Advanced Hearing Protector Study Conducted at: General Motors Metal Fabricating Division, Flint Metal Center - Flint, MI, January 2004 - February 2005

摘要

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigators were requested to evaluate the use of customized hearing protection devices for comfort, acceptance, and noise reduction performance. This request came from the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources (UAW-GM CHR). The plant selected for the study was the Flint Metal Center in Flint, Michigan. With the assistance of the United Auto Workers Local 659, a total of 228 workers were recruited for a study to evaluate an advanced technology semi-custom earplug made by Sonomax Hearing Healthcare, Inc. NIOSH developed a protocol for an investigation which tested three groups of employees: (1) Group A was fit with the custom-molded earplug; (2) Group B was fit with hearing protectors already available in the plant, and was counseled on proper fitting and selection of hearing protection; and (3) Group C used protectors available in the plant but was not directly counseled regarding selection or fitting of hearing protection. NIOSH investigators made four visits to the facility in February 2004, March 2004, June 2004, and January/February 2005. Objective measurements of hearing protector performance along with the subjective evaluation of employees beliefs, attitudes, and hearing protector comfort was assessed during each visit. Individual hearing tests were administered during the first and last visits.