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The selection of appropriate hearing protection devices (HPDs) is crucial for safeguarding against hazardous noise exposure and preventing noise-induced hearing loss. Traditional selection methods primarily rely on the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR), often neglecting other factors. To improve upon these methods, an interactive software platform, the Hearing Protection Optimization Tool (HPOT), was developed to guide HPD selection. The HPOT down-selects HPDs using performance metrics derived from laboratory-based, electromechanical tests. These electromechanical tests have been validated against human subject performance and quantify the adverse effects of HPDs on sound localization, speech intelligibility, self-noise, and level-dependent attenuation. User input indicates the importance of each aspect of performance for their specific application and the software generates a ranked list of the HPD options that best meet both attenuation requirements and desired performance characteristics. The recommendations can be further refined based on logistical constraints such as power requirements, compatibility with additional protective equipment, form factor preferences, and cost. The HPOT significantly advances hearing conservation efforts by eliminating the guesswork in the HPD selection process, allowing users to make informed choices based on objective measures that best align with their protection goals.
Learning Objectives: 1. Discuss the importance of hearing protection performance metrics and their role in optimizing HPD selection. 2. Explain the importance of HPD selection by discussing the limitations of traditional methods and how these limitations can affect auditory perception and protection outcomes. 3. Demonstrate the use of a software tool in prioritizing various HPD performance metrics for specific industrial tasks to recommend the most appropriate HPDs.
Level-dependent hearing protectors enable to perceive or even amplify soft to medium-level sounds, while protecting the ear against damaging high-level signals. This study investigates the effect of two level-dependent hearing protection devices on localization performance with two different warnings signals in noise. In a listening test with 16 normal-hearing subjects inside a horizontal array of 48 loudspeakers, localization performance dropped using earmuffs. In the most extreme cases, signals where perceived as coming from the opposite direction. In addition, the stimuli used in the experiment were recorded with an artificial head in the same measurement setup to calculate the corresponding interaural cues. The technical measurements support the findings of the hearing study by revealing large changes of interaural level differences with earmuffs compared to open ears that were mostly in line with the subjects’ response. Finally, current localization models were run with the recordings to check their performance and predictions with the tested warning signals. These findings indicate that it is critical to test electronic hearing protectors on changed interaural cues to avoid safety risks due to impaired localization. In addition, measurements of these cues can help predicting the perceived sound direction by human listeners, e.g., by modelling the possible outcomes.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe possible safety risks of level-dependent hearing protectors. 2. Recall at least two ways to analyze the localization performance in listening tests. 3. Discuss the limitations of current sound localization models.
The assessment of sound exposure from communication devices and earphones typically requires specialized measurement methods such as the microphone in the real-ear technique or the use of manikins or artificial ears. In practice, however, such assessments are challenging to deploy in most workplaces and are often not conducted on a regular basis due to lack of proper equipment and/or expertise. A simple calculation method has been devised that only requires widely accessible equipment (e.g. sound level meter or noise dosimeter) together with basic information about the devices worn (e.g., attenuation) and the communication or listening task (e.g., duration of listening within the work shift). The calculation method, specified in Canadian standard Z107.56, is intended to increase accessibility to communication device and earphone sound exposure assessments to the widest range of stakeholders in hearing loss prevention. The method brings together the many factors contributing to communication devices and earphone sound exposure and thus it is also useful when examining possible exposure mitigation measures. This paper will present the calculation method and provide examples of its uses.
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe the measurement challenges when assessing sound exposure from communication devices and earphones 2. Identify the main factors governing the sound exposure from communication devices in the noisy workplace, 3. Discuss the application of a simple calculation method for communication device noise exposure assessment and mitigation.
