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  • Earplug Fit Testing Has Arrived

    New Technology Helps Prevent Noise Induced Hearing Loss Before It’s Too Late

    Did you know that many workers receive less than half of the hearing protection they should be getting from their earplugs? It’s hard to believe, but because you can’t tell if earplugs are fitting properly just by looking at the person wearing them, they may not be aware that they haven’t achieved the correct fit. There are a few reasons why this can happen:

    • Improper choice of earplugs:
      • The model chosen will not provide the right fit for the individual
      • The NRR rating is insufficient for the noise level in the work area
    • Improper use of earplugs:
      • They are not being properly worn
      • They are not being worn at all

    Regardless of the reason, an effective solution is clearly required. The fact is that once the worker develops a noise-induced hearing loss, it’s too late and permanent damage has already been done. Many people that aren’t wearing their earplugs properly simply haven’t been adequately educated. They don’t understand the health risk, why it’s in their best interest to protect themselves, and how to properly protect themselves. Well, there’s great news. Quantitative earplug fit testing is now available. These proprietary hardware/software systems offer a significant advancement in earplug fit training.The method is similar in concept to a hearing test that would be conducted using an audiometer. The key difference is that the fit-testing system measures the amount of noise reduction the worker is getting from the earplugs based on the way they have fitted the earplugs themselves.

    What makes these systems so effective?

    • They’re generally very quick, no more than 10 minutes, and in some cases, quite a bit less
    • They provide instant feedback to the user in an easy to understand printout
    • If the results indicate that the plugs didn’t achieve the desired results, the trainer can re-instruct and re-test the worker until the required noise reduction is achieved
    • If an acceptable fit can’t be achieved after a certain number of attempts, it likely means that their choice of earplug cannot be made to fit (which is more common than you think) and they should try a different make/model
    • At the end of the process, the employee will have the right model of earplugs and will know how to wear them properly

    With over 25 years experience developing hearing conservation programs for industry, I strongly recommended that every employee that wears earplugs be fit-tested, not just the employees with known hearing problems. As previously mentioned, there’s no way of knowing if a person is wearing their earplugs properly just by looking, or by the NRR rating on the product packaging. Why wait until they develop a permanent hearing loss? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose? Fit tests should be done as soon as a worker is provided with their earplugs, and any time they change to a different type. Similar to audiometric testing, it’s also recommended that earplug fit testing is conducted on a periodic basis in order to monitor for inconsistencies and to conduct re-testing as needed.

    Jon Burtenshaw

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  • How To Prepare Your Workplace For The Ebola Threat

    The Ebola virus is in the news and, if your workplace is like ours, your employees may be wondering what your company is doing about it. This would be a good time to review your disaster recovery plans and update it for medical disasters if it was not done during the SARS scare. Workplace Medical Corp.’s Medical Director, Dr. Craig Karpilow, advises companies to always be prepared when medical outbreaks occur, as it is the employers’ overall responsibility to ensure that all practicable preventive and protective measures are taken to minimize occupational risks.

    “Employers should consider the wide range of decisions that may arise, including: restricting international travel; medical inquiries and potential quarantines for employees who have traveled; leave from work; and educating management and employees,” says Karpilow.

    Four Steps to Take to Prepare

    One: Consider Evacuating Non-Essential Employees

    If you have employees in the West Africa region, it is a good idea to evaluate the need for them to work in that area. If there are any employees who could do their jobs in countries not currently at risk, it’s best to temporarily relocate them to ensure their safety

    Two: Put a Hold on Any Immediate Future Travel

    Similar to evacuating employees is refraining from sending more employees to West Africa. In Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a travel advisory asking that only essential travelers enter the region. If you have scheduled employees for relocation or temporary business travel to the region, and that travel is not absolutely vital, it is wise to put a temporary halt to the moves.

    Three: Put procedures in place in order to ensure that business proceeds as usual

    Review employee leave policies, giving attention to flexible work solutions including staggered hours and telecommuting. Employ cross training so employees can help fill in and complete tasks in case of a co-worker falling ill. Establish points of contact for reporting absences. There should also be backups for these contact points. Make sure contacts know where to find answers with regard to the firm’s health plan.

    Four: Have an Emergency Plan in Place

    A good emergency plan for Ebola will include the following, non-exhaustive, parts:

    •  A way to recognize and report symptoms;
    • A method to isolate an employee who demonstrates symptoms;
    • The sterilization methods and protective equipment used to prevent the virus from spreading;
    • How workers with symptoms will get proper medical care; and
    • How any necessary information will be communicated to employees

    While the spread of any virus is a scary thing, employees knowing that their employer is taking precautions, has a plan in place and has their health and best interests in mind can provide employees with great confidence and reassurance.

    Jon Burtenshaw

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