You may be familiar with the terms “wear-time” or “wearing time” when it comes to hearing protection, but what does it actually mean? We wanted to break it down to help ensure you understand just why these terms are so important when it comes to protecting your hearing.
Safe Work Australia states that workers must not be exposed to noise of 85 decibels or higher over the course of an 8-hour day or 40-hour week. Workers must not be exposed to a noise level above 140 decibels. Any exposure above this level could instantly damage hearing.
Examples of noise events along with their maximum duration of exposure before the daily noise limit is exceeded can be seen in the table.
A PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking) has a duty to keep employees safe from the negative risks associated with noise exposure. They must:
- Identify, control and assess noise hazards.
- Conduct noise assessments within the workplace if there is more than one source of noise above 85 decibels.
- Provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to workers and to ensure they are adequately trained on its use
It’s about time – and decibels
The key to adequate hearing protection is compliance – and that means keeping your hearing protection in or on your ears the entire time of exposure to noise.
WorkSafe Victoria has created a helpful table to demonstrate how quickly the “effective” protection of hearing protectors drops when they are removed, even for short periods. The table shows how a hearing protector with a 30 dB rating can provide significantly less protection if not worn consistently. You can view more on this information regarding hearing protection at: WorkSafe Victoria – Hearing Protection
The table highlights how even short periods without hearing protection can significantly reduce its effectiveness:
- When hearing protection is worn for 98.6% of the exposure time, the effective noise reduction drops to 18 dB, despite the protector being rated at 30 dB (SLC80).
- If worn only 84% of the time, the effective reduction falls further to just 8 dB—a 73% decrease in expected attenuation and reduction in hearing protection.
This clearly shows that to achieve the full benefit, hearing protection must be worn 100% of the time during exposure.
Further to this, the selection of PPE needs to involve employees in the process. Hearing protectors are not a one size fits all solution. Allowing employees to trial specific products that fit well and are comfortable will maximise the likelihood that the hearing protector will be worn during the entire noise exposure time.
Compliance = Protection
To rely on the SLC80 rating (a measure of real-world protection), hearing protectors must be:
- Worn properly
- Worn continuously during all periods of noise exposure
Short-term lapses or poor fit can significantly reduce protection, increasing the risk of irreversible hearing loss. Over time, inconsistent use builds up permanent damage — even if workers don’t notice the impact right away.
How much protection do you really need?
When choosing your hearing protection, remember these two essential criteria:
- Make sure you understand the noise levels in your workplace and the attenuation level you need for protection.
- Check how that specific hearing device is rated per the rating method used (SLC80).
Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper fit and wear-time to help ensure hearing is protected as effectively as possible. Remember that the calculated attenuation value reflects the realistic value only to the extent that the protectors are properly fitted and worn.
To find out more about uvex hearing solutions talk to a uvex hearing safety specialist.