TEST & CERTIFICATION
Plugging The Knowledge gaP in hearing ProTeCTion
Tim Turney, global marketing manager at occupational hygiene and environmental expert Casella, shares expert advice on hearing protection in the workplace.
much noise reduction can create feelings of isolation, and an employee may need to remove their PPE to communicate. In addition, over-attenuation can cut out safety warnings such as fire alarms or sirens from reversing vehicles, resulting in further risks to workers. As a general rule of thumb, businesses can avoid over-protecting workers by ensuring the level of exposure is not reduced to a level below 75dB(A). A business’s unique working environment
also impacts the best protector choice. For example, hot humid conditions can make earmuffs uncomfortable to wear, while dusty
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environments can cause hygiene problems. In dusty workplaces, it is crucial to keep the hands clean when inserting protective plugs to avoid ear infections. It is also advisable to ascertain any history of ear problems such as irritation or earache from employees, as earmuffs that fit over the outer ear may be preferable to avoid medical complications. Removing PPE, even for short periods, has
a significant effect on exposure. Therefore, it is crucial that hearing protection is comfortable. Providing employees with a choice of protection will encourage all-day wear and, ultimately, support their safety.
Keeping your future worKforce safe
Employers have a responsibility to prevent damage to their workers’ health, however skill and knowledge of measuring noise can take years to build, so the information above can only be considered a foundational introduction. If certain aspects of noise monitoring, protection and control are outside of an individual’s competencies then external consultancies, training and support can be sought to bridge knowledge gaps and ensure employees get the critical protection they need. Casella is dedicated to reducing
occupational health and environmental risks, and supporting businesses in solving their monitoring and analysis needs. For more information about Casella’s noise monitoring solutions, visit:
www.casellasolutions.com.
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Casella
www.casellasolutions.com
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