hearing protection standards and cert - ultimate industrial · 80 busy traffic, vacuum cleaner 80...
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2014Issue1
Hearing protection:Standards and regulations.
Hearing Protection
Standards and regulations
Our hearing protection guide.Associated standards andcertification.
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More information available online atwww.ultimateindustrial.co.uk
EN standards - hearing protection
Before purchasing hearing protection it is important to clearly identify the relevant hazardswhich cannot be reduced by other means (e.g. fitting silencers or screens) or eliminated atsource. Most hearing protection commonly used is covered by EN 352 and the relevantsections for our products are summarised below. For industrial applications the Control ofNoise at Work Regulations 2005 came into force in 2006 which basically reduced the startingpoint for ear protection from 85 dB to 80 dB. Workers must be assessed and provided withtraining when noise levels reach 80 dB (was 85 dB) and protection should be made available.Protection must be provided by the employer when sound levels reach 85 dB or above.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
OUR REF: EP107
Deluxe FOLDING ear muffs for higher noselevels. Contoured adjustable paddedheadband and extra soft foam filled cups.Space saving folding design. Packed inindividual poly bags with user informationsheet.
Hearing protection - common applicablestandards
● EN 352-1 For Ear Muffs
● EN 352-2 For Ear Plugs
● EN 352-3 For Helmet Mounted EarMuffs.
● EN352-4 For Level Dependent EarMuffs.
● EN 352-5 For Active NoiseReduction Ear Muffs.
● EN 352-6 For Ear Muffs withElectrical Audio inputs.
● EN352-7 For Level Dependent EarPlugs.
HML
HML is “High, Medium and Low” and definesthe protection at high, medium and lowfrequencies.
The different attenuation values for eachfrequency range are usually shown on thepackaging of the hearing protection. Thiscan be more precise than the SNR value as anSNR of 30 dB may not be applicable across allfrequencies.
dB (decibel)
dB (decibel) is used to measure the soundintensity. Because the human ear canregister sounds across a huge range ofintensities a linear scale is not suitable formeasurement. The dB scale is therefore a logscale which in very simple terms means thesound intensity roughly doubles for every 3dB increase. An increase of 20 dB wouldincrease the sound intensity 100 times, (ie 60dB is 100 times louder than 40 dB).
Protection should ideally limit exposure tobetween 70 - 80 dB at the ear and not exceed87 dB. However it is also important not toover protect as the wearer may not be able tohear other sounds such as fire alarms orvehicles. The user may also feel isolatedresulting in reluctance to wear the hearingprotection when needed. It is therefore bestnot to implement a blanket wearing ofhearing protection only specifying protectionwhere it is actually required.
Common terms used
SNR
SNR is the “Simplified Noise Level Reduction”or “Single Number Rating” which is thesimplest way of getting a general indicationfor the level of protection provided. It isgenerally used to compare different types ofhearing protectors. In very simple terms thecalculation would be:
The noise reaching the wearer should notexceed 87 dB and preferably lie between 70 -80 dB. This calculation does not take intoaccount different frequencies so may not bethe most suitable measurement.
Noise Level 100 dBHearing Protector SNR -30 dBNoise Reaching Ear 70 dB
EN 352-1:2002
How to decide on protection levels - a simple guide
The best way to decide on whether or not protection is needed is to arrange a specialistsurvey from an independent professional. If an employee needs to raise their voice to beheard a few feet away then the noise levels may be over 85 dB and immediate action shouldbe taken.
Our hearing protection guide.Deciding on the right level ofprotection.
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More information available online atwww.ultimateindustrial.co.uk
Our selection guides to eyewear,respiratory, hand and arm protection,work at height, head protection,workwear and clothing and footwear.
An extensive range of Scott safetyProtector™ hearing defenders.
DID YOU KNOW?
A higher SNR rating doesnot mean the product isbetter suited or of a higherquality - when in doubtseek professional advice.
Level in dB Typical Example of Noise Action
140 Jet Engine
130 Riveting Hammer, Gun Shot
120 Punch Press, Chain Saw
110 Nail Gun, Blasting
100 Machine Shop, Grinding
90 HGV, Band Saw 85 dB Hearing Protection Required
80 Busy Traffic, Vacuum Cleaner 80 dB Training and Assessment
70 Car Driver No Action Required
60 Normal Office
50 Quiet Office, Library
40 Low voices
30 Whispering
Hearing Protection
Standards and regulations
UC-EP04C corded earplugs. UC-EP07B corded, reusableheadband and pods.
UC-D500 dispenser with UC-EP03foam earplugs.
Ulimate Industrial Limited, Victoria House, Colliery Road, Wolverhampton.WV1 2RD. United Kingdom ©2014 Ultimate (Cleaners) Industrial Ltd. Thisdocument replaces all previously published guides and is the exclusiveproperty of Ultimate (Cleaners) Industrial Ltd. All information provided isgiven for informational purposes and do not constitute a contractualagreement nor warranty of merchantability..
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