Dr. Robert M. Ghent, Jr. is a research audiologist and manager of the Howard Leight Acoustical Testing Laboratory for Honeywell Safety Products, the manufacturer of Howard Leight® hearing protection products. Dr. Ghent received his B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders and M.S. in Audiology from Brigham Young University, and his doctorate in Audiology from A.T. Still University — Arizona School of Health Sciences. At the Howard Leight Acoustical Testing Laboratory he oversees the testing of hearing protectors to regional attenuation test protocols and provides ongoing research to support product development and expand the profession’s knowledge base. Contact Dr. Ghent by e-mail at: robert.ghent@honeywell.com.
Excessive noise is prevalent across industries. From manufacturing to construction, agriculture to oil and gas, more than 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous noise each year.1 Wherever unsafe levels of noise exist, employers are responsible for providing hearing protection devices (HPDs).
Any safety manager will reasonably segregate personal protective equipment (PPE) into categories based on the hazards such equipment is designed to mitigate.
