🔊👂 Sound Science 101: Exploring the World of Decibels and NRR Ratings! 🎧

November 29, 2023

Sound is an integral part of our lives, and understanding how we measure it is crucial for our well-being. Let’s dive into the fascinating realm of decibels (dB) and Noise Reduction Ratings (NRR), uncovering how these measurements play a vital role in different aspects of our daily experiences.

NRR Sound

🔹 Decibels (dB):

  • Sound Level: Picture the serene ambiance of a library at 30 dB and contrast it with the booming energy of a rock concert hitting 110 dB. Decibels quantify sound intensity, offering us a scale to gauge the sonic landscapes around us.
  • Hearing Protection: In noisy workplaces, earmuffs equipped with a 25 dB noise reduction act as silent guardians, transforming a clamorous environment into a safe haven shielded by auditory armor. 🛡️

🔹 Noise Reduction Rating (NRR):

  • Earmuffs & Earplugs: Have you ever spotted those NRR ratings? Whether it’s earmuffs boasting an NRR of 28 dB or foam earplugs and personal hearing protectors with an NRR of 32 dB, these become your trusted allies in the realm of silence. 🎧
  • Occupational Safety: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets the safety benchmark at 90 dB over an 8-hour workday, ensuring workplaces remain conducive to well-being.

🔹 Hearing Damage:

  • Beware! Prolonged exposure to sounds surpassing 85 dB can result in permanent hearing damage. Protecting those precious ears becomes paramount!

🔹 Music & Entertainment:

  • Ever wondered how concert sound systems achieve that immersive experience? Sound engineers meticulously measure and control sound levels in decibels, letting you feel the music at an electrifying 120 dB. 🎵

These examples underscore the pivotal role of decibels and NRR ratings in comprehending and safeguarding our hearing in diverse scenarios. If you’re curious to explore more about Noise Reduction Ratings (NRR) and how they can be estimated, check out this insightful resource: NRR Estimation Systems

Stay tuned for a symphony of sound wisdom!


#SoundScience #NoiseReduction #ProtectYourEars #CustomProtectEar #ProtectEar #dBBlockers #NRR

Safety and Maintenance in the Automotive Industry

March 23, 2023

Workers in the automotive industry are exposed to various hazards such as noise, chemicals, sharp objects, and heat. Wearing appropriate protective gear and protection can help prevent injuries and ensure their safety.

One example of such protection is dB Blocker hearing protection.

There are several types of noise associated with the Automotive Industry such as impulsive noise, continuous noise, intermittent noise and low-frequency noise. Long-term exposure to all of these can result in permanent damage to the human ear.

CPE’s dB Blockers allow interpersonal and radio communication to be clearly exchanged while keeping your workers protected. Protect your shop workers today.

Contact us to get your shop fitted

hearing in the Automotive Industry

#automativeindustry #noise #workinnoise #hearingsafety #protectear #safety #communication

Westone Acquires North America’s Largest Custom-Fit Industrial Hearing Protection Manufacturer

March 12, 2019

For Immediate Release

Westone

 

 

 

 

 

Westone Laboratories
2235 Executive Circle
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
www.Westone.com

Westone Acquires North America’s Largest Custom-Fit Industrial Hearing Protection Manufacturer

Colorado Springs, CO – February 14, 2019 – In partnership with their principal investment group, HealthEdge Investment Partners, Westone Laboratories, Inc., a market leader in custom earpieces, high performance in-ear monitoring technology and hearing protection, announced it has closed on its acquisition of Custom Protect Ear, the largest custom-fit industrial hearing protection manufacturer in North America.

Zubin Meshginpoosh, President and Chief Commercial Officer of Westone shared, “We are delighted to join forces with Custom Protect Ear, the most trusted brand in custom-fit hearing protection used by hundreds of industrial clients across a wide variety of industries.”

Jeffrey Goldberg, Chairman, and CEO of Custom Protect Ear added, “Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is an epidemic in the workplace, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to eradicate it. This partnership with Westone allows us to expand our geographic reach, increase the pace of innovation and have a positive impact on more lives.”

Custom Protect Ear’s management team and operations will remain headquartered in Vancouver, BC with an operating subsidiary, ProtectEar USA, based in the United States.

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About Westone

Established in 1959, Westone Laboratories is celebrating 60 years of delivering custom earpieces that protect and enhance hearing, facilitate communication, and support hearing healthcare professionals. The largest manufacturer of custom earpieces in the world with both hearing healthcare and music specialists on our research, development and production teams, Westone is recognized as a leading innovator across the custom earplug, hearing protection, and music industries. Westone is a proud partner of the United States Military providing specially designed communication-enabled and hearing protection earpieces for service members and first-responders around the world. It is our people, our experience, and our products that truly make Westone “The In-Ear Experts®.” For more information, visit Westone.com or contact Jeff Ipson at (719) 540-9333.

About Custom Protect Ear

Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Custom Protect Ear was founded in 1976 and provides effective, verifiable, and noise level matched industrial hearing protection to over 4,500 corporate clients worldwide across a wide range of industries including distribution, manufacturing, machining, energy, packaging, public safety & security, transportation, and food. CPE is a certified and compliant ISO 9001 manufacturer that incorporates both traditional handcrafted manufacturing processes and leading-edge 3D printing technology. Known for their product quality and customer service, CPE utilizes a custom fitting process performed by highly trained technicians to personalize every protective earpiece to each user then backs it with a ‘FitRight Guarantee’ and industry-leading warranty program. For more information, visit ProtectEar.com

About HealthEdge Investment Partners

HealthEdge Investment Partners, LLC is an operating-oriented private equity firm founded in 2005 that focuses exclusively on the healthcare industry. HealthEdge seeks to achieve superior returns by investing in businesses that benefit from the knowledge, experience, and network of relationships of its partners. HealthEdge’s partners have more than 100 years of combined operating experience in healthcare as CEOs and investors. For more information on HealthEdge, please visit HealthEdgepartners.com or contact Elizabeth Breslin at (813) 490-7104.

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Noise Exposure Among Federal Wildland Fire Fighters

August 10, 2017

Noise Exposure Among Federal Wildland Fire Fighters

Posted on April 17, 2017 by George Broyles , LCDR Corey Butler, CAPT Chuck Kardous

Hearing loss is one of the most common work-related illnesses in the United States. NIOSH estimates that 22 million U.S. workers encounter noise exposures loud enough to be hazardous.  Wildland fire fighting (vs. urban/ structural fire fighting), aims to suppress grass, brush, or forest fires (see Figure 1).  Wildland fire fighting is considered a high-risk emergency response occupation requiring considerable physical and psychological demands. Wildland fire fighters often work 12 to more than 16 hours per shift for up to 14 consecutive days over a 3- to 9-month period [U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2008].

Figure 1. Wildland fire fighters during various fire suppression activities.

 

Wildland fire fighters often have extreme exposures to many physical agents and occupational hazards [Britton et al., 2013]. Similar to other high-risk occupations, research efforts and occupational safety and health programs have historically focused on identifying and preventing acute injuries and exposures, but less emphasis has been placed on research and prevention programs relating to chronic diseases or injuries such as occupational noise-induced hearing loss.

Although noise exposures and hearing loss among structural fire fighters have been well studied [Hong et al., 2008] and documented [National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 2013), wildland fire fighters have not received the same attention, nor have their noise exposures been empirically researched and studied. Wildland fire fighters may be repeatedly exposed to known sources of noise including chainsaws, aircraft, wood chippers, audio equipment, portable pumps and engine pumps, heavy equipment (e.g., bulldozers), and ambient noise from the wildfire itself.

In an effort to address noise exposures within this population, the United States Forest Service, Technology, and Development Program, in partnership with NIOSH, conducted a 3-year study to assess wildland fire fighters’ noise exposures during training and fire suppression tasks and to identify which jobs put these fire fighters at increased risk for NIHL. A recently published paper by USDA and NIOSH researchers on wildland fire fighters [Broyles et al., 2016] in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America reports on the initial results from the study, characterizes the most hazardous noise sources and job tasks based on personal dosimetry measurements, and provides specific and practical recommendations for protecting the hearing health of these fire fighters.

Noise exposure measurements were collected at 10 different fire locations during the 2014–2015 fire seasons. A total of 174 full-shift personal noise dosimetry measurements were conducted on 156 fire fighters in 14 different wildland fire fighting job categories. Overall, 85 of the 174 measurements were above the NIOSH maximum allowable daily dose.  Almost all masticator/chipper operators, pilots, pump operators, leaf blowers, sawyers and swampers, and bulldozer operators had TWAs that exceeded the NIOSH  recommended exposure level (REL) of 85 dBA (masticators/chippers TWAs reaching 105 dBA, sawyers and swampers TWAs reaching 106 dBA, and bulldozer operator TWAs reaching 112 dBA).  Fire fighters exposed to TWA of 105–106 dBA would exceed their maximum daily limit in just 4–5 minutes.  At 112 dBA, a bulldozer operator exceeded 100% noise dose in 56 seconds.  Bulldozer operators received the highest possible daily noise dose, some exceeding the OSHA maximum daily dose by 20-fold and the NIOSH maximum daily dose by 500-fold. It is interesting to note that four of the bulldozer operators had TWAs well below the NIOSH REL, most likely because they operated in a closed or environmental cabs which isolated the bulldozer operator from much of the noise generated from the heavy equipment.  Figure 2 contains the percentage of fire fighters’ personal dosimetry measurements that exceeded the NIOSH REL or the OSHA permissible exposure level (PEL) based on their specific activities or tasks.

Figure 2. Percentage of dosimetry samples exceeding the OSHA PEL and NIOSH REL per work category.

 

On the basis of these study results, wildland fire fighters may be considered at risk of noise-induced hearing loss. To prevent fire fighters from developing a hearing impairment, NIOSH recommends that all wildland fire fighters be enrolled in a hearing conservation program and that fire agencies establish and maintain fire service specific hearing loss prevention programs. In addition, the authors recommend additional studies to examine targeted approaches to mitigate risk among fire fighters with highest exposures.  See the full list of recommendations and read more about the noise exposures of wildland fire fighters in our recent paper: Noise exposure among federal wildland fire fighters.   If you are a wildland fire fighter or you work with wildland firefighters, please share your experiences with our readers.

George Broyles is a Fire and Fuels Project Leader with the Technology and Development Program, USDA Forest Service.

LCDR Corey Butler is an Occupational Safety and Health Specialist with the NIOSH Western States Division.

CAPT Chuck  Kardous is a senior research engineer with the NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology.

READ FULL ARTICLE 

 

5 things to consider when choosing a Hearing Protection Device Vendor

May 16, 2017

WHAT 5 THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A HEARING PROTECTION DEVICE VENDOR

Some of you may not know that when choosing a Hearing Protection Device (HPD) for your company, there is more than “a good product” to look for when selecting a hearing device for your workforce.

According to CCOHS & OHS-

People should wear a hearing protector if the noise or sound level at the workplace exceeds 85 decibels (A-weighted) or dB (A). Hearing protectors reduce the noise exposure level and the risk of hearing loss.

If hearing protection is required, then a complete Hearing Loss Prevention Program should be instituted. A Hearing Loss Prevention Program includes noise assessment, hearing protection selection, employee training and education, audiometric testing, maintenance, inspection, record keeping, and program evaluation.

The effectiveness of hearing protection is reduced greatly if the hearing protectors do not fit properly or if they are worn only part time during periods of noise exposure. To maintain their effectiveness, they should not be modified.

Remember, radio headsets are not substitutes for hearing protectors and should not be worn where hearing protectors are required to protect against exposure to noise.

When selecting a hearing protection provider, we have highlighted 5 elements to look for. This will directly impact during the process:

You should ask yourself of the following,

Does the Vendor:

  1. Meet the standard requirements?
  2. Highlight the quality of the product?
  3. Have Customer and After Sales service?
  4. Meet the comfort and wear requirements?
  5. Have a Warranty and Product Guarantee?

1. Standards and Requirements When Choosing HPD’s

USA Hearing Protection Standard

The standard most recognized in the US market is the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The Hearing Protection Standards outline noise safety steps when noise cannot be sufficiently reduced through engineering. The Current Standard is ANSI/S12.6-2016; Methods for Measuring the Real-Ear Attenuation of Hearing Protectors. This standard specifies laboratory-based procedures for measuring, analyzing, and reporting the passive noise-reducing capabilities of hearing protectors. More Standards found here.

Canadian Hearing Protection Standard

The Canadian Standard Association (CSA) standard on Hearing Protection is the CSA Z94.2 – Hearing Protection Devices legislation. This new version of the standard meshes more closely with US approaches, recognizing the reality of how closely our two economies are entwined and provides more guidance to health and safety professionals needing reliable information on how to select hearing protection. It should become the new standard for due diligence in selecting and using hearing protection in Canada.

The Measurement Standards includes the following criteria:

  • Attenuation – (difference of SLs (sensation levels)at the threshold with and without protectors)
  • Comfort – No standard as of yet
  • Insertion loss (not the same) ( the difference between levels inside and outside of the ATF-Acoustic Test Fixture).

More on Standards 

2. Quality of Product

When it comes to Hearing Protection Devices there are ample products out in the market that range from ear muffs,disposables to custom hearing protection. However, when it comes to quality it is important to look at two elements; 1. adequate protection and 2. communication safety. When it comes to hearing protection, not all devices are created equally.

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.

Knowing the fitting process helps determine the adequacy of the product. For Custom Protect Hearing, the fitting process usually takes about 10 minutes and typically begins with one of their highly trained and certified experts visiting the customer’s plant or workplace in order to do the fitting on-site.

To begin, the ear is inspected to make sure it is safe to take an impression.

Then an oto-dam is placed inside the ear to protect the eardrum. Impression material is prepared and carefully injected into the client’s ear (up to the depth of the oto-dam). The material hardens quickly, and moments later, the impression is gently removed. The impression creates an exact replica of the wearer’s ear canal and outer ear.

This ensures the custom hearing protector seals the ear both in the canal and around the ear.

And for interpersonal communication purposes, the proprietary frequency tuned filter allows communication without removing the HPD. People can communicate in noise more effectively while wearing their dB Blocker™ hearing protection, than if they were to remove them. Your Hearing Loss Prevention Program will not interfere with productivity, rather it will enhance it. This process uses a custom hearing device called the dB Blocker™.

3. Customer and After Service

When it comes to customer service – it is important to be able to speak with someone who can answer all your questions and eliminate roadblocks. Having a live person you can connect with is important to the HPD buying experience.  Besides going through the actual sales process some things you can check out on the company are:

  • What are their Corporate Values?
  • What is the process to handle Product Replacements and Returns?
  • Is there a 1-800 number you can call?
  • Are there forms you can fill out to order additional hpd’s on their website?

4. Comfort & Wear

It is always good to look for guarantees for Fit and Comfort.  When it comes todB Blocker

custom HPD’s, fit and comfort are crucial to the wearer’s experience. Is there any type of FIT Warranty that allows for the individual to ensure the earpiece fits and seals properly? A FIT Warranty (guaranteeing comfort and wear) is particularly important to a Hearing Loss Prevention Program as it is one of the things that ensures compliance and that the individual will wear the HPD, thereby decreasing any type of liability or workplace harm.

5. Warranty & Product Guarantee

Purchasing HPD’s are an investment in your employee’s health and safety, so it is important that you get the customer service and after care service with your investment. A few things to look for:

  1. How many years is the product warranted for?
  2. Generally, custom HPD’s have a 1-3 year material warranty from the date of manufacture. Does it cover any tearing, cracking, or splitting of one or both earpieces?
  3. The warranty claim process should be easy. Ideally, when dealing with a warranty issue – you should be able to call and deal with a real person who can walk you through the claim process.

By going through these 5 steps when selecting an HPD manufacturer, it will make your life easier, and remove any concerns when it comes to protecting your employees hearing.

To learn more about selecting an HPD vendor please contact us, and one of our representatives will be able to answer all of your questions. 

Does Your Law Enforcement or Emergency Response Job Expose You to Hearing Loss?

November 21, 2016

Law Enforcement or Emergency Response Job & Hearing Loss

Your job is to help and protect the community in which you live but does your Law Enforcement or Emergency Response job expose you to Hearing Loss? Are you the one who needs help and protection?

If you are in Law Enforcement, First Response teams of Police, Fire Fighting or Ambulance are you exposed to high levels of noise that can cause hearing damage? What steps can you and your governing authorities take to ensure your hearing is protected from on-the-job damaging sounds, sirens and high decibel sounds from weapons related devices?

Firefighters File Lawsuits about Hearing Loss Fire fighter and hearing loss

For more than a decade Firefighters have been filing lawsuits against an Illinois-based company that makes sirens. The claims have centered around the concerns that the company that makes sirens did not do enough to design the fire trucks in a way that would shield the Fire Fighters from sound blasts that reach 120 dB. Noise in the range of 120 dB would be equivalent to the noise from a jackhammer about 3 feet away and can cause pain and according to both OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) & NIOSH (The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) that level is outside of any time length of exposure for hearing safety. In other words, it is at a daily permissible noise level of 0 minutes!

Exposure to noise (Hearing Loss) from Weapons, support vehicles and equipment

What about Law Enforcement, Military, Security or Correctional Officer jobs? Not only are you exposed to noise from the sudden discharge of weapons related devices but you could also be exposed to noise from Helicopters, sirens from emergency support vehicles and equipment. A jet engine at 100 feet can emit 140dB of noise, a Military Jet Aircraft take-off from an aircraft carrier with afterburner at 50 feet can create 150dB of noise, a 12 Gauge Shotgun blast at close quarters can be as high as 165dB!

Military Jet

Personal (Custom) Hearing Protection Devices (HPD’s)

Most Governmental Workers exposed to noise are supplied HPD’s for use on the job. The importance of HPD’s is that they are the correct style of protection for the environment you will be in. You will need a different hearing protection device for the firing range where the focus will be on as much protection from noise as possible with less need for being able to hear commands or instructions. While on-the-job as a Law Enforcement Official in a situation where there is a strong possibility of weapons being fired, you would require a HPD that is instantly attenuated for gun fire but allows for certain necessary sounds to be heard such as interpersonal and radio communications or equipment.

Are you exposed to these high levels of noise on the job? Are you supplied and correctly using a personal hearing protection device that provides you the correct protection throughout your day? Have you been properly trained in its effective use?

Warning signs of hearing loss

Be aware of what the warning signs of hearing loss are. Understand that tinnitus or ringing in the ears may not be the sound of your background environment but may actually be the beginning signs temporary leading to permanent of hearing loss. Hearing loss due to damage is not reversible and in fact may lead to further damage as your loss of hearing may be causing you to turn up the volume of TV’s, music devices or phones. Recognize that hearing loss may also take the form of selective hearing loss of certain frequencies of sound. You may not hear high pitched sounds of a female or child’s voice but still be able to clearly hear the low pitched sound of a man speaking.

Take caution in your job and protect not only the public in your service oriented career but also take care to protect yourself and your valuable asset of hearing. Learn more.. 

What is 3D printing?

June 2, 2016

What is 3D printing?

We’ve all heard about 3D and understand the concept of 3 dimensional (3D) viewing but how does that translate into 3D printing?

3D printing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file (picture). The descriptive term for 3D printing is “Additive Manufacturing” which gives us a visual clue as to the process behind 3D printing. The object is actually created through a layering process utilizing specialized 3D scanners and 3D printers.

How does the 3D Printing Process work?

The first step is to create a virtual design or blueprint of the object you want to create. This can be created using a 3D modeling program in a CAD (Computer Aided Design) An existing object can be copied with the use of a 3D scanner. This technology is being used by many technology companies such as Microsoft and Google who have developing hardware to perform 3D scanning. Microsoft’s Kinect is an example of what the future may hold for smartphones and other hand-held devices having integrated 3D scanners. In the very near future this digitalization of real objects into 3D models will be performed as easily as taking a picture on your smart phone is now.

The 3D printing software “slices” the final model into hundreds or even thousands of layers several microns thick in preparation for printing

The second step to the process is sending the finished design to the 3D Printer where the received data is now recreated by bonding very thin layers of resin together into a finished object. There are several different methods and materials used in 3D printing depending upon the object needeDigital Printing d to be manufactured but the one similarity is the use of a layering process.[1]

Depending upon your desired finished product there are several options or types of 3D printing. Some involve heating and solidifying granular material by laser technology with each slice in the needed pattern. This is repeated over and over again with each patterned layer bonding to the previous layer as it cools. Other 3D printers will spool out or deposit material much like an automated glue gun while others use UV light to cure layers of resin.

How does Custom Protect Ear (CPE) utilize this 3D Technology to help your ears?

CPE is using this “cutting edge” technology (literally!) to compliment their existing high quality custom hearing protection.

The digital 3D printing technology used by CPE creates an accurate and precise Hearing Protection Device (HPD). CPE utilizes DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology (the most precise in the market) through the EnvisionTEC ULTRA® 2 printer.  The technology provides benefits both to the wearer and to the product development process:

  • Quality in consistency during HPD modeling means accuracy and precision
  • Quality Control during product implementation ensures proper fit for the wearer
  • New designs can now be updated and printed in real time, improving implementation of new design developments.

The DLP technology allows for the ability to add more product features in ways which were not always possible before. For example, CPE can place an employee number or serial number of any size anywhere on the HPD, unlike being limited to the outer surface with traditional technology.

The traditional method of producing ear moulds includes manual physical cutting and grinding of the ear impressions to shape them close to the shape of the finished product. Plaster moulds are then created based on these impressions, and silicone is placed into the prepared moulds.

The final quality performance check (ensuring the HPD is accurate and precise) is completed when the original impression and the new 3D model are overlayed on screen Following this, the moulds are printed in the digital 3D printer. The final HPD is obtained by pouring silicone material into the mould.

The 3D Approach

3D Printing digital moulds

CPE has been using this new 3D approach for almost 3.5 years integrating it with their already custom design method of producing ear moulds for dB Blockers, dB Com and dB Life products. The ability to create complex objects is revolutionizing the manufacturing industry and improving quality and consistency in products produced using this 3D technology.

JUST MORE PROOF THAT CPE IS COMMITTED TO THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH ONGOING RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY IN THEIR BEST PRACTICES.

~ by Howard Raphael 
CEO Custom Protect Ear

 

[1] http://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/

 

2016 Tradeshows

January 24, 2016

2016 Tradeshows Attended by CPE in Canada

Come out and see CPE in your local area. In 2016 we will be attending the following trade shows in Canada.

Come check out our latest products and hearing protection technology. For more information about our attendance at trade shows please email us at hear@protectear.com
Feb 1-2, 2016 
2016 Industrial Safety Seminar
Saskatoon, SK
Booth #77

About the Safety Seminar

Every year Saskatchewan’s Premier Safety event brings together hundreds of safety professionals from across North America to see the latest products, services, and information in over 100 safety and related display booths from organizations from across North America.

The 43rd Annual Industrial Safety Seminar will take place on February 1, 2, and 3, 2016 at Prairieland Exhibition Park, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. CPE Seminar will be conducted by Andy Caswell
April 11-12, 2016 Vancouver
2016 Western Conference on Safety
Hyatt Regency
Booth #35

About The 2016 Western Conference on Safety

Welcome to the 21st Annual Western Conference on Safety, Western Canada’s largest occupational health and safety event. Each year, members of the conference steering committee search throughout North America seeking out the best topics and speakers and bringing them to the Western Conference on Safety.

Last year was a great success and was the 12th year hosting the conference at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver with more than 1150 people coming out to participate.

The conference includes a blend of seminars airmed at everyone from the new safety committee member to the most experienced safety professional. With over 20 sessions, keynote presentations and an 80 booth tradeshow this conference has something for everyone.

Apr 17-19, Halifax, NS
Workplace Health & Safety Conference
Booth #407

The Human Element of Safety  

Sessions offer something for all safety professionals, from the safety committee member to the shop floor and warehouse worker.

Apr 26-27, 2016 – Mississauga, ON
PARTNERS IN PREVENTION 2016
Health & Safety Conference & Trade Show
Booth #713

What people say about the PIP Show

I have attended this conference both as a delegate and a presenter and have always found this conference to be top-notch in terms of the planning, venue, quality of the key note speakers and the multitude of topics covered. I would highly recommend that anyone with a vested interest in health and safety attend this conference. ~ Steve Hinds, Senior H&S Specialist, ArcelorMittal Dofasco

Manufacturers profitably reduce hearing loss risk, ensuring compliance

November 9, 2015

The hearing loss prevention trifecta: Fit, Comfort, and Communication while wearing

To tackle the severe occupational hearing loss problem in manufacturing, a new generation of occupational hearing protection has been designed with custom fit, comfort and ability to communicate while wearing.

“Most people wear disposable foam earplugs incorrectly, which limits their effectiveness,” says John Franks, PhD, a former NIOSH Hearing Loss Prevention Section Chief.

“Each foam earplug is supposed to be rolled tightly, put deep in your ear canal, then held in place with your index finger until it fully expands and you can just see the outer edge. Instead, most people leave them hanging out of their ears.”

Protect Ear

Custom Protect Ear (www.protectear.com), custom molds its dB Blockers product line to each worker’s ear. The safety Manager protectearcompany’s representatives take impressions of each worker’s ear canal and outer ear and train workers on how to ensure proper fit. Greater comfort addresses the problem facing health and safety managers of getting people to wear hearing protection and policing their use. A filter and vent in the db Blockers can make speech more understandable by reducing attenuation at higher speech frequencies.

Custom Protect Ear connects incoming radio audio to the outside of the db Blocker so the device’s filter reduces dB volume and the worker does not have to remove the hearing protector during his or her shift.

For more info, call Protect Ear USA toll-free at 1-800-520-0220 ext. 323;

Email: hearus@protectear.com; or visit www.protectear.com/us.

In Canada, call Custom Protect Ear toll-free at 1-800-520-0220 ext 321; Fax: 604-599-7377;

Email: hear@protectear.com; or visit www.protectear.com.

Hearing Loss in the Mining Industry

November 27, 2012

The most common occupational illness for miners is hearing loss. Immediately noise levels come to mind – the large drilling machines, close proximity to loud machines and the reverberation off the walls of the mine. According to NIOSH and the CDC, by age 60, 75% of miners have a hearing impairment due to exposure to noise jumping castle.
Hearing Protection for Miners in the Mining Industry
Hearing loss is 100% preventable and unfortunately, once it occurs, there is no cure. You may not even notice that the damage has occurred right away, because it causes no pain and the damage is not visible.

If you are a miner and have loss of hearing, you may experience these symptoms:

• Difficulty hearing warning signals
• Difficulty hearing what someone is saying
• Accidents
• Ringing or buzzing in your ears
• After you leave a noisy area, your hearing may seem dull or muffled
• Headaches
• Tiredness
• Stress

Miners Can Protect Their Hearing with Custom Ear Plugs

Do not wait to experience any of these symptoms before you protect your ears with hearing protection. Custom Protect Ear dB Blockers™ custom fit earplugs are more comfortable and offer superior hearing protection to any disposable earplug. However, did you know that they are more cost effective as well?

You can reduce your hearing protection costs by 60% over five years when an entire facility is fit.
dB Blockers™ are more comfortable because there is only one way for them to fit and they made for each individual. They also make it easy for workers to communicate with each other because of our proprietary tuned filter that allows users to hear better with the plugs in than if they take them out.

Our product is safer for miners because it allows them to hear. Hear warning signals, hear backup alarms, and hear the roof. Our dB Blockers™ are made from a non-flammable, hypoallergenic silicon blend (called SkinSoft™) unlike disposable earplugs, which are flammable and make users prone to ear infections. Disposable foam earplugs also swell when they come in contact with water or perspiration.
We urge you to consider Custom Protect Ear dB Blockers for your mine for a product that can be worn for an entire shift because if you can’t hear, it’s not clear.