NIOSH Science Policy Update: Individual Fit-Testing Recommendation for Hearing Protection Devices [2025]

Details

• Journal Article:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  This National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) policy update for determining the attenuation of hearing protection devices "Individual Fit-Testing Recommendation for Hearing Protection Devices" supersedes the hearing protector derating guidance contained in Chapter 1 (Section 1.5) and Chapter 6 of NIOSH's 1998 Criteria for a Recommended Standard - Occupational Noise Exposure. The 1998 criteria document stated that "ideally, workers should be individually fit tested for hearing protectors." Given the lack of commercially available fit-test systems at the time, the 1998 NIOSH criteria document recommended a variable derating of the labeled Noise Reduction Rating to estimate worker protection. As fit-test systems are now readily available, this NIOSH Science Policy Update recommends employers use individual, quantitative fit testing to evaluate the attenuation received by workers from their hearing protection devices. Description provided by NIOSH
• Subjects:
  • Ear
  • Ear Protective Devices
  • Hearing
  • Hearing Loss
  • Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced
  • Noise
  • Noise, Occupational
  • Occupational Diseases
  • Occupational Health
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  More +
• Keywords:
  • Hearing protection; Noise exposure; Fit testing; Sound attenuation; Hearing loss prevention
• Source:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2025-104, 2025 Jan; :1-2
• Series:
  NIOSH Numbered Publications
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2025104
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Guidance
• Place as Subject:
  Chicago Region OSHA ; Ohio
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DFSE - Division of Field Studies and Engineering
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  2 pdf pages
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070452
• Citation:
  NIOSH 2025. NIOSH Science Policy Update: Individual Fit-Testing Recommendation for Hearing Protection Devices. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH), Publication No. 2025-104, DOI: https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2025104
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/175918/cdc_175918_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 175.74 KB]
• Collection(s):
  Guidelines and Recommendations ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a604c48d647777e74a46230d150ea751806687b14afae456f633bde4e6380e05039c4b26cecad1fc46200a9f40aa24684ac00c8784e1aa5434da74d904361e70