01-27 GENERALS WINTER25 FINAL EDIT (JAN 25) - Flipbook - Page 10
HEALTH & SAFETY
blocking critical sounds. When selecting
products, look for solutions that limit
sound to safe levels rather than cutting out
audio entirely during loud events - this
ensures better continuous situational
awareness.
Let’s protect our hearing to be
able to listen to the sounds we
love to hear.
While these hearing protectors can be
an effective way to reduce exposure to
hazardous noise, they provide the same
amount of noise reduction regardless of
the environmental sound level. So, when
the noise quiets down, workers may have
more noise reduction than necessary,
which may lead to overprotection.
The Risk of Overprotection
Overprotection can occur when workers
use hearing protection with more noise
reduction than necessary. While the goal
is to reduce harmful noise exposure, overly
high attenuation may block too much
sound - preventing workers from hearing
alarms, warning shouts, or approaching
vehicles. As noted in CSA Z94.2-14,
Section 9.8.24, “Individuals wearing an
HPD that provides too much attenuation
can feel isolated from the surrounding
environment...”
Consider offering a range of hearing
protectors so employees can reduce their
average time-weighted noise exposure to
the recommended 75–80 dB range without
feeling isolated.4
Improving Awareness with
Environmental Listening Technology
Electronic hearing protectors with
environmental (ambient) listening features
allow users to remain aware of their
surroundings while staying protected.
These devices reproduce safe ambient
sounds and automatically reduce the
amplitude of loud noises, maintaining
optimal protection without completely
10 the generals • WINTER 2025/2026
Hearing Loss Affects More than Hearing
We all love different sounds: the sound of a
child’s laughter, a cat’s purring, a 昀氀owing
river, a bird singing, music or a car’s 昀椀nely
tuned engine. All of us have just one sense
of hearing, so we should protect it because
hearing loss causes many additional
consequences.
Hearing loss makes communication
much harder. People with signi昀椀cant
hearing damage often withdraw from the
society, as they cannot participate fully,
even in a simple conversation. It’s a life
without bird songs that leads to loneliness
and depression. Let’s protect our hearing
to be able to listen to the sounds we love to
hear.
¹ Neitzel R, Stover B, & Seixas N. 2011. Longitudinal assessment of
noise exposure in a cohort of construction workers (Table 1). Annals
of Occupational Hygiene, 55(8):906-916.
² Elizabeth A. Masterson, PhD; P. Timothy Bushnell, PhD; Christa L.
Themann, MA; Thais C. Morata, PhD, “Hearing Impairment Among
Noise-Exposed Workers — United States, 2003–2012.”, April 2016.
[Online].
3 AIHA, “Focus Four for Health”, 2020. [Online].
4 Canadian Standards Association (2014). Z94.2:14(R2022) Hearing
Protection Devices – Performance, Selection, Care, and Use.
5 3M PELTOR Communications Solutions, University Case Study
on worker productivity. Victoria Joanf and Ajdin Sadikovic. Lund
University Faculty of Engineering (LTH) in Sweden.
Additional Resources
Canadian Standards Association, Z1007:22
Hearing Loss Prevention Program
3M Company, Reducing the Risks of Hearing Overprotection
3M Company, The Challenges of Construction Noise Exposure
THEGENERALS.NET
Courtesy of 3M Personal Safety Division
often considered an annoyance or an
obstacle to communication than an
important health hazard. Noise induced
hearing loss is among the most common
work-related illnesses in the United
States. Each year approximately 30
million U.S. workers are exposed to noise
loud enough to damage their hearing.”3
Construction sites transition from
extreme levels of noise to relative quiet,
very quickly and quite often. Due to the
extreme noise levels, safety managers
commonly provide conventional passive
earplugs and earmuffs with a high noise
reduction rating (NRR) for their workers.
Enhancing Coordination with Two-Way
Communications
Many job sites bene昀椀t from integrated
two-way communication capabilities,
particularly where teamwork and
coordination are critical. Clear
communication between equipment
operators, spotters, and teams can reduce
errors, prevent accidents, and even
improve productivity.5 Some workers may
already use radios with lapel microphones
or cellphones for team coordination.
Integrating audio communication directly
into hearing protectors - or choosing
protectors with built-in two-way radios
- can simplify work昀氀ows and help to
enhance safety.
