Hearing loss brought on by noise happens when the ear canal's small hairs suffer permanent harm. These hairs are what pick up sound waves, and if they are broken, they cannot be repaired. The harm is irreparable. As a result, it's crucial to safeguard your ears and hearing when in noisy surroundings.
It is estimated that 14,000 people in the UK have work-related hearing problems. Ensuring your workplace has the appropriate over ear hearing protection and warning signs is extremely important to keep your workers safe.
When Should Hearing Protection Be Used?
Employees should be provided with hearing protection:
· Where additional protection is required over and beyond what has already been achieved using noise control.
· As a temporary measure while more strategies for reducing noise are developed.
Avoid using hearing protection as a substitute for using organisational and technical methods to minimise noise.
The Law Surrounding Hearing Protection in The Workplace
On April 6th, 2006, the Control of Noise at Work Regulations, also known as the Noise Regulations, went into effect for all British industry sectors (except for the music and entertainment sectors where they came into force on 6th April 2008).
The purpose of the Noise Regulations is to safeguard workers' hearing from excessive noise at work that could result in hearing loss or tinnitus (permanent ringing in the ears).
As an employer you must:
· Provide hearing protection, if your staff requests them, and if their noise exposure falls between the lower and upper exposure action ranges, give them hearing protection.
· When your employees' noise exposure exceeds the upper exposure action levels, make sure they are wearing hearing protection and that they are using them properly.
· Determine the regions that require the use of hearing protection, or hearing protection zones, and designate them with signs.
· Make sure the hearing protection is used and maintained correctly by instructing and informing your staff on how to use and care for the devices.
How Do Hearing Protectors Work?
Your ear protection should offer sufficient attenuation to safeguard your hearing. Typically, the package will indicate the degree of attenuation they offer for certain frequencies.
Most provide more protection at higher frequencies that could be harmful (4-8kHz). However, keep in mind that in actual circumstances, the attenuation will likely be less than reported because the tests were conducted under ideal conditions using brand-new, well-fitting shields.
Types of Hearing Protection
To lessen the effects of noisy environments and the danger of acquiring noise-induced hearing loss, people can wear one of three major types of hearing protection. These include earplugs, semi insert earplugs, and earmuffs.
Earplugs
Earplugs are foam plugs that can be moulded, pre-moulded, or prefabricated and put into the ear canal. They may be obtained in the majority of pharmacies and supermarket stores and come in disposable or reusable options. Additionally, audiologists and other hearing healthcare professionals can make custom-moulded earplugs for you.
Earplugs are a good option if you are on the move a lot as they are small to carry. They are also good for those working in humid areas as over ear protection can make you even hotter. They do however require more hygiene practice.
Semi Insert Earplugs
Like conventional earplugs, semi earplugs do not completely enclose the ear canal. A stiff headband that joins the earplugs keeps them in place right above the ear canals. They are not developed specifically for you, and they don't always work.
Earmuffs
The soft ear cushions that fit around the rigid outer cups of earmuffs are constructed of material that dampens sound. A headband is used to keep them together. They are good at blocking out sound, preventing overexposure to loud noises.
Earmuffs are great as their size means you will be less likely to lose or misplace them. They also don’t require much hygiene practice so are a lot lower maintenance. They can however interfere with the wearing of safety or prescription glasses: wearing glasses results in breaking the seal between the earmuff and the skin and results in decreased hearing protection.
Don't be afraid to consult an audiologist while trying to decide which ear protection is best for your unique requirements. The audiologist can assess how much noise is hurting your ears and suggest the appropriate ear protection to keep them happy and healthy.
Importance of Ear Protection Signs
The usage of hearing personal protective equipment (PPE) in the workplace is required, and ear protection safety signs serve as a visual reminder of this.
When working in noisy environments, such as machine shops, ear protection signs are essential. It's critical to recognise the danger of hearing loss associated with prolonged exposure to loud noise. Staff members and visitors to your site will be reminded to wear ear protection, if hearing protection signs are up.
Keep Your Employees’ Hearing Safe with Label Source
Here at Label Source, we supply a wide range of ear protection signs suitable for a variety of workplaces. Browse our range today to ensure your employees’ hearing is kept safe.
