Hearing Protection


Stone Countertop Manufacturer Cited for Silica Exposure

An inspection found that the Atlanta-based company also failed to fully implement a hearing conservation program and did not have an established written hazard communication program on exposure to hazardous substances. Proposed fines exceed $135,000.

Printer Fined Nearly $160K for Not Providing PPE, Other Violations

Among other charges, the company faces citations for six willful violations that address its failure to provide adequate energy control procedures and a hearing conservation program.

Tips to Protecting Hearing from Holiday Electronics

Parents and children giving or receiving an electronic device with music this holiday season should give their ears a gift as well by pre-setting the maximum decibel level to somewhere between one-half and two-thirds maximum volume.

This is the type of NRR label currently used on hearing protectors.

NHCA Agrees More Time Needed to Retest Hearing Protectors

The National Hearing Conservation Association's comments on the EPA proposal recommend simpler labels, 42 months to retest and relabel protectors, and requiring a statement on the labels saying individual quantitative fit testing is the only way to estimate a user's attenuation.

A+A 2009 Equals 2007's Attendance

"For the companies, they have to be at this show if they want to be in the market," said Birgit Horn, A+A 2009 director.

An image of people at A+A Messe Dusseldorf.

Huge Crowds Fill A+A's Halls

Attendees from around the world are filling some of the lavish booths occupied by the largest PPE companies, including the Uvex unit of Sperian Protection, Honeywell Safety Products, MSA, Ansell, and more.

NHCA Petitions OSHA to Lower Permissible Exposure Limits for Noise

Citing that nearly 22 million American workers are exposed to hazardous noise on a daily basis and that occupational hearing loss continues to plague industry, the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) has made a request to OHSA to reduce the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for noise exposures.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson laid out new principles for revising the Toxic Substances Control Act in late September.

A New Kid on Our Block

Seen by some as OSHA's much bigger brother, EPA waded into several big safety issues this fall.



Clearer, Quieter Cell Phones Under Development

The Acoustical Society of America's 158th meeting next week in San Antonio brings together many of the world's acoustics experts to hear more than 650 talks on such research.

Cutting Noise Down to Size

Tim Pope was immediately intrigued when he first saw the hearing protection device because it was unlike any ear plug or muff he'd ever seen. Pope, vice president and owner of rapidly growing tree service company Terry Tree Service, LLC, then saw the company's claims for the product — comfortable, totally passive hearing protection that allows conversation during use — and just had to try them.

E-A-R CUSTOM ear plugs are custom protectors that are molded on site.

All's Quiet for EPA Hearing Rule

Only a few comments have been submitted to the online rulemaking docket, most of them manufacturers' requests to present during the Oct. 7 public hearing in Washington, D.C. The cost of testing custom molded ear plugs is a concern.

Research Update: Self-Reported HPD Use Varies

The researchers looked at a construction site, an industrial facility with a variable noise environment, and an industrial facility with a steady noise environment for one workday and for a two-week period.

National Hearing Conference to 'Explore the World of Hearing Loss Prevention'

The National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) recently announced that its 35th annual conference will be held Feb. 25-27, 2010, at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Fla. Titled "Explore the World of Hearing Loss Prevention," the conference will focus on various topics of local and international concern, including "whole life" hearing loss prevention; chemicals, ototoxicity, and otoprotection; and the impending change to the Noise Reduction Rating in the United States.

this is an example of a label that may be used to comply with the proposed EPA rule

Hearing on Labeling Rule Delayed to Oct. 7

Comment are now due by Nov. 4 on EPA's proposed rule, which would change the familiar NRR labels on hearing protection devices. The rule takes new technologies and Internet sales of HPDs into account.

a car repair shop was one of the places visited in HSEs hearing protection survey

Bad News for Workers in HSE Hearing Protection Field Study

The Health and Safety Laboratory study, posted today by the Health and Safety Executive, included outdoor and indoor workers, laboratory measurements of real-world attenuation, and some premises visited without warning.

Big EMS Gains Contributed by r2p Winners

This year's awards recognize research that made ambulances safer for EMS workers and passengers and also EMS protective clothing recommendations used in the 2008 edition of the NFPA 1999 standard.

Ireland's Safety Agency Focused on Farming, Entertainment

Five work-related deaths on farms this year -- half of all workplace fatalities in Ireland thus far in 2009 -- prompted a two-week inspection campaign that ended Monday. The Health and Safety Authority also issued a new guidance document warning performers about hearing loss.

Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltds Sharpsmart system

Hearing Assist, Health-Promoting Chair Among Design Finalists

Not among the 73 finalists was Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltd's Sharpsmart system, the entry shown here, which is designed to reduce the risk of sharps injuries and minimize impact on the environment.

Featured

Artificial Intelligence