A shout-out for hearing protection

With a real risk of hearing loss or tinnitus, noise is a health and safety issue. So under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, employers must provide hearing protection where there’s exposure to a daily or weekly average noise level of 85 decibels or above.

But hearing protection can cause problems as well as prevent them.

‘Did you say “on” or “off”?

There are countless scenarios on any production line where giving clear instructions is essential. And where hearing them clearly is more essential still.

An engineer about to start work on machinery wants to be sure the operator hears ‘switch it off’ at the right moment, and doesn’t mishear ‘switch it on’ at the wrong one. Or if there’s an accident and, for example, someone is trapped in machinery, they’ll be reassured to know their call for help can be heard – especially if there’s no line-of-sight to their closest colleague.

In those situations, hearing protection which blocks all noise would do more harm than good. But health and safety are not the only issues. Efficiency and productivity can also be affected.

A nose for trouble, an ear for efficiency

The longer the production line and the more involved the process, the greater the opportunity for upstream adjustments to affect downstream operations.

However, making changes ‘on the fly’ is difficult if they can’t be easily communicated. ‘Downstream’ won’t know they’re happening. ‘Upstream’ won’t know the result.

In these cases, standard ear protection makes communication difficult, or time-consuming, or both. And if something more urgent arises, then time is one thing you don’t have.

Speed is the key to action to prevent an issue becoming a problem, becoming a catastrophic failure. Shouting from a distance or running up the line are slow, inefficient and all too often ineffective.

But what if your hearing protection could also be your means of communication?

A word in your ear

The top-of-the-range option, 3M™ PELTOR WS™ Litecom Plus Headset also offers Bluetooth connectivity, making it simple to connect with an in-house DECT phone system, or a handheld digital tablet. Which means the wearer can even conduct Skype calls or Zoom meetings on-site, without removing their ear defenders.

In fact, the automatic electronic volume control built into the defenders means there’s no need to remove them from clocking-on to knocking-off time. They constantly adjust to the level of ambient noise: blocking out noise in a noisy environment and allowing sounds to be heard in quieter surroundings.

Going the (social) distance

Basic ear defenders do a good job of blocking out noise. So when colleagues need to communicate, the fall-back option has been to get close and shout. Now that’s no longer an acceptable solution.

For further information on the innovative 3M™ PELTOR™ WS™ Litecom headset, or to place an order, please CLICK HERE to visit our Webshop. Alternatively, if you would like additional details on hearing protection or the 3M™ PELTOR™ range of communcation solutions, don't hesitate to contact your Local ERIKS Service Centre today. Your safety is our priority!