Types ofhearingprotectionPPE

HearingprotectionPPEdefinition

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which type ofhearing ppeblocks out noise by completely covering the outer ear?

When hearing protective devices are properly fitted, the sound of your own voice should change, becoming deeper, hollow, or muffled. If you don’t hear the change, or if it isn’t the same in both ears, you haven’t obtained a proper fit and acoustic seal in either one or both ears.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is vital to maintain the health of swine farm workers who are continuously exposed to loud noises. It is the farm ownership’s responsibility to provide PPE to these farm workers, and to ensure that all people on the farm are effectively trained in PPE use and compliance. The objective of this article is to identify the tasks on the farm that require hearing protective devices, and to describe the kinds of PPE available for swine farm workers.

Achutan C., and R.L. Tubbs. 2007. A task-based assessment of noise levels at a swine confinement. Journal of Agromedicine. 12(2):55-65. doi:10.1300/J096v12n02_07

The best hearing protection is obtained by wearing earplugs and earmuffs together. It generally takes 10 days to get used to hearing protection, just as it takes a while to get used to a pair of new shoes. Improperly worn hearing protection devices may not reduce noise levels. Hearing aids are NOT hearing protectors. Persons with normal hearing always can detect some sound while wearing hearing protection devices.

HearingprotectionPPEstandards

There are three main types of hearing protective devises that help reduce the risk of ear harm in a farm operation: Foam ear plugs, earmuffs, and semi-aural devices (also called canal caps).

Humann, M.J., K.J. Donham, M.L. Jones, C. Achutan, and B.J. Smith. 2005. Occupational noise exposure assessment in intensive swine farrowing systems: Dosimetry, octave band, and specific task analysis. Journal of Agromedicine. 10(1):23-37. doi: 10.1300/J096v10n01_04

Several tasks on the swine farm produce noises at volumes that can be detrimental to human hearing. It is the farm’s responsibility to provide hearing protective devices to farm workers to maintain their hearing health. Further, it is the farm’s responsibility to ensure that all farm workers are trained to use hearing devices correctly. The best hearing protection comes from using earplugs and earmuffs together, yet hearing protection is a personal choice and is influenced by noise level, comfort, and the compatibility for both the worker and the environment. Accordingly, the best hearing protective device is the one that farm workers use consistently and correctly. To that end, offering multiple hearing PPE choices to farm workers provides the best protection of hearing health.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), noise exposure is detrimental to hearing health when exceeding 85 decibels (dB) for long periods. Several tasks on the swine farm exceed this OSHA-defined threshold, including heat checking, piglet processing, snout snaring, power washing, and feed milling (Humann et al., 2005; Achutan and Tubbs, 2007). Workers who regularly engage in these tasks would benefit from farm participation in a Hearing Conservation Program (as defined by OSHA Standard 1910.95). The Hearing Conservation Program encompasses workplace and worker monitoring, and farm provision of regular audiometric testing, hearing protection, and training materials to workers at no cost.

Ear protectionPPEuses

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Occupational noise exposure: Standard number 1910.95. Available at: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.95. Accessed 8 June 2023.

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