ProtectEar USA

December 3, 2012

Custom Protect Ear is now associated with ProtectEar USA

November 25. 2012, Surrey BC, Canada.
Custom Protect Ear (CPE) would like to inform all of our respected readers and customers that we, Custom Protect Ear, is associating with ProtectEar USA to further our position in the U.S. market.

Through this association Custom Protect Ear and ProtectEar USA will be better positioned to serve their US clients. This association will NOT change the dB Blocker or dB Com pricing structure or the existing sales representative(s) – everything will remain as is.

For Custom Protect Ear Customers

The ProtectEar USA and Custom Protect Ear partnership will affect the accounting departments accounts payable process. To ensure there is no confusion we have sent the accounting department and the operations department a letter indicating the payment process changes. We value all of our customers’ business is at ProtectEar USA and Custom Protect Ear.

If you have any questions or need to other arrangements please contact us at 1-800-520-0220 ext 306 or click here for contact information.

Staff Appreciation day!

August 2, 2012

Custom Protect Ear appreciates your hard work!

Another year has passed and Custom Protect Ear remains to be the leader in hearing conservation.

Today, August 3, 2012 – The Custom Protect Ear Office will be closed from 9am – 2pm to recognized the team and the people who have contributed to CPE’s success in making the Smartest Hearing Protection in the World. We want you to know that no hard work goes unrecognized and we will continue to appreciate and encourage you to to the work you are doing. So today everyone pat yourselves on the back and enjoy the festivities…

Custom Protect Ear.

Custom Protect Ear announcement

Today is the Staff Appreciation day at Custom Protect Ear so the office will be shut down between 9:15 am to 2:00 pm. CPE will take the time to appreciate the amazing team that helps professionals, individuals and companies protect their hearing and educate them on hearing conservation. A special thank you to the Custom Protect Ear team!

Cost of ‘Do It Yourself Travel’.

June 11, 2012

Cost of Noise? Or Cost of Travel

“Normally I don’t use this blog for personal issue BUT recently I had an experience that has caused me to want to cross that line.”

I was recently at the American Society of Safety Engineers Conference (ASSE) which coincided with the National Hearing Conservation Association annual executive council meeting – a whole lot of hearing conservation in Denver this week (shh).

The conference was well attended and Custom Protect Ear was busy. In the trade show we were inundated with companies that had challenges in their hearing conservation programs asking if we could help them. If someone asked us what Denver looks like our answer would have to be 16th Street? Why? Because we spent every evening dining and walking on 16th street; a delightful mix of shops, restaurants, with free bus service running the 1/2 mile of the street.

OK enough of the travelogue. What has cause me to personalize this, is my attempt to return home, back to Vancouver BC. Stories about airline travel and what has happened to it are legend. Most of us who fly harken back to the “good old days” when flying was somewhat pleasant. I’m not sure we recognized that those were the good days back then, but with hindsight, they were certainly better. This march toward airline efficiency has delegated the process of flying to the individual and the public. We are encouraged to be our own travel agents using Expedia, Travelocity, Kayak, Orbitz, Priceline, Hotwire and others. The pricing for hotel rooms, airline seats, tours all are subject to extreme variability. We can buy or own seats directly from the airline, book our hotel rooms directly from the hotel, and even look for our luggage on line.

Before I make my point, a word of qualification. I love computers and computing. I have been computer semi literate since 1984 when I bought my first Texas Instruments P.C. I’ve travelled with a computer since Toshiba launched the 1100 dual disk drive portable. All of this is by way of saying I’m not afraid of computing. That said, I think all of us should immediately stop booking our own travel and return to using professionals. Firstly they need the work. More importantly, the airlines have made the process of booking travel a minefield of potential hurt. Let me give you an example of what happened to me just last night.

The Experience

Eager to book in for my flight today, I went online to United Airlines website,as I have done many times before. I advised United that, yes I would be flying from Denver to Vancouver and no, I wouldn’t check any bags. Yes I’d like to see where I’m seated, as I have a preference to carry my luggage on the plane therefore, picking the right seat in advance allows me exit the plane as soon as possible. I often prefer to sit forward so it’s easy to exit the vessel. On United getting a forward seat is known as “Economy Plus”. United charges an additional fee for a “Plus” seat, which at the time was worth it to me. But that’s where the trouble started. In my ‘seat changing option’, the United online system offered me some alternative flight choices (I was curious and thought, why not ). My meeting was ending at noon so an earlier departure could have been worthwhile.

Here is the process I went through online:

Click. 3 choices, 2 obviously requiring a stop enroute and a 3rd looking like it went straight to Vancouver. $75 dollar to change but getting home earlier is worth it.
Click. Now to select a seat; this is where the wheels start to come off. The direct flight to Vancouver is actually 2 segments stopping in San Francisco. Well maybe that’s not so bad, let’s select a seat. The same seat wasn’t available on that flight, requiring me to move seats in SFO. All of this led me to regret changing flights. But wait, THERE’S NO UNDO. You cannot undo the changes you make without calling a person. OK, I can do that. A call to United Airlines was less than fruitful and here’s how it went

Here is the process I went through on the phone:

Me: Hi there can you change my flight back to what I had originally booked with the upgrade, and get a refund on the seat change?
United Airlines Operator: Yes we can change you back to your original flight. However we cannot refund the fee for changing flights. And No we cannot apply the original ‘upgrade fee’ for an upgrade on this flight. Sir, you would have to pay for an additional upgrade and then claim a refund from United for the ‘original’ upgrade you had already paid for.

So all in all I had to take the same flight I was booked on originally and I had to pay an additional $114 because I tried to be my own travel agent. So my advice, and as I say in my everyday business, let the people who are trained and specialized in their field to ‘do the work’. Ironically, my trip was about helping professionals fight against the ‘cost of noise’, and here in this blog I am fighting against the cost of ‘do-it-yourself travel’. The airlines are too clever and luring you into things you’ll pay for and not benefit from. And don’t even get me started on buying this “meals” on board….

NAOSH WEEK: Safety & Health

May 8, 2012

Custom Protect Ear’s contribution to NAOSH WEEK: Safety & Health

“If I told you it was NAOSH week, would you

– Find a NAOSH and hug them.
– Send money to the save the NAOSH Fund
– Demand a public inquiry into why NAOSH aren’t fairly treated.”

What is NAOSH Week

NAOSH, North American Occupational Safety and Health Week is a continent wide event focusing attention on workplace health and safety and involving USA, Canada, and Mexico. Many companies in participate in NAOSH week by bringing in speakers to discuss workplace safety, set up awareness campaigns with posters and contests, host a public symposium on health and safety issues in the community, work with a local businesses etc. Click here to see more NAOSH events.

The purpose of the event is to highlight public, government and industry importance of increasing knowledge, raising awareness and reducing injuries and illness in the workplace, home and community. NAOSH Week is led by Threads of Life, in concert with the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and partners in Mexico, the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE) in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), and

Custom Protect Ear’s involvement to NAOSH WEEK

Custom Protect Ear (CPE), also a member of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), is North America’s largest personalized industrial hearing protector manufacturer, making hearing conservation is their only business. Custom Protect Ear serves over 4,500 companies and businesses around the globe. Their ISO certified Technicians do custom on-site fittings at their industrial sites. CPE’s mission is to be known as the “hearing conservation specialists” promoting hearing protection and hearing conservation in the workplace, community and at home.

The goal of the North American Occupational Safety & Health (NAOSH) Week is to focus the attention of employers, employees, the general public and all partners in occupational safety and health on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace, at home and in the community.

CPE will contribute to the awareness campaign on occupational safety and health by striving to:

1. Increase understanding of the benefits of investment in implementing hearing conservation programs in the workplace.

2. Raise awareness of the long term effects that hearing loss can have on an individual during their time in a noise exposed environment.

3. Educate and raise awareness to the health and safety professionals about the types of programs available to their facility when it comes to hearing protection.

During NAOSH week Custom Protect Ear will continue to provide information and expertise on how to prevent “noise induced hearing loss” (NIHL), and how to implement hearing conservation programs in the workplace. To learn more please visit their blog (www.protectear.com/blog) and follow their social community: Twitter/protectear & Facebook/hearingprotection.

About North American Occupational Safety and Health Week

North American Occupational Safety and Health Week – was first launched in June 1997, marked by an agreement between Canada, the United States and Mexico. NAOSH Week presents an excellent opportunity to focus, reinforce and strengthen commitment to occupational safety and health.

Participation and involvement in NAOSH Week has been shown to:

– improve attitudes towards safety
– increase understanding of the importance of occupational health & safety
– foster a safety-minded culture
– increase cooperation
– raise awareness
– assist in team building, and improve communication between employees, safety committees and safety professionals.

Partners in Prevention 2012: Canada’s Largest Health & Safety Event

April 30, 2012

Press Release – (May 1 – 2, 2012)

Mississauga, March 27, 2012 — Partners in Prevention 2012 Health & Safety Conference & Trade Show — the flagship event of the Health & Safety Ontario conference series — will welcome over 4,500 health and safety professionals, peers, industry experts and solution providers from across Canada to the Mississauga International Centre May 1 – 2 , 2012, for two-days of learning, sharing and networking in aim of preventing workplace injuries, illness and fatalities.

“Rapid changes in workplaces, our economy and workforce require all workplace parties and leaders to continuously engage in conversations supported by evidence and expertise. Tragedies are preventable and remind all Ontarians to act, lead and engage in prevention,” says Elizabeth Mills, President & CEO of Workplace Safety & Prevention Services. “Partners in Prevention is a catalyst for change. This event brings together business leaders, employers, workers, researchers, educators, and solution providers and affords them deeper understanding and an increased ability to strengthen their workplace health and safety programs.”

60+ sessions, workshops and courses
Partners in Prevention 2012 offers over 60 interactive sessions, workshops and professional development courses focused on providing health and safety best practices, compliance advice and business solutions relevant to all industry sectors. Conference content will have a strong focus on the four leading hazards affecting Ontario workplaces: motor vehicle incidents; strains and sprains; falls; and contact with machinery.

Provocative conversations with today’s leaders

Executives recognized for their organizations’ commitment to health and safety, will answer tough questions during a special, half-day session entitled View from the Top – Provocative Conversations with Today’s Leaders. Moderated by Amanda Lang, Senior Business Correspondent with CBC News, this panel will speak candidly about their investment in health and safety and their resulting achievements of sustainability and profitability. CEO panelists include Michelle DiEmanuele, Credit Valley Hospital and Trillium Health Centre; Stewart Hardacre, Habitat for Humanity Canada; Dean Johnson, Sodexo Canada Limited; and Senior Vice President, Energy Sector Siemens Canada Limited, Bill Smith. This session draws high attendance from delegates eager to learn from health and safety leaders.

Three inspiring keynotes

On Tuesday, May 1, John Furlong, CEO Vancouver 2010 Olympics Organizing Committee opens the conference with his presentation, Living Leadership; the story of how he built a resilient and supportive, people-led team culture for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee. On Wednesday, May 2, Tod Maffin, Digital Technology & Marketing Guru and once founder and CEO of a multi-million dollar technology firm, shares his personal experience of depression and addiction and his struggle to hide it from employers, colleagues, family and friends. Later that day, Michael Kerr, Motivational Speaker, Business Trainer and Humour in the Workplace Expertpresents Inspiring Workplaces — The Way Work OUGHT To Be! — an engaging discussion about how to create healthier, happier and more productive work environments.

Two trade shows and 400 exhibitors under one roof

Partners in Prevention 2012 is once again co-locating with CANECT — the Canadian Environmental Conference & Trade Show — to offer attendees access to over 400 exhibitors from across the world. Attendees can investigate the latest products and services, ask individualized questions, build contacts with leading health and safety solution providers and participate in a number of interactive trade show presentations and booths.

Registration for Partners in Prevention 2012 is now open. Registration details, media accreditation instructions and additional conference and trade show information can be found on theconference website.

Health & Safety Ontario (HSO) is the result of a bold move to reorganize the independent efforts of 12 health and safety associations into four streamlined organizations to better serve more than 236,000. HSO is comprised of Infrastructure Health & Safety Association, Public Services Health & Safety Association, Workplace Safety North, and Workplace Safety & Prevention Services. Together HSO provides health and safety solutions to employers so that they can reduce and eliminate workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths.

– 30 –

For more information, contact:

Meagan Wadeson
Communications Specialist
Workplace Safety & Prevention Services
1-877-494-9777, ext. 2233
meagan.wadeson@wsps.ca

Shane McKenna
Communications Specialist
Workplace Safety & Prevention Services
1-877-494-9777, ext. 2247
shane.mckenna@wsps.ca

Sudden Hearing Loss – First National Guidelines Published

April 5, 2012

Sudden Hearing Loss Research

The first national treatment guideline for sudden hearing loss has been developed by a panel of 19 medical experts led by Robert J. Stachler, M.D., an otolaryngologist in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. Sudden hearing loss is a condition which sends thousands of individuals in the United States to the emergency room each year. The guideline was published this month in the Journal of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Dr. Stachler, said:

“In most cases, patients will have multiple visits with several physicians and undergo extensive testing before a diagnosis is made. There’s also been a lack of one or more uniformly accepted treatments, or a consensus on how to counsel patients who do fully recover their hearing. By focusing on opportunities for quality improvement, the guideline should improve diagnosis, reduce unnecessary tests and imaging procedures, and improve hearing for patients affected by sudden hearing loss.”

The team of experts developed the guideline after examining the literature and reaching a consensus for patient diagnosis, management and follow-up care. The panel included Christopher A. Lewandowski, M.D., a physician in emergency medicine, and Henry Ford’s Kathleen L. Yaremchuk, M.D., chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Sudden Hearing Loss

Sudden hearing loss is a rapid loss of hearing in one or both ears which can happen to an individual all at once or over a period of up to 3 days. Usually, patients report that their ear feels full or blocked. Dr. Stachler notes that as symptoms of sudden hearing loss are so prevalent and non-specific, evaluation and treatment are often delayed in several cases. Sudden hearing loss can be caused by a range of issues, such as infectious diseases, induced hearing loss, head trauma, noise induced hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, and circulatory problems.

The new guideline, which is intended for all clinicians who see patients aged 18+, includes:

> Information for patients regarding the benefits and risks of medical intervention
> Recommendations to assist clinicians in determining whether a patient with sudden hearing loss is suffering from conductive hearing loss or from sensorineural hearing loss. Although both are common causes of hearing loss, they have extremely different treatment strategies.
> Recommendations advising clinicians to not order computerized tomography (CT) of the head/brain as part of the initial patient assessment.
> A range of amplification and hearing assistive technology available to those patients with incomplete recovery of hearing.

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), a subset of sudden hearing loss is also covered in the guideline. Each year in the United States approximately 4,000 new cases of SSNHL are reported. Even though the majority of patients recovery completely without the need for medical intervention, roughly 15% of patients with SSNHL experience progressive hearing loss over time.

> The guideline is published as a supplement to Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and is available here.

> To learn more about the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Henry Ford, click here.

2012 Indiana Safety and Health Conference & Expo: Come see us!

March 11, 2012

This years 2012 Indiana Safety and Health Conference & Expo includes diverse educational tracks, national speakers and the most current safety and health industry information will be highlighted at the Conference, March 12-14, 2012: 7:00AM – 5:00PM, being held at the Indianapolis Marriott East. Indy Car driver Davey Hamilton and Mike King, voice of the IMS Radio Network, will set the pace for a great conference!

About the 2012 Indiana Safety and Health Conference & Expo

The three-day event draws over 70 exhibitors and offers more than 50 courses with a variety of education tracks. Among them: construction safety; occupational health, industrial hygiene; worker’s compensation and ergonomic safety; safety management practices; and safety fundamentals. Course information is designed to benefit safety managers/directors, industrial hygienists, contractors, plant managers, safety engineers, human resources managers, maintenance supervisors and other related personnel.

For more information on this event click here:

Join Custom Protect Ear at the 2012 Indiana Safety and Health Conference & Expo on March 12-14, 2012 at the Indianapolis Marriott East.

Who Should Attend:
•   Safety Managers/Directors
•   Industrial Hygienists
•   Occupational Health Nurses or Practitioners
•   Contractors
•   Construction Managers
•   Safety Committee Members
•   Safety Consultants
•   Plant Managers
•   Loss Control/Risk Managers
•   Facility Building Managers
•   Safety Engineers
•   Maintenance Supervisors
•   Personnel and HR Managers

Here’s what people had to say about the Indiana Safety & Health Expo and Conference:

“I really enjoyed the conference. I can’t wait to get back to work and put some of the things I’ve learned to practice.” – Craig Koenig, Koch Development (Holiday World)

“I had a great time meeting other peers and sharing ideas! I gained beneficial knowledge I can take back to my employees. And the participating vendors were great assets regarding the latest products and technology available to improve safety for each of our industries.” – Tim Roberts, Farbest Foods, Inc.

“This conference was very good, and I would attend again. It provided a lot of information I can use in daily work functions.” – Cristine McKinley, Caterpillar

“I loved the expo. There was a huge variety of vendors. I learned a lot in the sessions.” – Dawn Query, Crown Equipment

“I’m very pleased with the top notch speakers and quality of safety information. I’m pleased with the information to take back to our company and share with our employees.” – Karmen L. Glaspy, Corporate Safety and Training Manager, Syndicate Sales, Inc.

“The seminars were among the best I had ever seen or sat through!” – Debbie Peetz, Acuity Brands Lighting
“This conference is very informative and a great opportunity to meet with other safety professionals.” – Wayne Orcutt, INDOT

Here is a preview from 2010.

Custom Protect Ear will be at the Cascade Occupational Safety & Health Conference

March 5, 2012

Custom Protect Ear will be attending two-day conference March 6-7, 2012, in Eugene that will showcase the latest workplace safety and health information.Workers and employers are also invited to attend.

About the Cascade Occupational Safety & Health Conference

The Department of Consumer and Business Services, Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) is one of several partners presenting the Cascade Occupational Safety and Health Conference at Eugene’s Valley River Inn, located at 1000 Valley River Way. The event is built around the theme, “By choice, not chance – don’t gamble with safety,” and will highlight training to improve on-the-job safety performance.

On March 6, keynote speaker Todd Conklin will present, “Preventing Human Errors: What’s Stopping Us!” – a look at what’s behind human performance and why the perception of human error needs to change. Conklin is a senior adviser to the associate director at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and earned excellent reviews following a presentation at the Pendleton safety conference in 2011. Attendees remarked, “One of the best speakers I’ve ever heard” and “thought provoking.”

Conference attendees can also take advantage of a networking session and workshops focused on hazard identification, safety leadership, and risk management theory and best practices.

About the Oregon OSHA

We’re dedicated to improving workplace safety and health in Oregon and committed to working with labor, business, and other government agencies to accomplish that goal. We do that in the following ways.

We hope to see you there! ~ Custom Protect Ear

Inspiring Letter to Santa

December 19, 2011

I was recently browsing the web for Christmas gifts & promotions and came across a letter to Santa: “What I Would Like to Hear This Christmas”. The letter captured my attention, because so many of us fail to ask for health and happiness because we are consumed with the next shiny IPad or a COACH handbag, yes I am guilty of this too 🙂

Here’s a glimpse of the letter:

“Dear Santa,

How are you? I’m sure you’re busy and this is a long letter, so I’ll get to the point.
I have hearing loss, which causes a few issues at this time of year, as you can imagine. Well, maybe you can’t imagine, because you don’t have hearing loss. So, let me tell you about my challenges and why I’m asking for your help again.
Santa, at this time of year, it’s hard to hear. The holidays are noisy with all the festivity, parties, concerts, music and crowds of people. People get excited, making them louder and harder to understand. I have to work harder to hear and understand., This really stresses me out in a season that’s already emotional.

I want more from the holidays than just great turkey and looking my best sparkly-glam self. I want to ‘hear’ more; I want to get rid of those barriers that can leave people like me –– out in the cold.”
Read entire Letter

It’s stories like these that put things into perspective regarding the value of our health. We once used to chant, “ All I want for Christmas in my two front teeth”, but now we ask for much more than that. Many people with hearing loss face stress, anxiety, isolation, and most likely live in denial. This is why it is important that people educate themselves about hearing loss prevention. It has to start somewhere – the world is a noisy place.

So in a nutshell, this Holiday Season, be aware of noisy festivity, parties, concerts, music and crowds of people; be cognoscente and protect your hearing.

A message from Custom Protect Ear:

“Our wish for everyone is that 2012 is the first year that you will try to maintain ALL of your body parts in working order including your ears. When you begin your January exercise routine, exercise restraint and take precautions with your hearing.

“Let’s make it the year of hearing famously”

Happy Holidays

Connect PhoneBuddy™ to your dB Blockers.

November 18, 2011

Product Release

Surrey British Columbia, November 14th, 2011. Custom Protect Ear launches the The PhoneBuddy™, headphones that are compatible to dB Blockers and work with many Smartphones. The headphones, “The PhoneBuddy™” are available in two versions; the single and the dual.

PhoneBuddy™ I is a single version headphone for monaural use (phone calls and to just hear the phone ring in noise). The unit works with virtually any smart phone and has an inline microphone and flash button for answering the call and hanging up.

“A BIG PLUS is you can connect your PhoneBuddy™ into your dB Blocker Convertible vented protector and hear the phone ring in noise. You still have to move to quieter places to have a conversation but you won’t miss the call, says Custom Protect Ear’s President, Jeffery Goldberg.

PhoneBuddy™ II

PhoneBuddy™ II is the stereo version. With PhoneBuddy™ II you can listen to music and answer your phone calls on most Smartphones. It also has an in-line microphone with a flash switch. When a call comes in, the phone will ring in the earpiece and the user simply switches online pokies to the phone by pressing the flash switch. When the call concludes, the user presses the flash switch again and the music resumes playing.

What makes PhoneBuddy unique is the sound quality and the ability to use it with more than one Smartphone. PhoneBuddy™ II also connects to dB Blocker Convertible vented protectors for use in a noisy work environment. PhoneBuddy™ I sells for $69.00 retail with discounts for commercial users. PhoneBuddy™ II sells for $125.00 retail also with discounts for commercial users.

Please contact us for more details.

Custom Protect Ear
681-7789 134th Street
Surrey, BC V3W 9E9
Canada
Phone: 604-599-1311 x321
Toll-free: 1-800-520-0220 x321
Fax: 604-599-7377
Email: hear@protectear.com