Personal Protection Equipment: Hearing Protection against Impulse Noise
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Executive Summary
The paper evaluates the effectiveness of earplugs in promoting hearing protection in the workplace and analyzes the nature and implications of hearing protectors to control and reduce the impulse noise levels. Impulse noises can be defined as short-duration sounds, such as explosions and popping sounds of a nail gun, which can have adverse effects on the human body. The use of earplugs in preventing the negative impacts of the impulse noise is critical because most workers are exposed to noisy working conditions that could damage their health. The use of earplugs is an important approach in ensuring the hearing protection of the workers.
The research paper also evaluates the factors that influence the effectiveness and efficiency of earplugs in providing hearing protection to people. For instance, the effectiveness of earplugs in preventing the impulse noise depends on the ability of the wearer to meet the guidelines and requirements of the hearing protectors. Furthermore, the proper fit of earplugs and additional hearing protectors is important in enhancing their effectiveness in noise reduction. The effectiveness of the earplugs might also be lower if eyeglasses are worn between the sealing surface of earplug cushions and the sides of the head of the wearer. In enhancing the noise reduction model, the choice of eyeglasses with thin surfaces is important to reduce the interference with the surfaces of earplugs.
Further, the research paper states that learning about different types of meters can be useful in understanding the importance of fit of earplugs to control the noise levels. The sound level meter with peak detector with distinct features is involved in measuring the peak noise levels. Nevertheless, despite the fact that earplugs are critical and significant in noise reduction in the workplace among the employees, managers should come up with better ways of handling the limitations of earplugs in preventing the impulse noise.
Hearing Protection against Impulse Noise
The exposure of workers to impulse noise is an ongoing problem in the workplaces today because the noise emissions from the machinery can reach a high level. Considering the increasing number of inquiries from the organizations for data and information to protect their workers from impulse noise, it is important to research into the effectiveness of the noise protection techniques, especially the use of earplugs. Basner et al. (2014) noted that earplugs offer better protection than communication headsets at high frequencies. However, the combined use of earplugs and communication headsets would provide the best protection against the impulse noise. The use of earplugs in preventing the negative impacts of the impulse noise is useful. Nevertheless, operations managers should come up with better ways of handling the limitations of earplugs in preventing the impulse noise. The knowledge obtained from the research on the impulse noise measurement and protection will be useful in recommending alternative measures to deal with impulse noise among workers. Therefore, the paper seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of earplugs in protecting employees from the impulse noise in the workplace.
The Nature of Impulse Noise
Impulse noises can be defined as short-duration sounds, namely less than one second, such as explosions and popping sounds of a nail gun. They are usually fast and reach high sound pressure levels. In comparison, continuous noises have a longer duration, more than one second, and include industrial and vehicle noises, as well as noises from operating power tools in the workplace (Sliwinska-Kowalska & Davis, 2012).
The risks associated with impulse noise cannot be understated. The evaluation of the health risks among the employees is an important way of determining the risks associated with it. Impulse noise usually damages the auditory system and has other significant health effects on the human body (Młyński & Kozłowski, 2013). Other common health concerns assorted with the impulse noise include tinnitus, hyperacusis, hearing loss, and non-auditory effects, including fatigue, hypertension, and other medical diseases associated with stress.
In various countries, there are specific acts and regulations that ensure that employees are protected from excessive noise in the workplace. In particular, in the United States, OSHA Noise Regulations, as well as other standards and guidance, are critical in setting the standards of noise exposures for workers in organizations (United States Department of Labor, n.d.). Regarding the exposure to impulse noise, it is stated that it should not exceed 140 dB(C) at any point during the measurement of the sound and noise levels in companies (Sliwinska-Kowalska & Davis, 2012). Another example of countries that seek to ensure the workers’ safety is Australia where the National Code of Practice for managing and protecting hearing at work helps to develop strong regulations on noise and improve noise reduction (National Occupational Health and Safety Commission, 2004).
The Effectiveness of Hearing Protectors/Earplugs
Hearing protectors, including earplugs, are effective in protecting employees from the impulse noise. However, the effectiveness depends on the ability of workers to wear hearing protection devices based on the user instructions. Effective wearing of earplugs also assists in reducing the exposure to continuous and impulse noises. Nevertheless, it is tough to forecast the required protection during the times of exposures to impulse noises. For example, gunfire noises need proper selection and the use of earplugs to improve the hearing protection, as well as proper care and conditions for protecting hearing and other aspects to promote hearing protector performance. Earplugs are usually effective when used based on the instructions.
Moreover, the use of traditional passive protectors of hearing, including earplugs, is effective because they create a physical barrier that decreases the sound levels that reach the ears of people. In other words, passive hearing protectors should be able to promote noise reduction, regardless of the level of the exposure to sounds. Earplugs allow wearers to change from the impulse noise protection to the continuous noise protection through sealing acoustic filters. Thus, they will be effective in promoting traditional hearing protection. The exposures of the wearer of earplugs to impulse and continuous noise could be protected effectively as well.
Going forward, it is recommendable for employees and operations managers in the workplace to develop electronic hearing protectors to improve the protection from impulse noises. The use of electronic technology is critical in improving the hearing ability when exposed to different sound levels. Electronic earplugs are useful in dealing with the problems of impulse noise in the workplace (Oliveira, Miguel, Baptista, & Costa, 2015). For example, environmental microphones are useful in reproducing and controlling the loudness of sounds that reach the wearer’s ears. However, electronic hearing protectors depend on the non-electronic elements that assist in improving the effectiveness of earplugs in the protection of workers from impulse noise.
The effectiveness of earplugs in preventing the impulse noise also depends on the ability of wearers to meet the guidelines and requirements of hearing protectors. Some guidelines state that users should be alert to their hearing before wearing hearing protectors. After exposure, ringing is usually heard in the ears, and it could lead to hearing problems (Tanaka, Inaba, & Aoyama, 2016). In such instances, it is important for employees to wear earplugs. It is also crucial to ensure that they fit the capacity to handle the problem and that they are adequate to protect wearers from the impulse noise. Wearing dual protection will be even more effective because it helps to boost the reduction of noise levels. However, the dual noise reduction can lower the users’ hearing ability and capability. Thus, earplugs are effective and critical in promoting noise reduction.
Significance of Proper Fit
The proper fit of earplugs and additional hearing protectors is important in enhancing their effectiveness in noise reduction. However, the effectiveness of earplugs might be lower if eyeglasses are worn between the sealing surface of earplug cushions and the sides of the head of the wearer. To improve the noise reduction, the selection of eyeglasses with thin surfaces is important to reduce the interference with the surfaces of earplugs. Long hair should also be pulled back, and all other items that can degrade the earplug seals should be removed, including ear buds and jewelry. An important caution is that the headband should not be reshaped as this can lead to the loss of fit and result in the leakage of sound.
Earplugs should be worn based on the instructions of the manufacturers with a strong emphasis on the selection of the good size and appropriate depth of quality insertion. It is critical to ensure that the right technique for rolling and compressing is used to reduce the creation of a crease along the length of earplugs, which can hinder noise reduction (Basner et al., 2014). Most manufacturers of earplugs call for proper fit as it offers a better estimation of the noise reduction. The proper maintenance and care of hearing protectors are also useful in improving the development of protective capabilities.
Noise Assessment
It is critical to measure the impulse noise to recommend the most appropriate earplugs for people working in the noisy environment. The noise levels are measured using the sound level meter. This instrument measures the response of people to pressure changes associated with various noise levels. When the noise level differs, an integrating sound meter will offer the average noise range for the sampling duration. The noise evaluations should be conducted with type two sound level meters (Arenas & Suter, 2014). The type three sound level meters should be used during preliminary noise checks to make the assessment of the noise levels more accurate. The sound level meter with peak detector with distinct features is critical in measuring the peak noise levels. In addition, the daily exposure to noise could be measured using the person exposure meters. The meters are designed to be worn during a certain period, including a working day. However, certain sound exposure meters do not determine the peak noise levels well.
Conclusion
Earplugs are effective in reducing the impulse noise in the workplace. However, their effectiveness depends on various factors, including the proper fit of earplugs, the measurement of their size, as well as adherence to the guidelines provided by the manufacturers of earplugs. Many manufacturers of earplugs call for proper fit to offer a better estimation of the noise reduction. In addition, the proper maintenance and care of hearing protectors are useful in retaining their protective capabilities. The use of electronic technology is critical in improving the hearing ability regardless of the sound levels to which one is exposed. Electronic earplugs are useful in dealing with the problems of impulse noise in the workplace and they serve as useful personal protective equipment for people working in environments with high noise levels. Therefore, earplugs are critical and significant in noise reduction in the workplace among the employees. However, managers still should come up with better ways of handling the limitations of the earplugs in preventing the impulse noise.
References
Arenas, J. P., & Suter, A. H. (2014). Comparison of occupational noise legislation in the Americas: An overview and analysis. Noise and Health, 16(72), 306-319.
Basner, M., Babisch, W., Davis, A., Brink, M., Clark, C., Janssen, S., & Stansfeld, S. (2014). Auditory and non-auditory effects of noise on health. The Lancet, 383(9925), 1325-1332.
Młyński, R., & Kozłowski, E. (2013). Determining attenuation of impulse noise with an electrical equivalent of a hearing protection device. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 19(1), 127-141.
National Occupational Health and Safety Commission. (2004). National Code of Practice for Noise Management and Protection of Hearing at Work (3rd ed.). Canberra, Australia: Commonwealth of Australia.
Oliveira, A. P., Miguel, A. S., Baptista, J. S., & Costa, J. T. (2015). Noise induced hearing loss estimation and sound pressure limits’ main issues: A systematic review. Occupational Safety and Hygiene III, 425.
Sliwinska-Kowalska, M., & Davis, A. (2012). Noise-induced hearing loss. Noise and Health, 14(61), 274-280.
Tanaka, T., Inaba, R., & Aoyama, A. (2016). Noise and low-frequency sound levels due to aerial fireworks and prediction of the occupational exposure of pyrotechnicians to noise. Journal of Occupational Health. http://doi.org/10.1539/joh.16-0064-OA
United States Department of Labor. (n.d.). Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9735
