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Posted By Joanne Laing
Our production site became a mandatory hearing protection zone with the introduction of the amended noise action levels - and has been in force since the middle of last year.
Since then i have had 3 employees refuse to wear hearing protection as they have had ear infections.
we provide various different types of hearing protection to all employees, from disposable inserts to ear muffs, along with disposable ear muff pads to absorb sweat. Everyone has revieced training and instruction - but still people are saying they are getting ear infections.
Has anyone had any similiar incidents - and how did you tackle it?? Any help would be appreciated.
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
Joanne
You have not said whether one particular type of protection is common for the problem. Check this out.
It sounds like a hygiene problem exists - either the disposable elements are being worn too long, or re-used or the cups are not being cleaned regularly. You need to be seen acting quickly before the rot sets in and people start to refuse the use of protection and you have a major HR issue as well.
Bob
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Posted By Merv Newman
I've had this come up with respiratory protection.
Provide disinfectant wipes for cleaning hands and equipment before and after use, (new ear-plugs should come in sealed plastic bags, not just little cardboard boxes) clean storage and, of course, no sharing.
with ear-plugs I'm not sure if it is infection or irritation. If the latter then employees should be allowed to alternate between plugs and headphones.
Moulded individual ear-plugs with electronic filters are the most effective and comfortable. I think they are also cost-effective over the long term.
Merv
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Posted By Bob Thompson CMIOSH
There is another avenue to explore, there is a commonly occurring condition called otitis externa which about 70% of the population experience at some time of their lives. This is a type of exma found in the ear and is usually responsible for the earache folks some times get. However this condition is made worse when the ears are not allowed to breath. This could be the reason for increased infections amongst your work force especially if they are in dry or dusty conditions. I would suggest that you refer anyone experiencing these problems to occy health or the like to have it checked out. If it is the case that they have this condition you will have a problem on your hands as it is unlikely that any hearing protection will be suitable.
Regards Bob
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Posted By Joan Blease
I was an Audiologist (ENT Department)with the NHS for 17 years and have worked as a consultant in industry for the last 17 years trying to prevent occupational deafness. I am therefore fully aware of the medical aspects of occupational deafness and why your employees should/must wear hearing protection to prevent permanent damage.
I am also aware of the reasons (real and made up) of why people dislike wearing hearing protection and how you can encourage them to use them.
In the meantime, I would suggest "tool box talks" by an occ health professional who could also carry out aural inspections along with general advice. If you let me have your email address I will send you more information
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Posted By Crim
Do the people who complain about ear infections wear head/earphones for listening to music?
Just a thought.
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Posted By Merv Newman
OK, there are two parts to this.
One is the people who genuinely suffer from severe reaction to wearing ear plugs. Ear muffs are the cure for that.
Second is those who react to the discomfort and the communication problems. Discipline and habituation are the cure there.
OK so I'm being the nasty.
We put the emphasis not on going deaf after 35 years in an 80+ dBa environment but on the stress and fatigue suffered by everyone who works in a noisy work area every day.
Short term certain and important consequences compared to long time maybes.
Merv
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Posted By Joan Blease
I agree with most of what you have written Merv.
People fall into 3 groups - those who have "no problem" with wearing hearing protection, those who don't like wearing it (for what ever reason) and a very very small proportion of people who genuinely contract an ear infection after wearing hearing protection (usually inserts).
The latter (those who genuinely have an ear infection) in my experience, are usually those people who have had a history of ear infections - perhaps as a child.. An ear infection - otitis externa or otitis media (discharging ears) can be caused by bacteria and "dirty" ear inserts could introduce the bacteria into the ear canal. But, as I have already mentioned this happens to a very small proportion of employees. I have tested the hearing of tens of thousands of employees over the years and before carrying out the test I would carry out an aural inspection (look down their ears. In my experience, whilst inspecting many many ears, I have come across very few employees who have had an ear infection caused solely by wearing hearing protection
Now onto Occupational Deafness. I would be careful about thinking that deafness occurs after 35 years in a noisy environment. Being an Audiologist with over 34 years of experience (18 years in industry) I can tell you that a noticeable hearing loss can occur in some employees after just 12 months of being subjected to noise. During my training to become an Audiologist I was told that people had either "tough or tender ears". In other words, some people could work in a noisy environment for many years and do not acquire any significant loss to their hearing. Whilst someone else - doing the same job in the same environment - will suffer from a horrendous hearing loss. Unfortunately, when you have established which is which it is too late !! Also remember that a tempory threshold shift (TTS) to a persons hearing can happen after hours or some times minutes of working in noise –depending on how loud the noise is. This TTS can clearly be seen when carrying out a hearing test.
Hearing conservation is quite simple, but it needs to be carefully handled if it is to succeed. Again, if anyone needs help please email me and I would be more than happy to give you as much help as possible.
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Posted By Bob Thompson CMIOSH
fully agree Joan, I am just in the process of having a BAHA fitted due to not being able to tolerate bi lateral aids due to malignant otitis externa. I would make the point to Merv that muffs are not necessarily the answer for ear infections as it is the absence of air flow and overheating that compounds the problem. Muffs will exasperate this.
Bob
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Posted By Joan Blease
Bob, I totally sympathise with you, you must have been through agony with it. Ear problems and associated infections are not only very painful but very debilitating.
I also agree with you regarding the wearing of ear muffs.
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Posted By Bob Thompson CMIOSH
thanks for that, I was welding for 17 years, but only wore earplugs for the last five. If folk new what they were letting themselves in for we would not have to argue the point about ear protection. I have been hospitalised 3 time for a weeks duration due to abscesses caused by hearing aids which could have been prevented by hearing protection. for the folks who have to push the message ask them how they would feel i they had their family round their hospital bed and they were critically ill just because they could not be bothered to wear ear plugs.
Regards Bob
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Posted By Glyn Atkinson
Has anyone considered the use of a moulded ear plug that can be cleaned in a sanitary fashion at frequent intervals and also have within the design criteria a facility for hearing normal conversation in noisy areas, hence removing the opportunity of removal of hearing protection with grubby hands then replacing after receiving instructions?
There are several quality firms supplying this type of hearing protection, not cheap, but very effective, removing lots of reasons for non wearing of the PPE.
A change from disposable plugs or sweaty earmuffs.
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Posted By Merv Newman
Glynn,
I'm far from being a specialist but I do recommend moulded/filtering ear plugs for employees.
Joan, I think we agree on the three categories of employees, and that infections are fairly rare. irritation is more likely.
I only used the "35 years" as a broad generalisation. i agree that relatively short exposure can have permanent effects on some people. I use the terms "fragile" and "resistant" to distinguish between those who can/cannot support high levels without apparent harm.
Bob, you are right about ear muffs and airflow. It's the only time I suffer from sweaty ears. I suggest them to avoid direct physical contact with the ear canal.
Personally I have a set of the "spring loaded" ear plugs (on a plastic arm) which I keep in a plastic bag next to my wallet. And clean with an alcohol wipe at the end of the day. I really dislike the foam "screw in" plugs supplied by most employers.
The OTHER point is, I know that hearing loss is always put down to exposure at work but there are so many other factors in our lives which expose us to high noise levels. (what was the dBa level in the pub where you spent four hours last Saturday night ? If you had to speak loudly to make yourself heard then I will bet it was over 95. Equivalent to 2 or 3 days (depends if you use 3 or 5 for doubling) at 80 dBa.
Add that to 5 days unprotected at 80 then you are likely to go deaf. According to current thinking and legislation.
Merv
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