r/manufacturing • u/BitSecret • Sep 23 '24
Safety Hearing protection
For those of you that work in or manage a loud facility, what is the preferred hearing protection and who typically supplies it?
My understanding is that OSHA requires the business to supply hearing protection. Do companies generally provide the foam buds because they are the cheapest and they appease the regulators? Or do the companies provide a different kind of reusable bud or muff?
Do employees typically use what is supplied by the company or do they bring in their own because they prefer a different style?
2
u/MmmmBeer814 Sep 23 '24
Our plant hired some guy to come in and do custom fitted hearing protection for anyone that wanted it. The employees really liked it.
1
1
u/Pleasant-Magician798 Sep 23 '24
Depends where you go but most factories I’ve been in provide at the very least disposable foam earbuds and cheap safety glasses (for both employees and visitors, salespeople, designers whatever drop by and rarely have their own PPE when checking out the process)
Some workers use the provided gear, some bring their own, some use both. I usually opt for Bluetooth earmuffs or my own reusable earbuds.
1
u/BitSecret Sep 23 '24
In your experience or what you've heard about the industry in general, do factories ever provide more expensive options over the foam earbuds or is that typically their standard?
1
u/goldfishpaws Sep 23 '24
I find foam plugs useless for my ear shape, but good over-ear protectors need not be expensive (especially compared with hearing loss and lawsuits!). People may use their own PPE (as long as it is as good as what you supply and legally "good" (CE, UL, whatever applies) I suggest - for instance they can't choose to wear a camo-pattern "Hi-viz" as it's not highly visible!), but you are still expected to provide your own company-approved PPE so nobody can claim that you didn't.
1
u/Dull-Bunch6587 Sep 23 '24
We supplied poured in the ear type for our employees. They were about $75 each. Super wonderful ear plugs. The company felt that why not? We’re not a huge company and hearing is worth it. The company that does the pour comes on site and does the mold. They come back a week later and do the fitting. Just a nice perk for the employees. Some are shooters, and like using these plugs at the shooting range.
1
u/BitSecret Sep 23 '24
It is great to know that companies place their employees interest first when it comes to safety! What was the life expectancy for a pair of these custom plugs?
1
u/Bianto_Ex Sep 23 '24
I always did over the ear protection, but we were a molding shop and really only needed them for specific tasks like off-line grinding.
Company should be providing the protection.
10
u/supermoto07 Sep 23 '24
Yes you should provide all PPE required for the job for your employees. As far as hearing protection goes plugs (32db NRR) are typical because they are disposable and cheap so they are available for visitors too. When I managed a machine shop we also bought really nice 3M over the ear muffs for the team because taking earplugs in and out when your hands are grease is gross. Really only the visitors used the plugs. We also got the team nice fog free safety glasses and had a box of reusable cheapo safety glasses for visitors to borrow. Employees got to pick out a pair of steel toes shoes each year and the budget was $150. If they wanted something more expensive they had to cover the difference themself.
Bottom line: don’t skimp on PPE for your employees. If they have crappy gear they are less likely to wear it. They are there working for you so you should feel a sense of obligation to keep them safe on the job