Hearing Protection Effectiveness

Noise Reduction Ratings

An earplug or earmuff is designed to reduce noise exposure by a certain amount. These are also called Hearing Protection Devices (HPDs). However, the best HPD for employees is removing the hazardous noise. Until that happens though, the best hearing protection is one the employee will wear willingly and consistently.

Here are some issues of employee acceptance and use of HPDs:

• Convenience and availability
• Confidence that the HPD can be worn correctly
• Confidence that the HPD will prevent hearing loss
• Confidence that the HPD will not impair the ability to hear important sounds
• Comfort and ease of fit
• Compatibility with other personal protective equipment.