hearing organs or PPE- These are specially designed devices to protect the hearing organs from exposure to loud unwanted sounds. In large production facilities it is often necessary to protect employees from excessive noise. For this purpose, there are personal noise protection equipment. Various means hearing protection have design features and, accordingly, different level protection. Hearing protection equipment is designed for a wide range of noise loads. Easy-to-use, hygienic and comfortable hearing protection - earmuffs and headphones - are used in many industries.
Earplugs (anti-noise inserts)
Headphones
- Anti-noise earplugs with limited service life
- Dispensers for anti-noise earplugs and replacement fillers for them
- Reusable noise protection earplugs in individual plastic containers
- Anti-noise pads on the rim
- Detectable anti-noise earplugs
Hearing organs and their protection
Noise intensity scale
The human ear is much more complex than it seems at first glance. The ear is able to perceive and process sound in the range from 20Hz to 20kHz, which is approximately 10 octaves. Even more impressive is the level of noise carried by our hearing aids, with a ratio of 6 times (180dB) the level of perception. This is the most sensitive sensor currently invented. Noise of any origin can be tiresome. Strong noise sources can damage the delicate hair cells in the auricle area. inner ear. The auricle contains approximately 50,000 interconnected hair cells. For every square millimeter of the inner ear there are from 900 to 1000. The changes that occur in our hearing system as a result harmful noise can be irreversible, so violation of noise protection standards entails loss of health and sometimes life. Hearing protection is a very complex problem, if only because excessive isolation of the worker from external noise can lead to the most undesirable consequences. For example, a worker may not be able to hear a fire alarm or the sound of a low-noise forklift engine. Hearing organ- an extremely sensitive device created by nature to perceive sound vibrations in the air. The nerve centers of the organ of hearing have a complex and diverse connection with other nerve centers that control a number of vital important functions in the body (vascular, visual, respiratory, motor, etc.). The main purpose of hearing personal protective equipment (PPE) is to block this most sensitive channel to noise.
Based on their purpose and design, hearing protection equipment is divided into two types:
- earbuds or “earplugs” that block the external auditory canal (anti-noise inserts), earplugs.
- headphones covering the auricle.
Hearing protection manufacturers
- ROSOMZ - Russia
Short story
No one knows when people first discovered that covering their ears or the opening of the ear canal with their palms or fingers could effectively reduce the level of unwanted sound - noise, but this method, known for centuries, turned out to be the only way to protect against loud sound. Unfortunately, at that level of technology, there were no other means of hearing protection. Most effective solution The problem of hearing protection is to control the noise level in the ear canal. Currently there are different kinds antiphons
Occupational safety system
- GOST 12.4.092-80 Personal protective equipment. Method for determining the sound attenuation of personal protective equipment
- GOST 12.4.051-87 System of occupational safety standards. Personal hearing protection. Are common technical requirements and test methods
- GOST R 12.4.208-99 System of occupational safety standards (SSBT). Personal hearing protection. Headphones. General technical requirements. Test methods.
- GOST R 12.4.209-99 System of occupational safety standards (SSBT). Personal hearing protection. Inserts. General technical requirements. test methods.
- GOST R 12.4.210-99 System of occupational safety standards (SSBT). Personal hearing protection. Anti-noise headphones mounted with a protective helmet. General technical requirements. Test methods.
- GOST R 12.4.211-99 System of occupational safety standards (SSBT). Personal hearing protection. Anti-noise. A subjective method for measuring noise absorption.
- GOST R 12.4.212-99 System of occupational safety standards (SSBT). Personal hearing protection. Anti-noise. Estimation of the resulting A-corrected sound pressure levels when using personal noise protection equipment.
- GOST R 12.4.213-99 System of occupational safety standards (SSBT). Personal hearing protection. Anti-noise. A simplified method for measuring the acoustic efficiency of headphones for quality assessment.
Employer's liability
In accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, the employer is obliged to provide free personal hearing protection to all employees exposed to noise above 80 dB.
Additionally
SNR is a simplified noise reduction system (also called Single Number Rating). This is a digital mark assigned to individual means hearing protection, “tied” to the scale by which noise levels are usually measured. This determines the degree of protection that this particular device guarantees.
- B (H)– high-frequency noise absorption value, dB
- SNR– single noise absorption parameter, dB
- C (M)– mid-frequency noise absorption value, dB
- H(L)– value of low-frequency noise absorption, in dB
Water getting into ears
Water getting into the ears leads to a feeling of fullness, hearing impairment, and with prolonged exposure - to severe pain. To get rid of recently entered water, you need to lie on your back, and then slowly (in about 5 seconds) turn your head to the sore ear. After this, the water will pour out of the ear. If the water got in a long time ago and the ear begins to hurt, you need to drip a few drops boric acid or isopropyl alcohol, which will help evaporate the remaining water in the ear. But you can also heat the salt and wrap it in a cloth, apply it to the sore ear. Be sure to visit an otolaryngologist (ENT for short).
Hearing protection is required if noise levels in the workplace exceed 80 dB. Let's talk about the principles of choosing individual and collective anti-noise PPE.
From the article you will learn:
Types of hearing protection
Ensuring the safety of personnel from harmful or hazardous factors represents complex system aimed at maximizing elimination negative impact generally.
What causes the noise? In an enterprise, this is, of course, the process of operation of various mechanisms, transport, and technological systems. Various impacts, friction, vibration of machine parts, air or gas movement cause a chaotic accumulation of acoustic vibrations. It's called noise. Its impact on the health of workers may not be limited to irreversible falls and subsequent hearing loss. Many people do not know that prolonged exposure to loud noises also affects development. cardiovascular diseases and dysfunction of the central nervous system.
The employer is obliged to the maximum. Noise protection should be taken into account already at the stage of construction or reconstruction of industrial buildings. The most optimal solution seems to be the search for low-noise technologies and the improvement of mechanisms and machines. A large amount of engineering and design research is devoted to this. In addition to the loud sounds that arise from the normal operation of the units, if they are used incorrectly and the sound is increased, the negative impact may increase.
Devices for protecting personnel from noise are divided into collective and individual. As the name implies, collective ones are used for all personnel as a whole. They are designed to minimize exposure directly at the source harmful factor and (no less important), on the paths of propagation of acoustic waves. Let's list them:
- Various protective devices (cabins, casings).
- Insulating, sound-absorbing devices (screens, cladding).
- Silencers (there are different types: reactive, absorption, combined).
- Contactless devices, remote control, automatic, not requiring human intervention.
For example, all metallurgists are provided with noise protection according to Model standards, approved . The basis for providing PPE is the results of a special assessment of working conditions. Let us recall that the employer has the right to improve the conditions of personnel and provide more serious protection than that provided by law.
The main purpose of PPE for hearing organs is to block the most sensitive channel for sound penetration into the body – the human ear. To weaken the acoustic energy transmitted to the hearing organs, to protect the nervous system of workers from the effects of excessive stimuli, noise suppressors are used.
According to GOST 12.4.051-84, noise suppressors are divided into three types according to their purpose and design; headphones that cover the auricle; earmolds covering the external auditory canal; helmets that cover part of the head and ear.
Rice. 15 a - headphones; b - earplugs
Based on the method of fastening on the head, headphones are divided into: independent, having a hard or soft headband: built into a headdress / hard hats, helmets, headscarves / or other protective device. Inserts, based on the nature of their design, are distinguished between multiple and single use. Reusable inserts must be manufactured in several sizes ranging from 5.5 to 9 mm, unless their design allows for the possibility of change within the specified limits.
Headphones cover the entire ear from the outside and at the same time allow you to hear colloquial speech and monitor the operation of engines and other mechanisms by ear. They have great efficiency in the high frequency region. The disadvantages of headphones are: heavy weight, the presence of pressure on the parotid shell, fogging of the skin under the headphones when elevated temperature environment. Because of these disadvantages, it is more convenient to use headphones periodically.
According to the nature of their design, inserts are divided into reusable and single-use inserts. They are inserted directly into the ear. The earbuds are lightweight, easy to use, and have antiseptic and bactericidal properties, for example, “Earplugs” (take care of your ears). Ultra-thin fiberglass liners cause unpleasant feeling crunch when worn and irritate the skin. Inserts are made of plastic or hard non-deformable material. The latter cause more severe irritation of the walls ear canal. In addition, inserts made of hard material, when used for a long time, interfere with proper blood circulation and air exchange, so it is recommended to use them for a short time.
Noise suppressors should provide the necessary noise reduction, hygiene, not irritate the skin during prolonged use, and not cause pain, do not impair speech perception, and be comfortable when worn during the working day. They must have adhesive properties, be easy to hygienically process and not pose a hazard when handling them. Reusable earbuds should have a smooth shape, allowing them to be simply and conveniently inserted into and removed from the external auditory canal.
All anti-noise devices must be marked with the name and group of noise protection and the name of the manufacturer. For reusable liners, their diameter is also indicated.
When choosing PPE for hearing organs, one should proceed from the frequency spectrum of noise at a given workplace, permissible noise levels according to GOST 12.1.003-83, and ease of use when performing this work. From the point of view of noise protection, noise suppressors are considered to be correctly selected if the noise spectrum in the workplace, minus the attenuation provided by the noise suppressor, does not exceed the permissible sound pressure levels.
Our industry produces hearing protection products of various designs.
Anti-noise headphones consist of a sound-insulating body edged with soft elastic material, a sound absorber and a headband. The edging serves for insulation ears from external pathogens. Foam rubber, ultra-thin glass fiber laid in layers with different fiber directions, polyurethane foam, etc. are used as a sound absorber. To equalize the air pressure in the earphone with atmospheric pressure, holes are provided in it. The headband is made of springy metal. This
makes it possible to individually adjust the headphones and adjust the pressure.
Noise is one of the side effects harmful to humans that accompanies the production process. In some cases it may be dangerous condition labor.
These include, for example, operating electrical installations and engines, and working with firearms.
According to the Decree of the State Construction Committee “On the adoption of SNiP RF “Occupational Safety in Construction””, the employer is recommended to provide the employee with personal hearing protection if the noise level exceeds 80 dB. It should be noted that PPE is issued if collective means do not help. In this article we will tell you what methods, methods and means of noise protection exist.
They are used as personal hearing protection against noise and vibration. headphones, earbuds, helmets, suits.
Ear buds cover the ear canal. Helmets protect against noise with very high frequencies, which can penetrate through the bones of the skull, and not just through the ear canal.
Headphones reduce negative impact in the range from 7 to 38 dB with a frequency from 125 to 8,000 Hz.
Inserts are either disposable or reusable. Disposable ones are made of fine fiber. They can be dry and impregnated with wax and paraffin. Reusable ones are made of ebonite, plasticine or rubber, and can be cleaned with any detergent.
Very convenient in rooms with high pollution.
The method of using the inserts is simple: they are inserted into the ear canal and reduce the harmful effects on eardrum. It is possible to produce products with a bow, like glasses, or with a cord for use in short-term situations.
This type is cheap, compact, applicable to many situations, but is not always effective, because reduces the level of negative impact by only 5 - 20 dB. Users report discomfort in the form of irritation in the ear canal if the earbuds are made of hard material.
Headphones – PPE is always reusable. These are devices in the form of two bowls, which are connected by a headband. The headband is made of metal or plastic. The inside of the bowl is filled with foam, which reduces noise levels.
Released with active, passive and communication protection, as well as communication headsets.
Passive only involves protecting the ear canal from noise, for example, headphones with external noise suppression for shooting at a shooting range. All sounds in this case become quieter.
Active allows you to resist a negative factor, for example, in industrial production.
The general principle of active protection is as follows: Speakers pick up sounds and dampen them, and microphones allow you to communicate. Communication protection is equipped with a radio station or mobile phone. For high-quality communication under heavy loads, the user can connect a walkie-talkie, telephone and other means of communication.
Communication headsets equipped integrated system ensuring protection and communication. The higher the frequency of negative sound, the greater the need to use headphones.
If the noise level is production process Large enough, headphones and earbuds can't handle the load. In industry, processes accompanied by ultrasound are common, for example, in metallurgy, mechanical engineering, and metal processing.
According to sanitary standards The ultrasound level should not exceed 110 dB.
Ultrasound power can reach tens of kilowatts. Its danger lies in its impact on humans through air, liquid, or any solid medium. A helmet or noise-protective suit can help cope with this. The suit consists of a helmet and vest, on which additional noise-absorbing layers of fabric are applied.
The choice of product is determined by several factors: specifics of production, environment, required quality of protection, different noise categories.
Such factors include, for example, sharp single sounds or constant monotonous noise of high tones; humid or dry room air, etc.
How effective is it? the type of protection determines the SNR indicator - reduction audible noise . This value is indicated by the manufacturer on all personal protective equipment or on packaging. Do not forget that the product should be selected based on specific conditions, because the increased SNR may drown out signals needed in the operating situation.
To make a quality choice, you need to proceed from the following indicators:
- The better the material for the earbuds, the more comfortable they are to use and the longer they can be used in one session.
- The larger the diameter of the headphone membrane, the higher the sound quality.
- The greater the sensitivity of the headphones, the higher their efficiency. Average– 100 dB. The power of the headphones determines the volume of the sound. The level of distortion is expressed as a percentage. Distortions of 1% are considered normal, if the noise exceeds 100 Hz. If the noise level is lower, distortion can be 10%. All characteristics are indicated on the product packaging.
It must be remembered that when carrying out certification, headphones are subjected to laboratory research, which differ almost 2 times from real conditions.
If you wanted to know more about what applies to electrical protective equipment, we will tell you in this article.
Rules for storage, issue and care
An industrial employer, when providing workers with personal protective equipment, for example, noise protection headphones, must provide instructions on the rules for their use.
To store inventory there must be special premises allocated and they must be issued by a certain person.
Their quantity should be sufficient for all employees, and one-time funds should be issued daily or as needed.
It is prohibited to take PPE outside of professional use, unless this is stipulated in the Employment Agreement.
As with all reusable personal hygiene items, protective equipment should be looked after. Headphones and helmets should be washed or wiped after each working day or as needed. Reusable earbuds need to be cleaned of dirt and wax.
There are enough personal hearing protection available today, from the simplest to modern electronic ones. Their choice should depend on the level of negative impact, so that the production process is not affected.
We bring to your attention a short video review about active headphones:
Excessive noise falls into the category of unobvious threats that few people perceive as a source of health hazard. Meanwhile, without the use of hearing protection, noise exposure leads to deafness, the development of cardiovascular diseases and dysfunction of the central nervous system. This problem was identified back in the 50s of the last century and served as an impetus for numerous studies in this area, and their results formed the basis state standards, establishing maximum noise levels in workplaces. These statutory norms will be discussed in our article.
Classification of noise and its permissible standards
Degree harmful effects sound vibrations are determined by their frequency, and the higher it is, the more harm causes noise hearing aid. According to the frequency response, it is divided into 3 classes:
- Low frequency (less than 300 Hz). It is produced by low-speed machines and equipment or penetrates from the outside through soundproofing barriers. The permissible level of such noise is 90-100 dB.
- Mid-frequency (300-800 Hz). This noise accompanies the operation of most non-impact machines and units. Its safety threshold does not exceed 90 dB.
- High frequency (more than 800 Hz). These sounds are extremely uncomfortable for human perception and have a ringing, hissing or whistling character. The maximum norm for high-frequency noise is 75-85 dB.
Loud sounds damage the sensitive cells in the inner ear that are responsible for transmitting signals to the brain. They are not updated or restored, which is the reason for the irreversibility of the process of hearing loss.
Noise standards: main aspects
To measure sound pressure on the hearing organs, a sound level meter is used (a device with a sensitivity close to the human ear), and the unit of measurement of the noise we perceive is the acoustic decibel (dB (A)) or, as it is also called, the equivalent noise level. According to the system of state labor safety standards (GOST 12.1.003-83), work activity depending on its intensity and intensity, it is divided into 6 types, each of which corresponds to a certain maximum permissible equivalent noise level, namely:
- Teaching, creativity, development of new projects - 40 dB (A).
- The work of managers top level– 50 dB (A).
- Intellectual highly skilled work – 55 dB (A).
- Mental work associated with constant compliance with instructions – 60 dB (A).
- Camera work - 65 dB (A).
- Physical work requiring concentration or auditory control – 80 dB (A).
According to GOST 12.1.003-83, areas and rooms with sound levels exceeding 80 dB (A) must be marked with special safety signs. The enterprise administration is obliged to provide hearing protection for specialists working in these areas.
At constant exposure noise level for 8 hours without the use of hearing protective equipment should not exceed 80 dB (A). Increasing the equivalent noise level to 86 dB(A) reduces the safe period of exposure to these conditions to 4 hours. In case of exceeding acceptable standards V mandatory Hearing protection means and methods should be used.
Hearing protection products ZMtm
The ZMtm product catalog presents the widest range hearing protection means - from earplugs made of porous material or molded to ultra-modern noise-cancelling headphones.
By the way, to make it easier to select a product and buy 3MTM headphones that optimally correspond to the noise level in production, PPE packages are marked with icons corresponding to the level of protection:
- Products with a red square and one dot are effective at noise levels of 87-98 dB(A).
- With red square and two dots should be used for sound exposures of 94-105 dB(A).
- With a red square and three dots they protect at noise levels of 95-110 dB(A).
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