b'PROTECT YOUR HEARINGPROTECT YOUR HEARING PPE - HEARING PROTECTIONDamage Prevention Noise-Induced Hearing Loss is 100% PreventableSince noise induced hearing lossUnlike most occupational injuries, Common Noise Levelscannot be cured, it must be prevented.there is no visible evidence of noise-Quiet Office 50-60dB There are several noise controlinduced hearing loss (NIHL). It is not Restaurant 60-70dB techniques including engineeringtraumatic and often goes unnoticed 50kW Electric Motor 90dB controls and administrative controls.when it first occurs. Noise-induced Heavy Vehicle 90dB Personal hearing protection should behearing loss accumulates over Grinder 83-115 regarded as first aid until noise levelstime, its effects realised long after Compressor 101-123dB can be reduced to safe levels, or asthe damage has been done. NIHL a last resort when noise cannot beis permanent and irreversible. With Diesel Generator 107-111dBengineered out. proper education, motivation and Mining Drill 108-113dBPower Saw 110dB Personal hearing protection is usuallyprotection, is also 100% preventable.Rock Drill 110dB available in two forms: earplugsWhen is Noise Considered Hazardous?and earmuffs. Earplugs are usuallyNoise is considered hazardous anytime you must shout at someone an made of silicone, or foam, and are inserted into the ear canal. Earmuffsarms length away to be heard. While exposure to hazardous noise is completely enclose the ear, and are held in place against the side of thecommon, prevention of NIHL is simple: consistent use of properly fitted head by a headband. hearing protection when exposed to hazardous noise. That is the goal of Earplugs and Earmuffs work by blocking the sound waves from reachingevery Hearing Conservation Program.the inner ear. The process of blocking the sound waves is calledIndicators of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss.attenuation. The higher the attenuation the more noise is blocked fromAlthough there are no visual signs of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, there reaching the inner ear. are a few simple indicators of NIHL. Identification in its early stages can help prevent further damage.The Class System High-Frequency Hearing Loss.Under the AustralianWhen hearing impairment begins, the high frequencies are often lost Class SLC80 dB For Use In Noise Standard AS/NZSfirst, which is why people with NIHL have difficulty hearing high pitched 1 10-13 Less than 90dB(A) 1270:2002, the classsounds such as human voices, alarms and signals. Compared to other 2 14-17 90 to less than 95dB(A) system is a simplesounds, they will seem muffled or distorted. With normal hearing, conversations are understandable if they are loud 3 18-21 95 to less than 100dB(A) way to select a hearingenough. When someone suffers from noise-induced hearing loss, simply 4 22-25 100 to less than 105dB(A) protector appropriate toturning up the volume does not make speech clearer. The clarity is 5 26 or Greater 105 to less than 110dB(A) a noise exposure. Onceadversely affected regardless of how loud the volume.the extent of the noise hazard has been determined by a noise level survey, the user simply appliesGradual Progression.this to a table like the one below to select an appropriate hearing protector.NIHL rarely happens overnight. Rather, it accumulates over time with All calculations are based on the maximum exposure limit of 85dB Leq, 8hr.every unprotected exposure to hazardous noise, usually in both ears. Example: If a noise level survey shows a person will be exposed to a noiseThis progression can be detected through healthy hearing practices, level of 102dB(A)Leq 8hr using the above table, we can see that a Class 4including the performance of annual audiograms on all employees in hearing protector is required for protection against this level of noise. your Hearing Conservation Program. Audiograms can identify whether In Australia the SLC80 rating is still an acceptable method for theyour employees are experiencing a Temporary Threshold Shift (TTS), or a selection of hearing protectors according to clause A2.3 in Appendix A ofStandard Threshold Shift (STS), which indicates permanent damage and AS/NZS 1269.3:2005. requires further preventative action.Common Symptoms.Workplace Protection Those suffering from noise-induced hearing loss will experience tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or muffled hearing. Non-auditory effects of NIHL may Discomfort or irritation when wearing hearing protection is particularlyinclude increased stress, high blood pressure, sleep problems and/or apparent and can lead to removal of the hearing protector. This isheadaches.commonly what happens with high attenuating hearing protectors thatCreate a Successful Hearing Conservation Program Through Best are often heavier and more uncomfortable. You only have to remove yourPractices.hearing protection a few minutes every day for the damaging effects ofOccupational noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a major compensable noise to accumulate. This is why 100% wear time is so important. industrial disease in Australia and results in substantial economic costs.Over a working day,The National Code of Practice for Noise Management and Protection 30dB Hearing Proteor SLC 8030dB (A) periods of a few minutesof Hearing at Work provides practical guidance on how the national Eeive Aenuation (dB)25dB of unprotected exposurestandard can be achieved. It requires that employees who have work 20dB can easily accumulate. 15dB areas with noise levels at or above 85dB (A) have, access to hearing 10dB An example of reducedprotection on the job. Implementing a Hearing Conservation Program 5dB effective protection is 100 95 90 85 80 75 may appear complicated, but there are a number of best practices Percentage of Exposure Time Worn removing your hearingsafety managers can employ to ensure compliance with regulations and protector for 10 minutespromote employee hearing safety.during a total exposure time of 1 hour. The effective protection provided by a high attenuating hearing protector (30dB) is reduced to 8dB. This makes the effective protective value 22dB less than expected, by wearing the hearing protector 83% of the time over 1 hour.Material Courtesy of Honeywell (Howard Leight)CLICK&COLLECT188 Call 132 100 or shop rsea.com.au FREE Pick-up from our Stores'