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But it’s important to know that providing hearing PPE that over-protects a worker (ie: the hearing PPE is rated higher than the protection level determined by the workplace noise assessment) cuts out too much sound and may cause workers to experience disadvantages, such as:

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Personal hearing protectors must be regularly inspected and maintained to ensure they remain in good, clean condition. The inspections should check that:

Providing or using hearing PPE measured by the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) system is not acceptable in Australia. The NRR system is used in the USA but can’t be used in Australia because the method of testing is different from that required by AS/NZS 1270:2001.

Then, based on the workplace noise exposure levels and the target in-ear noise exposure level, the workplace assessment will determine what level of hearing protection will correctly reduce (attenuate) the noise intensity received in a worker’s ear.

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Always involve your workers in the hearing PPE selection process and offer a reasonable choice from a range of types. Where necessary, obtain professional advice when selecting.

AS/NZS 1269.3:2005 Occupational noise management – Hearing protector program recommends the class testing method is used in most circumstances

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You should set a target in-ear noise exposure level for your workers that is below the exposure standard for noise, eg: 80 dB(A). An in-ear noise level is the noise level received in a person’s ear when using hearing PPE.

The primary criterion when selecting a hearing protector is that the level of noise entering the worker’s ears (the in-ear noise level) must be reduced (attenuated) to below the criteria in the exposure standard for noise (Clause 56 of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulation 2017), which are:

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Workers and other persons, including managers and visitors, should never enter these areas without wearing appropriate personal hearing protectors, regardless of how short the time they stay in the hearing protector area.

Where sign-posting is not practicable, you should make other arrangements to ensure that workers and others know when personal hearing protectors are required.

They provide no protection at all – in fact, they actually add to the level of outside noise and contribute to damaging a person’s hearing.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) – including hearing PPE – is the least effective control in the hierarchy of controls because it:

Suppliers of hearing protectors should provide the full information on the attenuation (reduction in noise intensity) likely to be provided including the SLC80 ratings, class and octave band attenuation values. The attenuation values should be derived from attenuation measurements made in accordance with AS/NZS 1270 Acoustics – hearing protectors.

Always involve your workers in the selection process and offer a reasonable choice from a range of types. Where necessary, obtain professional advice when selecting.

If the hearing PPE is removed, even for a short time, the protection provided to the worker will be substantially reduced.

In order to get the full protection of hearing PPE workers must wear their PPE AT ALL TIMES whenever they are exposed to hazardous noise during their work shift.

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Once the hearing protection level has been determined by the workplace noise assessment, you need to provide a suitable range of hearing PPE for your workers to choose from, so they can select the type that suits them best.

Areas where people may be exposed to hazardous noise should be sign-posted as hearing protector areas and the boundaries of these areas should be clearly defined.

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Suppliers of hearing protectors should provide the full information on the attenuation likely to be provided including the SLC80 ratings, class and octave band attenuation values derived from attenuation measurements made in accordance with AS/NZS 1270:2002 Acoustics – hearing protectors.

The class of hearing protection is determined by a testing regime prescribed by AS/NZS 1270:2002 Acoustics – Hearing protectors and is marked on the packaging of the device.

For information on the SLC80 (Sound Level Conversion valid for 80% of the wearers) measuring method, refer to the Managing noise and preventing hearing loss at work Code of Practice.

Suppliers of hearing protectors should provide the full information on the attenuation likely to be provided including the SLC80 ratings, class and octave band attenuation values. The attenuation values should be derived from attenuation measurements made in accordance with AS/NZS 1270 Acoustics – hearing protectors.

Personal hearing protectors should be selected and maintained in accordance with AS/NZS 1269.3:2005 Occupational noise management – hearing protector program.

To identify what class of hearing protection, you only need the 8-hour average value to which the worker is exposed in dB(A).and then refer to Table 4 in the Managing noise and preventing hearing loss at work Code of Practice, which details the five classes of hearing PPE: