February 22, 2006—According to industrial audiologist Brad Witt, the days of striving to develop Hearing Protection Devices (HPDs) that could simply block the most sound are over.
“Today, said Witt, who is Audiology and Regulatory Affairs Manager for the Bacou-Dalloz Hearing Safety Group, “the focus is definitely more on sound management: on attenuating the hazardous noise to a level that still allows communication and warning signal detection.”
“In noise-hazardous environments, we are not trying to eliminate all sound,” said Witt. “There are still sounds we want to hear, such as co-worker voices, warning signals, mobile radios, and even some machinery noise that may alert us to malfunction or maintenance needs. Wearing high-attenuation protectors without regard to communication creates a feeling of hazardous isolation, being cut off from the verbal and audible cues that keep us safe and connected with our work.”
In response, Witt said, HPD manufacturers are increasingly working to develop more innovative products that protect without compromising these basic communication needs.
For more information, visit the Bacou-Dalloz Hearing Safety Group Web site.
