whilst under protection against noise at work is an obvious risk, over protection can also place employees in dangerous situations, by muting the sound of potential hazards. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advises against using ear protectors that reduce the noise level at the ear to below 70dB, since this can
12 JULY/AUGUST 2017 | FACTORY EQUIPMENT
It is vital for employers to provide their staff with the correct hearing protection. But what are the options?
HEARING SELECTOR CALCULATOR Available on Arco’s website, this allows a customer to include their frequency band analysis recorded for a specific environment to highlight which products would be suitable.
NOISE MONITORING DEVICES These identify areas where noise is a problem and the employees who may be affected by recording and measuring the Leq, peak, max, min and TWA in relation to the Noise At Work: 2005 parameters. These can either be purchased or carried out independently as part of a training and consultancy service along with a detailed risk assessment of the hazard.
Noise induced hearing loss is permanent and irreversible, yet 100 per cent preventable
cause difficulties with communication and situational awareness. Being too protected from sound isolates
wearers from other nearby noises, for instance the reversing sound of a forklift truck, or urgent attention from a colleague. Not only does this unawareness leave the worker exposed to danger, but it may tempt them to remove the hearing protection and therefore risk ear damage. Therefore, it is important to ensure the most appropriate protection is selected for the worker and the environment.
PRODUCT OPTIONS Classified as passive hearing protection, ear plugs offer a broader SNR range of protection, while ear defenders are easier to fit. Both options are designed to work with other forms of PPE. Working in high noise environments can make communicating with others more difficult, prompting the need to remove the ear defender or lift a cup of the defender to hold a conversation, which reduces the effectiveness of the hearing protection and leaves the worker exposed to potential hearing damage. Two-way communication headsets can be a simple interface to existing radios on site or can feature built-in communication radios. Another feature of some communication
devices is level dependency; this feature allows the wearer to hear low level noise, have easy face-to-face conversations and still be aware of their surroundings, and any sudden loud noise is then immediately reduced to a maximum of 82dB at the ear. This is ideal in factories where there is exposure to loud noise, but the worker also needs to be aware of forklift trucks and other heavy traffic. Arco is committed to keeping people safe in the workplace, providing guidance and advice on noise risk assessments, personal hearing protection and how to implement best practice.
Arco
www.arco.co.uk
/ FACTORYEQUIPMENT
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