Noise Protection
Noise exposure poses an increasingly serious threat to individuals' hearing.
Personal Hearing Protection
Hearing loss incurred in the workplace is a compensable disease in terms of Schedule 3 of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Disease Act (COID act). This highlights the very need and importance of monitoring your hearing at least on an annual basis if you are exposed to noise for extended periods of time.
There are a wide variety of types of hearing protectors available, including ear muffs, foam and preformed ear plugs, and canal caps.
Types of Noise Protection available
Ear Muffs
These devices fit against the head and enclose the entire external ears. The inside of the muff cup is lined with an acoustic foam which can reduce noise by as much as 15 to 30 decibels. Ear muffs are often used in conjunction with ear plugs to protect the employee from extremely load noises, usually at or above 105 decibels.
Ear Plugs
Preformed ear plugs come in different sizes to fit different sizes of ear canals.
Formable
Foam Ear Plugs placed in the ear correctly, will expand to fill the ear canal and seal against the walls. This allows foam ear plugs to fit ear canals of different sizes.
Canal Caps
As the name implies, these devices cap off the ear canal at its opening. They generally provide less protection than ear muffs or plugs.
