Monthly Archives: August 2019

Hearing loss on the rise among Canadian oil and gas workers: study

August 16, 2019

Richmond, British Columbia — More Canadian oil and gas workers in the drilling sector are showing signs of job-related hearing loss, according to a recent study from WorkSafeBC.

oil-gas-pipework.jpg

Researchers looked at hearing test data collected by oil and gas employers from 2012 to 2017. They found that, despite an increase in workers reporting they wear hearing protection (to 98 percent from 94 percent), the percentage of workers with noise-induced hearing loss grew to 45 from 33.

Of the 294 workers affected, 66 percent were younger than 35.

“There are a number of reasons why workers may be diagnosed with noise-induced hearing loss even though they are wearing some form of hearing protection,” Sasha Brown, an occupational audiologist at WorkSafeBC, said in an Aug. 22 press release. “The earplugs or earmuffs might be the wrong size, inserted or worn incorrectly, not worn for long enough, or they may not be providing enough protection for the duration and intensity of noise exposure.”

heairing loss oil and gas

Why choose Custom Hearing Protection

Custom Hearing Protection – means a customized hearing solution that fits the individuals ear exactly leaving little to no room for noise to get in. Just like one size fits all work boots are probably not the best choice, neither is one size fits all hearing protection. Every human ear is unique in size, shape, and depth. Therefore it makes sense that for hearing protection to be the most effective, as well as the most comfortable, it must be custom fit.  Due to the increase of hearing loss claims, more and more employers are choosing custom hearing protection over disposable ear plugs. Read More for a case study. 

WorkSafeBC offers the following recommendations to employers:

  • Ensure all at-risk workers wear sufficient hearing protection that fits, and that they understand how to properly wear it.
  • Make sure workers insert or wear the correct hearing protection before entering a noisy environment, and wear it until they exit that location.
  • Rotate workers to different positions to minimize their time in noisy environments.
  • Identify potential engineering controls to mitigate risk of exposure.
  • Ensure workers have their hearing tested and are aware of the results.

To assist employers and workers, WorkSafeBC has published a safety bulletin featuring an infographic on earplug insertion and online resources.

Each year, 22 million U.S. workers face exposure to potentially damaging occupational noise, and employers spend an estimated $242 million on hearing loss disability, according to OSHA. The agency’s requirements for hearing protection are outlined in 29 CFR 1910.95.


SOURCE
https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/17549-hearing-loss-on-the-rise-among-canadian-oil-and-gas-workers-study

Top CDN Safety Trade Shows to Attend in whats left of 2019

August 9, 2019

Bad news: with so many available, deciding which one(s) to attend can be a challenge!

Here is a sneak preview of what is Available for the rest of 2019.

Whether you’re trying to decide which show is best for your employees to attend or you’re on the flip side and are trying to convince your boss, here’s my list of the top ten safety shows to consider attending in 2019 and why:

CHES National Conference

September 22-24, 2019

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

ches conference saskatoon

For its 39th consecutive year, the Canadian Health Care Engineering Society will be hosting their Annual Conference of the Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society in Saskatoon. Known as the “hub” that enables resiliency in healthcare, this conference welcomes attendees from over 400 healthcare facilities across Canada. The CHES Conference is a fantastic place for those in the field to expand their knowledge base, network and continue their education.

CSSE

September 22-25, 2019

Winnipeg, Manitoba

csse 2019 winnipeg

The Canadian Society of Safety Engineer is one of the most important safety organizations in the country which is why it comes as no surprise that attending their annual conference is always worthwhile. Hundreds of safety professionals from across Canada, the U.S. and beyond join each fall to learn about the most current safety information, tools and practices available to ensure their workplaces are up to date and compliant.

One great thing about the CSSE show is that each year it moves to a new location across the country; a major bonus for individuals who may not have a lot of work flexibility to travel. Last year it was Niagara Falls, this year it will be in Winnipeg and in 2020 it’ll be taking place in St. John’s.

Le Grand Rendez-Vous

October 30-31, 2019

Montreal, Quebec

grand rendez-vous trade show and conference

For any of you who live in Quebec, here’s a great French Canadian safety show to keep on your radar. This robust safety conference focuses on innovations in the prevention of work accidents and occupational diseases. There is a huge list of safety pros lined up to present (you can read more about them here) at the 20+ sessions which cover the newest in health and safety. Between sessions, be sure to walk the trade show which will include nearly 200 exhibitors!

Motorcycle Riding: Protect your hearing

As the temperatures rise and the days are longer activities and outings change. These changes related to summer often mean BBQs, gatherings, Motorcycling and July 1 and 4th festivities with friends and family. And what also does occur is more noise; noise when riding, noisy music, noisy fireworks and even noisier traffic such as motorcycle riding.

Motorcycle Riding: Protect your hearing; the effort is worth it

Whether you wear a full-face helmet, a three-quarter or a shorty, earplugs are a must. Hearing damage is cumulative and permanent. It takes a little effort to find an earplug that will work for you, but it will be worth it. It’s much less cost and effort than hearing aids, I can assure you.
Wear Your Protection:

When your ears are exposed to constant wind noise, several things happen: the cilia inside your ears get tired (no, seriously) and collapse. Your brain gets tired from filtering out all that extraneous noise, and that causes unnecessary fatigue. The nerve connections between your ears and your brain can sustain damage.

All of that combined means hearing loss. If you’ve ever found your ears ringing after a stint on the highway, that means, without question, you are damaging your hearing. A 60mph wind will cause hearing damage within 15 minutes. You have 7 minutes at 75mph, and 3 minutes at 85mph with no hearing protection. Yes, if you’re not wearing earplugs you are definitely slowly going deaf.Motorcyles

Windshields and full-face helmets can damp the wind noise some, but they often just change the windflow without quieting the noise. Earplugs are a great low-cost way to protect your hearing. The frequency of wind is excellent at damaging humans’ hearing. Earplugs will filter out those frequencies but they absolutely do still allow you to hear sirens, horns, and other traffic warnings. If you find the earplugs you’ve used block too much sound, try different ones.

There are a bunch of different earplugs on the market, and they can be divided into two simple categories: disposable and reusable. Disposable earplugs are made of foam, and the general rule is, they work well three times: if you wear them all day three days in a row, or if you take them out and reinsert them three times in one day, they’re done, the foam wears out, and they don’t hold a good seal anymore. They must be inserted in a specific way into your ear, and you can see that process on the CDC website here.

Hearing Protection – Earplug Options

There are also Reusable or custom hearing protection which is a little more expensive, but they will last you about 5 years and the fit your ear exactly. Custom Protect Ear’s dB Life All Sport Earpiece and Headset is the rider who wants to listen to their digital music player or radio, All Sport™ is the ideal way to take your tunes on the road. All Sport™ is a headset that connects to your digital music player and is specially designed to work in the harsh environment bikers endure. Wind noise, bike rumble, and traffic sound compound to make listening to radio or music a challenge while riding. Learn More about the All Sport. 

Whatever option you choose – it is imperative you choose at least one. If you are unsure then we recommend you ask your friends what earplugs they use, and if you can try a pair of theirs: that’s the easiest, cheapest way to go about finding a good, comfortable pair of earplugs. If you want a longer term solution then check out Custom Protect Ears website to find a hearing solution for you and your lifestyle need.

Good luck everybody, and happy hearing!


SOURCE

https://www.rideapart.com/articles/355870/ear-plugs-protect-your-hearing/