Even a low level of noise can be hazardous to the human ear and may have serious consequences, e.g. loss of hearing. Earplugs and other devices can prevent this and there are now apps to measure the noise level and obtain recommendations on appropriate hearing protection. The complete range of innovations in hearing protection on the personal protective equipment (PPE) market can soon be viewed at A+A 2017, the leading trade fair and congress on occupational health and safety held in Düsseldorf, Germany from October 17 – 20, 2017.
Let’s start with the good news: “When it comes to the damage a person can suffer from a noisy workplace, there has been an increasing awareness recently,” says Manfred Schuster, head of Hearing Protection at Uvex, one of around 1,900 exhibitors at A+A 2017. To reduce potential hazards, the safety engineers of companies are in close contact with manufacturers. This has also been confirmed by Joao Rosario, application engineer in the Personal Safety Division of the multi-technology group 3M, another company represented at A+A 2017. Rosario believes that this is important because “although medicine has made amazing progress in the treatment of hearing damage in recent years, it’s impossible to eliminate all hearing problems.” Preventative healthcare therefore continues to be vital, and so does the use of personal protection equipment. The latest technologies and most effective products on the market will be shown by leading suppliers at A+A 2017 and will also be highlighted at the accompanying congress, where PPE is traditionally a major topic.