Industry – Risks and prevention of hearing damage

In a busy factory, production is running at full speed. Machines hum, metal parts clatter together and heavy vehicles thunder past. Amid the noise, workers move fast and focused, accustomed to the constant noise that fills their workday. Yet beneath this frenzy lurks a silent danger: the constant noise that comes at them every second of the day. Without adequate protection, this noise can insidiously damage their hearing, resulting in hearing damage.

In this article, we discuss what hearing damage means, its impact and how it can be prevented in the industry. In addition, we provide recommendations on how to use PPE.

What is Hearing damage?

Hearing damage occurs when the hearing organ, particularly the hair cells in the cochlea of the inner ear, is damaged by prolonged exposure to loud sounds or sudden, extreme sound spikes. Sounds as low as 80 decibels can be harmful and can lead to hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or other hearing disorders. This can happen all at once with extremely loud sounds, or gradually, if you listen to loud sounds too often or for too long. (GGD leefomgeving, 2024) Starting at 80 decibels, the employer is required to provide hearing protection, and starting at 85 decibels, the employee is required to wear it.

Risks of Hearing damage in Industry

Hearing damage is one of the most common and underestimated occupational diseases in industrial sectors, such as factories, construction sites, shipyards and manufacturing facilities. Workers in these environments are often exposed to sounds well above safe limits. In many industrial environments, decibels can reach as high as 100 decibels or more – comparable to the sound of a chainsaw or jet engine at a distance. Prolonged exposure to these sound levels without protection can cause permanent hearing damage.

Irreversible

One of the biggest risks of hearing damage is that the process is irreversible. Once the tiny hair cells in the inner ear are damaged by too many or too loud sound waves, they cannot repair themselves. The resulting hearing loss is permanent. It can manifest as difficulty understanding conversations, especially in environments with background noise, constant hearing of a beep (tinnitus), or even complete deafness in one or both ears. Workers often do not notice the deterioration of their hearing until too late because the process is gradual.

Safety risks

Hearing loss in industrial sectors poses significant safety risks. Workers with impaired hearing may miss warning signs, such as approaching machinery or alarm signals, increasing the likelihood of accidents. This can jeopardize not only their own safety, but also that of their colleagues on the shop floor. Reduced alertness due to hearing damage can have serious consequences in these environments, but hearing protection that muffles too much can also pose a danger if it prevents workers from hearing warnings from co-workers or if other signals such as an alarm bell can no longer be heard or cannot be heard adequately.

Prevention of Hearing damage

1. Noise Reduction in the Workplace

• Maintenance of Equipment: Regular maintenance of machines to prevent unnecessary loud noises.
• Design and Planning: Optimizing the workplace so that noisy machines are at a safe distance.

2. PPE

• Hearing protection: Requiring earplugs or ear muffs in noisy areas. These must fit correctly and meet standards for proper attenuation of harmful noise levels.

Our recommendations:

MOLDEX M4 611001 EARMUFF WITH HEADBAND Art. No.: 3.18.611.00	MOLDEX M5 612001 EARMUFF WITH HEADBAND Art. No.: 3.18.612.00	MOLDEX CONTOURS 7400 EARPLUG Art. No.: 3.18.740.00	MOLDEX MELLOWS 760001 EARPLUG Art. No.: 3.18.791.00

• Training and Education: Make workers aware of the risks of hearing damage and the proper use of protective equipment.

3. Monitoring of Noise Levels

• Noise measurements: Measure noise levels regularly to determine if safe noise limits are exceeded.
• Audiometric Testing: Annual hearing tests for employees to detect early signs of hearing loss.

Need help?

Want advice or additional information on which PPE is suitable for working in noisy industrial sectors? Contact us today on T. +31 (0)181 47 50 00. Our enthusiastic team will be happy to tell you more!

Cut Resistance: The Sharp Side of Safety in the Manufacturing Industry

Safety is paramount in any manufacturing environment, especially in the manufacturing industry where workers are exposed to potentially dangerous situations on a daily basis. An essential aspect of this safety is protecting workers from cuts, a common risk when handling sharp materials and tools.

The manufacturing industry includes all companies and processes involved in making stuff. This can be anything from cars and electronics to clothing and furniture. It’s all about transforming raw materials or parts into finished products that people can use.

In these industries, where machine work and handling sharp tools are everyday occurrences, ensuring cut safety should be a top priority.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the standards that are important when selecting cut-safe gloves for use in the manufacturing industry. We will cover various aspects, including European standards such as EN 388:2016+A1:2018, which assess the performance of protective gloves against mechanical hazards. We will also provide examples of gloves that meet different cut classes, ranging from light protection to heavy industrial applications.

Cutting hazards: risks of hand injury

In the manufacturing industry, employees face a variety of cut protection risks. Some of these risks include:

• Machines and tools: The use of machines and tools increases the risk of contact with sharp edges of metal parts.
• Materials: Processes in the manufacturing industry, such as handling metal materials or glass, increase the risk of contact with sharp edges.
• Work Environment: Manufacturing work environments can include sharp edges and rough surfaces.

In general, workers in the manufacturing industry are constantly exposed to various cutting hazards, and proper hand protection is critical to prevent cuts and ensure workplace safety.

Standards around cut resistance

EN 388:2016+A1:2018 – Protection against mechanical risks.

This standard defines performance values for the resistance of gloves to mechanical risks such as abrasion, cut, tear, puncture and, where applicable, impact. Below the pictogram are four numbers and two letters indicating the performance level for a specific risk.

In standards EN 388, the “X” stands for “not tested” or “not applicable” to a specific feature of the glove. This means that the feature in question has not been assessed according to the standards testing methods. For example, if a glove is rated 3X43C, this means that the glove has not been tested for cut resistance, but has been tested for abrasion resistance (3), tear resistance (4), puncture resistance (3) and cut resistance according to EN ISO 13997 (C).

EN ISO 13997: Cut resistance

In many cases, work gloves refer to different cut class levels, with these classes corresponding to performance levels A through F as defined by the EN ISO 13997 standard. It is a convenient way to quickly understand what level of protection a glove provides without having to go into detail about the testing methods and results.

• Cutting class A
  Minimum cut risks, for example in finer inspection and assembly work.
• Cutting class B
  Slight cut risks, for example in light industrial tasks where workers come into contact with sharp-edged materials such as packaging materials.
• Cutting class C
  Moderate cutting risks, in environments where employees are exposed to high cutting hazards.
• Cutting class D
  Significant cutting hazards, for example when working with heavier machines and tools, such as industrial cutters or heavy knives.
• Cutting class E
  High cutting hazards, in very heavy industrial applications such as when cutting high-density glass panels.
• Cutting class F
  Very high cutting risks, for example specialized industrial applications such as when working in metalworking or performing precision cutting.

Cutting classes in practice
We do not carry cutting class A as cut resistant gloves, as they only protect against minimal risks. We show a glove for cutting classes B through F, to give an idea of the different options available depending on the degree of cutting risk:

CUTTING CLASS B	CUTTING CLASS C	CUTTING CLASS D	CUTTING CLASS E	CUTTING CLASS F
OXXA® X-Diamond-Pro 51-770	uvex C500 foam	OXXA® E-Mission-Prime Cut D 52-720	Showa S-TEX 581	Ansell HyFlex 11-542
Art. No.: 1.51.770.00	Art. No.: 1.91.445.00	Art. No.: 1.52.720.00	Art. No.: 1.11.556.00	Art. No.: 1.90.215.00

Need help?

With a good understanding of the risks and available protective equipment, companies in the manufacturing industry can create a safer and healthier work environment for their employees. Want advice or additional information on the right products? Contact us today at T. +31 (0)181 47 50 00. Our enthusiastic team will be happy to tell you more!