Hearing Protectors: Field Measurements

Details

• Journal Article:
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  In 1977 and 1981, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted field investigations to determine the amount of noise reduction (attenuation) afforded to industrial workers who use earplugs. Tests of 420 workers at 15 industrial plants indicated that 50% of the workers received less than half the potential protection demonstrated in laboratory testing. Earplug distributors label their products with noise-reduction indexes based on data from standard audiometric laboratory tests. Although earplugs can provide adequate protection from noise hazards, workers generally wear earplugs incorrectly; thus, distributors' estimates may greatly exceed the actual protection of earplugs. The field investigations included evaluations of five general types of earplug design: twin-flanged (pre-formed in "small" and "regular" sizes); single-flanged (pre-formed in five sizes); acoustic wool (two types made of user-formed cotton-like material, one with a pre-formed plastic shroud); custom-molded (two types, one vented with a "noise filter"); and expandable acoustic foam (two types differing only in color). [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Ear Hearing Laboratories Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Noise Noise, Occupational Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Protective Clothing Safety Sense Organs

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• Keywords:
  Acoustical Materials Auditory Protection Ear Protectors Equipment Design Equipment Testing Filters Hearing Protection Humans Industrial Environment Industrial Noise Laboratory Testing Materials Testing Noise Protection Performance Capability Performance Tests Personal Protective Equipment PPE Sound Attenuation Workers

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• Series:
  Weekly Report: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• ISSN:
  0149-2195 (print) ; 1545-861X (digital)
• Publisher:
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (U.S.)
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  United States
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DBBS - Division of Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  4 pdf pages
• Volume:
  31
• Issue:
  45
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20056115
• Citation:
  MMWR 1982 Nov; 31(45):607-608,613
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1983
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:283dc865de83ba99f21a33ea6f58f51a16817f5858c245692b5f031f8aeb220429d9df8ca777a80363e2c138c6dcf3a68b98d35eb116092f9a1d584ee733b002
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/183127/cdc_183127_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 361.66 KB ]