Ear Hear

ObjectivesThis study utilized personal noise measurements and fit-testing in order to evaluate the association between noise exposures and personal attenuation rating (PAR) values among participating workers, and second, to compare the attenuated exposure levels received by the workers and the British Standards Institute\u2019s (BSI) recommended noise exposure range of 70\u201380 dBA.DesignWe measured HPD attenuation among a sample of 91 workers at 2 US metal manufacturing facilities, through performance of personal noise dosimetry measurements and HPD fit-testing over multiple work shifts. We compared this testing with participant questionnaires and annual audiometric hearing threshold results.ResultsThe average 8-hr Time-weighted Average (TWA) noise exposures for study participants was 79.8 dBA (SD 7.0 dBA), and the average PAR from fit-testing was 20.1 dB (\ub1 6.7 dB). While differences existed between sites, 84% of the 251 PAR measurements resulted in effective protection levels below the recommended 70 dBA (indicating overprotection), while workers were underprotected (i.e., effective exposures >80 dBA) during