Hearing Protection Devices (HPD) are frequently used on the job and off the job to protect the wearer from hazardous and potentially hazardous noise levels. A key part of selecting the appropriate HPD is the assessment of the level of attenuation it is expected to provide the wearer compared to the workers noise exposure. The attenuation an HPD is expected to provide is based on the Australian New Zealand Standard 1270 Class and the SLC80 rating. But does this mean all workers will achieve this level of attenuation on the job? This presentation will cover the current methodology of HPD ratings, it’s limitations, selection factors for HPDs, determining personal attenuation ratings (PAR) and how to use PAR in the workplace.
