Hearing protection in South Africa: Making the right choice is essential

There are many types of hearing protection in South Africa which are suitable for different situations and if you work in or are passing through high-noise level areas you need the right level of protection. It is important to strike the right balance between the need to adequately protect your hearing from dangerous noise while not compromising your ability to hear and communicate. The below chart gives you an overview of which uvex earplug may be suitable based on the noise level.

How do I find the right hearing protection?

First of all, you have to ask yourself: Do I need earmuffs or plugs? To find the answer to that question, our "A question of safety" video should prove to be helpful.

What level of protection do I need?

The short answer: noise level – SNR value

Noise levels in the workplace must be measured first in order to determine what level of protection is required. The Health and Safety professional or external qualified service providers should conduct tests using approved test equipment. The continuous noise level and, if necessary, the peak emission noise level are measured, enabling a noise profile to be recorded. Appropriate hearing protection can then be selected using the SNR method.

The objective when choosing suitable hearing protection is to achieve an effective residual noise level of between 70 dB and 80 dB for the wearer. If the protection level is too high (over-protection), this can result in the inability to communicate and the risk of not hearing critical messages, instructions, or signals.

Example: Noise level 100 dB – uvex xact-fit, SNR 26 dB = 74 dB

Every ear is different

All ear canals vary in shape and size, so earplugs must be able to provide the right fit. For this reason, uvex offers a variety of options for hearing protection, which are suitable for different shapes and sizes.

For help selecting the right hearing protection for your workplace, please fill out the below form and we will get in contact with you.

Handling earplugs for hearing protection

Range

disposable hearing protection plugs

Outstanding safety for one-time use: uvex disposable hearing protection plugs offer excellent wearer comfort when worn for long periods.

reusable ear plugs

Readily available and easy to clean: uvex reusable ear plugs with hygiene box are reliable companions for your everyday work.

Use

To guarantee optimum hearing protection, uvex disposable hearing protection plugs must be used correctly.

disposable hearing protection plugs

(1) Briefly roll down uvex disposable hearing protection plugs.

(2) Put your arm over your head and move the ear slightly upwards to straighten your auditory canal. This achieves a better fit.

(3) Insert plugs and hold them in place while they expand. If they are not visible from the front, then they are in the right position.

reusable ear plugs

(1) Take uvex reusable earplugs by the handles and place the cord around your neck.

(2) Insert uvex ear plugs into the auditory canal, applying gentle pressure.

Hygiene

In dirty working environments, particles can easily stick to the surface of materials and cause minor injuries in the ears.

disposable hearing protection plugs

Please dispose of uvex disposable hearing protection plugs after each use.

reusable ear plugs

(1) Easy to clean with uvex damp cleaning cloth.

(2) Alternatively, clean them with water and mild soap.

(3) Dry them and store in the uvex hygiene box when not in use.

Video

disposable hearing protection plugs

reusable ear plugs

Introduction to uvex eLearning: Annual Hearing Conservation Training

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss is the most common occupational injury experienced globally!

Although preventable it still affects millions of employees annually. Why is this? At uvex we believe that this is due to a lack of knowledge and access to training, especially to those exposed to high noise levels whilst on the job. This is why the local Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act no. 85 of 1993) and the Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Regulations therein (section 4.2) instruct employers to conduct annual hearing conservation refresher training for their employees.

To achieve compliance with the act, employers need to conduct the training and keep a record of their employees that have attended the training on file for years to come.

uvex safety is all about protecting people and has consulted with occupational hygienists, audiologists and the local South African government to create a free online eLearning hearing conservation training solution for all customers to protect their employees, achieve compliance, keep records thereof, and ultimately reduce NIHL injuries in their organisation.

The training content is local, and covers all criteria stipulated by the OHS Act (85 of 1993) and the NIHL regulations. Locally filmed videos and a short easy quiz makes the learning process simple for all audiences. Upon completion uvex will send individual certificates per employee by name, surname, company name, and identity or employee number in a digital pdf format. The training takes approx. 25min to complete and should be retaken annually by all employees exposed to high noise levels as determined by your noise assessment. The training is completely free to all uvex safety hearing protection customers.

Learn more about Hearing conservation eLearning Registration (uvex.co.za)

Now also available in Zulu

FAQ

What is the use of ear protection?

Working in noisy environments such as factories, mines, and construction sites can have detrimental effects on your ears and can cause noise-induced hearing loss. Making use of ear protection ensures that you do not suffer from these negative effects.

What are the three types of hearing protection?

uvex South Africa offers three types of hearing protection to ensure your ears remain protected from noise damage. We offer disposable earplugs, reusable earplugs, and a variety of earmuffs.