Personal Safety Division Hearing solutions core catalogue2 3M™ PELTOR™ X Series Page 19 Choosing the right product Do you prefer earplugs (in the ear) or earmuffs (over the ear)? Do you need reusable, disposable or banded earplugs? 3M™ E-A-Rcaps™ Page 15 3M™ E-A-R™ Flexible Fit Page 13 3M™ E-A-R™ Express™ Page 14 Earplugs Reusable Yes Disposable Banded No 3M™ E-A-R™ UltraFit™ Page 14 3M™ E-A-R™ Classic™ Page 10 3M™ 1100 Page 11 Do you want a roll down earplug or a 'no touch' push-to-fit insertion? Do you need ABS impact resistant cups? Do you need 'dielectric' electrical insulation? Roll down Do you need moisture resistance? Earmuffs Do you wear them over the head or attached to a safety helmet? Headband Helmet mounted YesNo No Yes 3M™ PELTOR™ Optime™ Page 17-18 3M™ PELTOR™ Earmuff X4 Page 20 3M™ PELTOR™ Earmuff X5 Page 20 3M™ PELTOR™ Optime™ Page 17-18 NoYes 3M™ PELTOR™ X Series Page 19 No Yes Do you need a very high noise reduction rating of 37 dB? Do you wear earmuffs for extended periods of time and need extra comfort features? 2 Handed 1 or 2 Handed Push-to-fit3 3M ™ E -A -R so ft ™ Yello w N eons ™ 3M ™ E -A- R ™ Classic ™ 3M ™ E -A- R ™ Classic ™ Cor ded 3M ™ 1100 Earplugs 3M ™ O ne T ouch ™ Pr o Earplug D ispenser 3M ™ E -A- R ™ Expr ess ™ Earplugs 3M ™ E -A- R ™ Fle xible Fit Earplug HA3M ™ E -A- R ™ U ltraFit ™ Earplugs 3M ™ E -A -R caps ™ 3M ™ PEL TOR ™ O ptime ™ I Earmuffs 3M ™ PEL TOR ™ O ptime ™ II Earmuffs 3M ™ PEL TOR ™ O ptime ™ III Earm uf fs 3M ™ PEL TOR ™ Earmuff X 4 3M ™ PEL TOR ™ Earmuff X5 Hearing protection types: Disposable earplugs Push-to-fit earplugs Re-usable earplugs Banded earplugs Ear muffs SNR v dB 362828372830/3532232731353337 Noise level: < 85 dB 83–93 dB 87–98 dB 94–105 dB 95–110 dB Customer need: Corded Un-corded Application/environment: Temperature (cold/hot) Humidity Lack of hygiene facility 4 The challenges of hearing protection 40 million workers are exposed to loud noise and 13 million suffer from hearing disorders despite industry regulations*. You can advance your hearing conservation programme with a customised and comprehensive approach to the hearing protection challenge. Implementing a solution that really makes a difference begins with understanding the hazards, the regulation and the factors that impact protection. The facts The #1 Reported Occupational Health Issue: data from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work shows that noise induced hearing loss is the most commonly reported occupational medical condition in the EU. One Third of European Employees Potentially at Risk: according to the EU OSHA one third of workers in Europe are exposed to potentially dangerous levels of noise. The regulations The Physical Agents (Noise) Directive 2003/10/EC states that suitable hearing protection devices be made available at the Lower Exposure Action Value and information on the harmful effects of noise provided to the worker. At Upper Exposure Action Value suitable hearing protectors must be worn in areas where there is risk of noise induced hearing damage and entry to such areas should be strictly controlled. In addition, hearing conservation programme be initiated which may include general health surveillance and audiometric checks. The Limit Value is the absolute ceiling limit that must not be exceed at any time and can be achieved by using appropriate hearing protectors. * Source: European Agency for Safety and Health at Work Repeated exposure to loud sounds, greater than 85 dB(A), can cause permanent hearing loss and tinnitus. Other health effects related to noise include stress, anxiety, hypertension, sleep disturbance and fatigue. LEX, 8h 87dB (A) 140dB (C) Peak LEX, 8h 85dB (A) 137dB (C) Peak LEX, 8h 80dB (A) 135dB (C) Peak Limit Value Cannot be exceeded at any time. Can be achieved with HPE. Upper Exposure Action Value HPE must be used and a Hearing Conservation Programme initiated. Lower Exposure Action Value HPE must be made available on request.5 The real world concerns of hearing protection Variable Noise Levels: Every environment is different and workers can face a wide range of sound levels throughout the day and in different areas at the same facility. The Human Factor: Each person has a different shape, size and anatomy of the ear canal, so there is no one-size fits all hearing protection solution. The key to achieving optimal protection is having the best fit possible. Employee Communication: Where there is an essential need for workers to communicate or hear warning sounds it is vital that their hearing is protected from hazardous noise levels. What types of sounds require hearing protection? At home and work, it’s important to understand which sounds may cause hearing loss and require hearing protection: Decibel scale dB(A) Jet Takeoff Pneumatic Riveter Hammer Drill Rock Concert Tractor/Hand Drill City Traffic Air Conditioning Unit Electrical Transformer Chainsaw Motorcycle Lawn Mower Vacuum Cleaner Conversation Refrigerator Hum Rustling Leaves Watch Ticking 160 40 100 150 30 90 140 20 80 130 10 70 120 60 110 506 Is your hearing protection fit for purpose? Your supplier of hearing protection products Manufacturers of hearing protection products are subject to more stringent on-going quality control procedures, including quality control of products or quality assurance for the entire manufacturing site. Your users of hearing protection products Protection from harmful noise needs to be taken seriously, and using the right product and wearing it correctly is vital. The PPE Regulation recognises this and brings added confidence to users that the products they are wearing are stringently monitored for on-going compliance. As a Safety Officer what should you be aware of? Ŕ Ensure the hearing protection is fully compliant with appropriate standards and PPE Regulation Ŕ Training of workers in the correct selection of personal protective equipment is even more important since the change in categorisation of hearing protectors. Harmful noise is one of the top 3 health hazards in the workplace. Noise is now officially recognised as an irreversible health hazard in accordance with the PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 and placed in the highest risk category as respiratory protection and fall protection, for example. Implication of the change in categorisation. 3M has over 50 years’ experience of developing innovative hearing protection products At 3M we recognise the importance of providing the appropriate level of support for our customers. Whether it’s helping you choose the right products for particular hazards and working environments, or helping you keep up to date with changing legislation and the implications for your workplace.7 3M has a team of dedicated hearing technical and regulatory experts around Europe. At 3M our manufacturing processes operate to stringent quality monitoring principles required by the PPE Regulation, and our team of experts actively participate on many European CEN Standards Committees as well as trade associations such as the European Safety Federation. 3M is here to help 3M can help you fulfil your essential training requirement As with any personal protective equipment used in high risk environments, you need to be fully confident that you select the appropriate hearing protector suitable for your workplace needs. 3M can help. We offer a range of training services including: Ŕ Presentations Ŕ Seminars Ŕ Face to face demonstrations Ŕ User training videos Ŕ Webinars Ŕ Fit testing8 Noise-induced hearing loss is 100% preventable. It starts with PAR How do you decide what hearing protection you will offer to your workers? If you are simply using the SNR found on the hearing protection packaging as a guide you may not be providing accurate protection levels for every worker. Ears come in many shapes and sizes and to make sure all workers are getting the protection they need, you need to know their Personal Attenuation Rating (PAR). What’s your PAR? Every employee is different. Every job is different. Every ear is different. Finding each employee’s PAR will help you have assurance that workers’ hearing is protected and they are compliant with the law. That’s why we made the new 3M™ E-A-Rfit Dual-Ear Validation System fast, accurate and easy. Fit testing is key Get results you can trust. The 3M™ E-A-Rfit™ Dual-Ear Validation System measures the effectiveness of the earplug or earmuff inside the employee’s ear providing accurate, quantitative results. Because you can simultaneously test both ears, you have more to focus on education including the importance of fit and protection. Why 3M? As the leader in hearing protection, 3M offers a complete solution, with dual-ear and earmuff testing capabilities plus a user-friendly interface. The 3M™ E-A-Rfit™ Dual-Ear Validation System is the fast and easy way to find your employees’ PAR, because we know how important it is to make your hearing conservation program fit seamlessly into your operation. 29dB pass. A “pass” result means the hearing protection is inserted properly and provides sufficient protection for the worker’s specific job. 10dB fail. A “fail” result means the hearing protection is either not inserted properly or is the wrong type or size for the worker’s ear canal.9 Technology and support from the hearing protection experts Employee education and training The 3M global hearing experts provide valuable on-site training and seminars throughout the world, helping employers and their workers achieve their hearing conservation goals. This training is conveniently performed on-site at no cost. Whether it’s explaining attenuation ratings or regulations, or providing the motivation workers need to comply, 3M Hearing Specialists are available to help you achieve your hearing conservation program objectives. They’re experts in hearing conservation training and will work with your team to help ensure your professional workers are protected with the right hearing protection equipment for their jobs. Understanding Single Number Rating (SNR) A single number rating is the overall level of attenuation of the hearing protector across all test frequencies performed in a laboratory under ideal conditions. However, each hearing protector’s SNR may not be a good estimate for workplace noise reduction. Many factors, such as the relationship between the size of the wearer's head and size of the wearer’s ear canal, and how it fits over the ears or inserted in the ear canal, can impact how effective that hearing protector will be. That’s why it is so important to have the 3M™ E-A-Rfit™ Validation System as part of your hearing conservation program and the support of a hearing protection team with over 40 years of expertise. Innovation from the experts At 3M, we understand the challenges of the workplace, the complexities of fitting protection devices, and the importance of creating adaptable solutions for maximising hearing protection. Our innovations in noise detection, protection and validation are designed to solve real-world challenges, providing our customers with the advanced and comprehensive solutions needed to help protect workers. The 3M team of application specialists, sound engineers, and support personnel provides an unmatched level of support you can rely on to advance your hearing protection program.Next >