Northrock PPE Catalogue- Australia Edition

MARKINGS AND STANDARDS

PW13

PS43

The PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 has a risk approach which defines harmful noise as a risk that may cause very serious hearing injuries. As a result, the Regulation has recategorized hearing protection from Category 2 Risk PPE (Intermediate) to Category 3 Risk (Complex). The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 The Noise Regulation 2005 requires employers to prevent or reduce risks to health and safety from exposure to noise at work. It asks to take specific actions and defines action levels and limit values of exposure to noise:

AS/NZS 1270 2002 Australian and New Zealand standard for Hearing Protectors Devices. This standard specifies the attenuation offered by a hearing protection device through Sound Level Conversion (SLC80).

Daily / Weekly average exposure to noise

Peak Sound pressure

LOWER EXPOSURE ACTION VALUES

80dB

135dB

UPPER EXPOSURE ACTION VALUES

85dB

137dB

EN 352-1:2020 Hearing Protectors - Ear Muffs EN 352-2:2020 Hearing Protectors - Ear Plugs EN 352-3:2020 Hearing Protectors - Helmet Mounted Ear Muffs

LEVELS OF NOISE EXPOSURE THAT MUST NEVER BE EXCEEDED

87dB

140db

How To Protect Yourself? 4 Steps To Choose The Appropriate Hearing Protection.

1. Identify the nature of the noise: stable, fluctuating, intermittent or pulse. 2. Measure the noise at the working station: intensity (dB) and volume (Hz). 3. Determine the exposure time. 4.Calculate the required attenuation needed. The attenuation level offered by the hearing protector should bring the noise to a level that is not harmful to health whilst avoiding over-protection which would isolate the worker. Hearing protectors that reduce the level at the ear to below 70 dB should be avoided.

All these standards establish require ments with regards to the manufacture, design, performances and test methods.

SNR (Single Number Rating): Single average value of attenuation.

DECIBEL SCALE (dBA)

HML : Attenuation values expressed in terms of average levels of frequencies: H : Attenuation of PPE at high fre quencies (pitched noises). M : Attenuation of PPE at medium frequencies. L : Attenuation of PPE at low fre quencies (bass sounds).

160 150 140 130 120 110 100

12 Gauge Shotgun - 165 dB Peak

Jet Takeoff - 140 dB

Pneumatic Riveter - 124 dB

Chainsaw - 110 dB

Hammer Drill - 114 dB

ANSI S3.19 1974 American National Standard - Methods for Hearing Protection Measurement This standard specifies the test method for determining the level of noise attenuation (NRR Noise Reduction Rating) of the hearing protection, as recommended by the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).

Rock Concert - 105 dB

Motorcycle - 100 dB

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 90

Tractor/Hand Drill - 97 dB

Lawn Mower - 90 dB

Vacuum Cleaner - 80 dB

City Traffic - 78 dB

Conversation- 65 dB

Air Conditioning - 60 dB

Floor Fan- 50 dB

Refrigerator Hum - 40 dB

Electric Transformer - 45 dB

Rustling Leaves - 30 dB

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