Rank: New forum user 
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Good afternoon, Currently reviewing the hearing protection within a noisy workshop environment, and have just put a ban on wearing ear pods. A suggestion was tabled reference the use of bluetooth enabled ear defenders, looking for feedback on this subject as my first thought is a 'no', does anyone have experience of this?
Thank you
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Rank: Super forum user
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Why do they want them? I have seen them used to transmit messages where the noise outside the ear defender is such that it would drown out that kind of thing. If they are wanting them to play music then i would say its the same as an ear bud, you have no idea what levels they are being subjected to and may create two much isolation form the environment around them.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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What "legislation" are you looking for? In an ideal scenario workers and noise would be segregated. In some workplaces the use of radio receiver hearing protection is far more beneficial than having employees racking up the volume on workshop radios to be able to hear music over the equipment - the devices being designed not to generate excessive volume at the listeners ear. This is very much the case where assessment indicates the use of hearing protection should be mandatory. There is a distinct mental health benefit from hearing something other than process noise day in & day out a matter often overlooked by managers working in office environments. In older times there would be tell tale wires protruding from under the cups of hearing protection as employees used personal stereos to relieve boredom.
Now we have ear buds and smartphones covert use is much more difficult to control but these newer products do at least come with warnings during use of increasing volumes too far. Using the bluetooth enabled hearing protection at least gives the company some control over the permitted volume whilst in-use unlike the situation with a users own buds.
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 2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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What "legislation" are you looking for? In an ideal scenario workers and noise would be segregated. In some workplaces the use of radio receiver hearing protection is far more beneficial than having employees racking up the volume on workshop radios to be able to hear music over the equipment - the devices being designed not to generate excessive volume at the listeners ear. This is very much the case where assessment indicates the use of hearing protection should be mandatory. There is a distinct mental health benefit from hearing something other than process noise day in & day out a matter often overlooked by managers working in office environments. In older times there would be tell tale wires protruding from under the cups of hearing protection as employees used personal stereos to relieve boredom.
Now we have ear buds and smartphones covert use is much more difficult to control but these newer products do at least come with warnings during use of increasing volumes too far. Using the bluetooth enabled hearing protection at least gives the company some control over the permitted volume whilst in-use unlike the situation with a users own buds.
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2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: Roundtuit  In some workplaces the use of radio receiver hearing protection is far more beneficial than having employees racking up the volume on workshop radios to be able to hear music over the equipment - the devices being designed not to generate excessive volume at the listeners ear. This is very much the case where assessment indicates the use of hearing protection should be mandatory.
Using the bluetooth enabled hearing protection at least gives the company some control over the permitted volume whilst in-use unlike the situation with a users own buds.
All good points, had not thought about the company providing the music signal - never seen that done. Once again the forum shows its worth but less than 3 weeks for it to go!
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Rank: Forum user
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Before my time at my present company those were issued, they do conform to the standard for hearing protection an do limit the volume but they have since been abandonded as people have left with them or they have broken and those earbuds have crept in which I detest. So for legislation you'd be looking at EN 352
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Rank: Super forum user
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EN 352 is a designated / harmonised standard that sits under the Personal Protective Equipment Regulation 2022 (from EU 2016/425) issued in ten parts: EN 352-1:2020 Hearing protectors. General requirements - Earmuffs EN 352-2:2020+A1:2024 Hearing protectors. General requirements - Earplugs EN 352-3:2020 Hearing protectors. General requirements - Earmuffs attached to head protection and/or face protection devices EN 352-4:2020 Hearing protectors. Safety requirements - Level-dependent earmuffs EN 352-5:2020 Hearing protectors. Safety requirements - Active noise reduction earmuffs EN 352-6:2020+A1:2024 Hearing protectors. Safety requirements - Earmuffs with safety-related audio input EN 352-7:2020 Hearing protectors. Safety requirements - Level-dependent earplugs EN 352-8:2020+A1:2024 Hearing protectors. Safety requirements - Entertainment audio earmuffs EN 352-9:2020+A1:2024 Hearing protectors. Safety requirements - Earplugs with safety-related audio input EN 352-10:2020+A1:2024 Hearing protectors. Safety requirements - Entertainment audio earplugs
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Rank: Super forum user
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EN 352 is a designated / harmonised standard that sits under the Personal Protective Equipment Regulation 2022 (from EU 2016/425) issued in ten parts: EN 352-1:2020 Hearing protectors. General requirements - Earmuffs EN 352-2:2020+A1:2024 Hearing protectors. General requirements - Earplugs EN 352-3:2020 Hearing protectors. General requirements - Earmuffs attached to head protection and/or face protection devices EN 352-4:2020 Hearing protectors. Safety requirements - Level-dependent earmuffs EN 352-5:2020 Hearing protectors. Safety requirements - Active noise reduction earmuffs EN 352-6:2020+A1:2024 Hearing protectors. Safety requirements - Earmuffs with safety-related audio input EN 352-7:2020 Hearing protectors. Safety requirements - Level-dependent earplugs EN 352-8:2020+A1:2024 Hearing protectors. Safety requirements - Entertainment audio earmuffs EN 352-9:2020+A1:2024 Hearing protectors. Safety requirements - Earplugs with safety-related audio input EN 352-10:2020+A1:2024 Hearing protectors. Safety requirements - Entertainment audio earplugs
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