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  Once You Lose Your Hearing It’s Gone Forever.

  Noise is everywhere, and much of it can be harmful to your hearing. Long term exposure to noise greater than average 85 dBA over a period of 8-hours, can cause permanent hearing loss, as well as tinnitus and other health effects related to noise such as: stress, anxiety, hypertension, sleep disturbance and fatigue. Your hearing is precious and fragile, damage your hearing and life may never sound the same. If you were to lose your hearing tomorrow, what sounds would you miss the most?

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  Family conversations at dinner time?

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  The sound of your child’s laughter?

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  The sound of your favourite song?

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  The sound of rain on the roof?

We all have emotional ties to what we hear, and love hearing the things that make us happy. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to noise levels that could rob you of savouring the sweet sounds you enjoy - protect your hearing so you can enjoy the sounds you love.

Noise in the Workplace

Are you one of the thousands of workers who are employed in a hazardous noise environment and potentially exposed to hearing hazards every day?

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  Agriculture

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  Construction

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  Food Processing

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  Hunting & Shooting

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  Manufacturing

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  Metal Fabrication

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  Mining, Oil & Gas

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  Transportation

Noisy workplaces provide many challenges for workers, with two of the main issues being health and safety. One health issue is hearing loss. One in six Australians are affected by hearing loss to varying degrees – a figure that is expected to rise to one in four as the country’s population ages. When it comes to the workplace, there are a number of regulations that must be adhered to by employers and employees in order to lessen the impact the high decibel environments have on an individual’s hearing. Prolonged exposure to noise in the workplace can result in Noise-Induced Hearing Loss.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Noise-induced hearing loss can be caused by a one-time exposure to an intense impulse sound or by prolonged exposure to noises over 85 decibels. While one-time exposure to a loud impulse sound may damage your hearing and cause tinnitus (a ringing in your ear), continuous exposure to loud sounds causes a gradual loss of hearing over time - that you may not notice until it is too late. Symptoms of Hearing Loss include:

• Buzzing or other unusual noises in your ear
• No longer able to hear low/high frequency sounds
• Difficulty hearing and understanding a conversation
• Sounds have become muffled

Hearing Conservation

Occupational hearing loss prevention is an ongoing journey that requires continuous monitoring and flexibility to adapt to the evolving needs of the worksite. Detection, Control, Protection and Validation, each is critical to solving the hearing conservation challenges to ensure you and your workers are not exposed to potential hearing hazards.

Detection - Detecting noise levels in the workplace is the first step to ensure your workforce is protected. Noise measurement is essential to create a successful hearing conservation program. The results can help reduce risk and identify appropriate actions. Identifying who is at risk by measuring noise levels and employee noise exposures helps determine who to protect and how.

Control - The use of quieter machinery, sound barriers, acoustic enclosures and insulation can be very effective noise reduction controls.

Protection - The right hearing protection is a crucial element of nearly all hearing conservation programs. Once you have detected your noise level, it is critical to select a hearing protector that you and/or your employees are motivated to wear.

Conservation - You have offered hearing protection to your workers. Now, how do you gain confidence they are protected? It starts with the Personal Attenuation Rating (PAR). To make sure you are getting the right hearing protection, you should know your PAR. Everyone is different, so finding the right number will give you assurance that your selected hearing protector provides an adequate level of protection.

However, to help create an effective hearing conservation program, that process can be broken down into smaller, more manageable parts; the seven elements of hearing conservation:

• Measure - Do I need a hearing conservation program?
• Control - Can we control the noise?
• Protect - How is hearing protection selected and fitted?
• Check - Are the workers showing symptoms of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)?
• Train - What training do workers need?
• Record - Have I documented everything that I need?
• Evaluate - Is the hearing conservation program effective?

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss is Not Reversible, But it is preventable

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  E-A-Rfit™ White Paper Download

• Every worker is different, every job is different and every ear is different. Are you using the right hearing protection for the noise exposure you and/or your workers are facing? So even after you’ve identified the right product, how do you make sure that they’re adequately, individually protected? Conducting a fit validation test measures the level of hearing protection by generating a personal attenuation rating (PAR), the first step to a successful conservation program. Once a worker’s PAR is measured, you can determine if they’re using the right hearing protection and ensure they’re trained on using it properly.
  
  Fit Testing Made Easy - based on science not guesswork, the 3M™ E-A-Rfit™ Dual Ear Validation System measures the effectiveness of 3M hearing protection for the individual wearer, providing accurate, quantitative results. Test administrators can simultaneously check both ears, so they will have more time to educate employees on the importance of fit and compliance. This simple, in-the-field test system can enhance your hearing conservation program by assisting with the selection of appropriate protectors for workers and their environments.
  
  Developed in the interest of worker safety we have developed a White Paper that describes the 3M™ E-A-Rfit™ Dual-Ear Validation System and the value it can provide for your hearing conservation program - download it today.
  
  Request a free, on-site, no-obligation 3M™ E-A-Rfit™ Validation System demonstration and see how the E-A-Rfit™ Dual-Ear Validation System can help you and your hearing conservation program to:

   
  • Know if your employee’s hearing is sufficiently protected
  • Train and motivate employees on the proper use and fit of hearing protection
  • Document your hearing loss prevention efforts

Contact a 3M Safety Specialist for more information, visit our Centre for Hearing Conservation, or view our range of hearing protection solutions below.

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  Earplugs

  3M offers a variety of earplugs including roll down, pod, pre moulded and banded. They suit different ear types and noise levels, making it easy to find an earplug for every worker.

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  Earmuffs

  A popular choice in hearing protection with their rigid cups and soft plastic cushions that seal around the ears to reduce noise. A range of attenuations are available as well as helmet attachment and neckband versions.

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  Protective Communications

  Protects the wearer from high noise environments whilst allowing them to communicate. This can improve productivity, prevent workers from feeling isolated and allow them to hear important warning signals and alarms without the need to remove their hearing protection.