The wider implications of hearing loss

The reclassification of hearing protection is more than just an increase in its PPE status

The EU’s new PPE Regulation identifies workplace noise as a significant health risk, prompting a category change for hearing protection. There are much wider consequences of hearing loss which are currently not being adequately discussed that have implications to the individual, their quality of life and the impact noise induced hearing loss can have on them and their family.

Hearing protection has been changed from Category II to Category III under the new PPE regulations 2016/425 where it joins equipment designed to protect against serious risks such as falls from height, chainsaw cuts and contact with substances hazardous to health. This means that products are now classed as complex PPE which require on-going surveillance testing and not just when the CE is passed. It also escalates the severity or impact of the consequences of the risk e.g. CAT III applies to risks that may cause very serious consequences, such as death or irreversible damage to health.

The new regulation is a binding legislative Act which is applied automatically to the whole of the EU. This differs from a directive which needs to be transposed into each member states national law. The change is a wakeup call for both employers and employees who may suffer from excess noise and underlines the need for employers to communicate and consult with their workforce about noise levels.

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PPE Category	Category Description	Activity	Above-the-neck PPE Product Examples
Category I	Simple PPE - PPE designed to protect users against minimal risks	Placing product on the market – manufacturers self-declaration	Sweatbands Cold Weather Hood System Sun Capes
Category II	Intermediate PPE - PPE not covered within category I or III	Initial Product approval	Safety spectacles Industrial helmets Bump caps
Category III	Complex PPE - PPE falling under this category includes exclusively the risks that may cause very serious consequences such as death or irreversible damage to health	On-going surveillance through testing or factory auditing	Industrial helmets claiming Molten Metal and Electrical Resistance (EU) 2016/425 PPE Regulation change: Hearing Protection

What do the changes mean?

The category change for hearing protection immediately places more emphasis on the employer to correctly identify and assess the noise levels that employees are exposed to and - should the noise exposure prove to be excessive to the Control of Noise at Work Regulations exposure limits - must act upon it accordingly.

Timeframe for the new 2016/425 PPE Regulation
From 21^st April 2019 Regulation (EU) 2016/425 is fully applicable as the sole regulation covering the design, manufacture and supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the European Union.

★ The PPE regulation (EU) 2016/425 came into force	★ PPE Directive 89/686/EEC is abolished		★ PPE Directive 89/686/EEC certificates invalid
20th April 2016	21st April 2018	21st April 2019	21st April 2023
⚠ 2 year transition
⚠ Products to the old PPE Directive 89*686/EEC can still be made available
	⚠ New products must be compliant to the new PPE regulation (EU) 2016/425 and can be placed on the market with certification valid for 5 years
⚠ Non-expired certificates to PPE DIrective 89/686/EEC remain valid for products manufactuered before

Benefits of the new (EU) 2016/425 PPE Regulation

The main benefit of this change is elevating the profile of hearing protection, and therefore hearing loss, resulting in better protected wearers. It will also further help to improve the safety of the products on the market, eliminating counterfeit or poor quality products by ensuring that all PPE brought into the European market conforms to the new Regulation and is therefore to a relevant and current Standard. Where products are Category III, this will also ensure that the products continue to meet the requirements of the Standard and have not just been tested once when the product was initially submitted for CE approval.

Shared responsibility
The new Regulation will apply to the entire supply chain including importers, distributors and resellers rather than focusing just on manufacturers. All parties will be required to take appropriate measures to ensure the PPE meets the latest Standards. Importers and distributors will be obliged not to resell any PPE that they believe does not meet EU Standards, but to report it to the relevant national authority.

The wider implications of hearing loss

There are wider consequences to hearing loss which are not always discussed due to the low profile hearing protection tends to receive. These can have a big impact on not only the individual and their quality of life but also their family.

Hearing loss can cause feelings of alienation

Socio

• Impact on family life
• Impact on life quality
• Risk of alienation
• Speech deterioration

Potential loss of earnings from hearing loss

Economic

• Potential loss of income
• Reduced productivity
• Cost to the employer in individual hearing aids

Risks

• Failure to hear alarms = danger
• Failure to hear instructions = frustration

Contrary to popular belief, hearing loss is not inevitable. It can be prevented by identifying the exposure levels, reducing the risk of harmful noise at source or by wearing adequate and suitable hearing protection which has been backed up by support and training in the correct fitting and wearing.

What makes this workplace risk uniquely dangerous?

It is invisible and therefore, not always given the attention it deserves
Because hearing loss is progressive, it is harder to recognise
It is not widely known that hearing loss is irreversible
We adjust to noise - even excessive noise - which becomes the new norm
Hearing loss doesn't hurt
It is part of the aging process…… isn’t it?

How much noise is too much noise?

It is essential to protect our ears from harmful levels of noise, but how do we know what is a “harmful level”? The maximum periods of time a person should be exposed to harmful noise per day without hearing protection can be surprising:

85 dB

City
traffic

8 hours

88 dB

Bulldozer

4 hours

91 dB

Jazz
concert

2 hours

94 dB

Lawn
mower

1 hour

97 dB

Nightclub

30 mins

100 dB

Ambulance
siren

15 mins

103 dB

Rock
concert

7.5 mins

Got a question? We’re here to help

It is crucial that hearing protectors are fitted correctly and worn when they need to be otherwise we almost might as well not bother.

This is where the importance of proper information, education and training is vital for wearers. uvex offers effective training packages which highlight the health benefits of protecting employees from hearing loss.

Following a noise assessment, our professionals are available to guide you through the process of selecting the right hearing protection based on noise exposure levels and delivering training to ensure correct fitting for maximum protection and comfort.

Looking for further guidance?

Choosing the right PPE can make all the difference when it comes to safety, comfort, and compliance. If you’d like tailored advice or want to trial uvex products in your environment, get in touch via our quick contact form or email marketing@uvex.co.uk.

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