What are the strengths of each individual noise protector?
| Ear muffs | Earplug to be molded | Preformed earplug | Customized earplug | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economical | ••• | • | • | |
| Comfort | • | •• | ••• | |
| Training | • | |||
| Attenuation | •• | • | • | •• |
| Compatibility | •• | •• | ••• | |
| Ecological | • | • | •• | |
| TOTAL | 6 | 4 | 7 | 14 |
| [ ] Absent [•] Low [••] OK to Good [•••] Very good | ||||
Economical
Measurement of economic interest over a period of 5 years
- As we have seen, ear muffs must be changed every 2 years. Base cost of the headset is about €25 (€50)
- Moldable earplugs are of the disposable type. Two pairs/day are used with an average price of 0.16 € a pair (4200 pairs of earplugs over 5 years = €672)
- Preformed earplugs at an average price of €3.50 a pair, replaced every month (€210)
- A pair of customized earplugs and all maintenance products for 5 years, base cost €100, to which is added about €30 of maintenance products per year (€250)
Comfort
Comfort rating for a wearing time of 8 consecutive hours
Training for implementation and awareness provided to employees
Three stars were awarded to customized earplugs as some manufacturers routinely provide training/awareness. However, not all manufacturers offer this, so it is better to stay informed.
Attenuation
Range of attenuation corresponding to employees' exposure levels, helping them avoid a risk of exposure to high sound intensities, as well as overprotection. The value also takes account of the differences between the displayed values and actual values.
Compatibility with other equipment and constraints
In Table 7, only customized earplugs with a uniform response filter are given 3 stars because of their ability to enable communication and compatibility with other equipment among employees with severe hearing loss. Please note however, that this is a specific filter that can be fitted to only a small proportion of customized earplugs.
Ecological
None of the HPDs are recyclable. Not even one can be subject to a sub-cycle. We therefore analyze their composition and volume of release into the environment.