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.
Download our guide
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 21st 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.
Socio
Impact on family life
Impact on life quality and lifestyle
Risk of alienation
Speech deterioration
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
Next steps
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. To find the right hearing protection for your workplace noise levels contact us using the quick form below:
