VeriPRO® Ear Plug
Fit Testing
August 2010
Determining Attenuation | Loudness Balance
Attenuation can be determined at threshold,
or above threshold
100
100
90
90
80
80
70
70
60
60
“Real-Ear
Attenuation
Above
Threshold”
30 dB
“Real-Ear
Attenuation
at
Threshold”
50
50
40
40
30
30
20
20
30 dB
10
10
VeriPRO allows the user
to measure attenuation
without interference from
background noise levels
VeriPRO Test Protocol
Test Sequence
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Both ears
unoccluded
Right ear
occluded
Both ears
occluded
This sets the baseline
level for each ear, and
measures any
asymmetry.
Attenuation for the
right ear is measured.
Attenuation for the
left ear is measured.
Result ~ Personal Attenuation Rating (PAR)
VeriPRO Functions
Complete
Check
● 5 freqs in
each ear
● Includes
reliability
checks
● ↑ accuracy,
↑ test time
Quick
Check
Report
Mode
● 1 critical
freq in each
ear
● Individual
● ↓ accuracy,
↓ test time
● By freq.
● Can use
with severe
hrg loss
● Historical
Fit Training
● Videos
16
17
User name
VeriPRO Step
No earplug
Earplug
inserted
Adjust the left ear
18
19
20
21
22
VeriPRO Benefits
1. Measures real-world
attenuation of ANY
earplug
2. Fulfills requirement to
‘ensure proper fitting’ of
earplugs and evaluate
their attenuation
3. On-screen training videos
4. Administered anywhere,
quiet room not required
5. Protected exposure level
and safe exposure level
calculated
23
24
25
VeriPRO® Q&A
VeriPRO Q&A
“Do Howard Leight
earplugs test better
than others?”
“Can custommolded earplugs
be used with
VeriPRO?”
“Can workers with
a hearing loss use
VeriPRO?”
“How reliable is
VeriPRO?”
“Will calibration of
VeriPRO be
available?”
“Why is 500
Hz tested
twice?”
“Why did I get a
Low Attenuation
warning?”
28
VeriPRO Internal Quality Checks
≤ 6 dB
Reliability
Report
500 Hz Retest
(Complete Check Only)
-10
dB
Movement
Attenuation
Rove
29
30
31
Real-World Studies
2007-2009
VeriPRO Real-World Studies
Field Testing with VeriPRO
8 Locations
(no pre-screenings)
100 Workers Tested
Casual Test Setting
• HPD selected by worker
• “Insert as usual”
• Training feedback
disabled
VeriPRO Real-World Studies
Variation from Published NRR
10
Published
NRR
0
-5
-10
-15
-20
-25
Distribution
-30
0
10
20
30
12
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
10
Workers
8
Workers
Difference in dB
5
6
4
2
0
-30
-25
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
Variation from Published NRR
15
20
25
30
VeriPRO Real-World Studies
Difference on 2nd / 3rd Test
Variation from NRR
10
5
Published
NRR
0
-5
-10
-15
-20
-25
-30
Subjects
Many workers improve their protection
simply by trying a different type of earplug
Pilot Study
“How well can users predict their
attenuation after a short fit-testing
training session?"
36
Pilot Study
Ability to Predict Noise Reduction
(Each subject estimated atten. for each ear)
Number of Ears
20
18
56%
16
14
12
10
32%
8
6
4
12%
2
0
Within 5 dB
category
+/- 7.5 dB
+/- 12.5 dB
(one Category off) (2 categories off)
37
Solution | Fit Testing
OSHA Alliance: Best Practice Bulletin
www.hearingconservation.org
Additional Information
www.hearforever.org
38
VeriPRO Usage
VeriPRO Implementation
1. Annual employee training
2. New hires
3. Employees with shift in
hearing
4. Extreme noise exposures
(dual protection)
39
40
Ear Plug Fit Test Methods
Real-Ear
Attenuation at
Threshold
Loudness Balance
(R.E.A.T.)
(Real-Ear Attenuation Above
Threshold)
Microphone
in Real-Ear
In-Ear Dosimetry
(M.I.R.E.)
41
Ear Plug Fit Test Protocols
Vs.
Loudness Balance
•
•
•
•
•
•
NRR
Hearing Tests
No corrections required
Worker engaged
PAR
Like REAT
F-Mire
• NRR - EPA prohibits objective
tests
• Corrections required
• Worker as test fixture
• Predicted PAR
42
Ear Plug Fit Test Methods
FitCheck
EARfit
VeriPRO
REAT
MIRE
REAAT
Very Quiet Room
Quiet Room
Anywhere
PAR
Predicted PAR
PAR
Any earplug
Selected modified
earplugs – ongoing
costs
Any earplug
User generated
training
Worker is test fixture
Built in training for
worker
Special training
required
Special training
required
Anyone can perform
43
QuietDose
In-Ear Dosimetry As
a Problem Solver
• Continuously monitors in
noise level at the workers
ear
• The only true measure of
the hazard!
44
In-ear dosimetry measures/records
worker’s actual noise dose, with and
without protection
Provides real-time monitoring and
alerts when worker
approaches/exceeds safe limits
Only metric with direct potential to
measure and prevent further
progression of occupational hearing
loss
45
QuietDose Research
46
Reducing Costs
QuietDose
Research
+ Claims
Mean hearing
threshold
and 4 kHz)2000 – 2007 (N = 46)
• Mean Hearing Threshold
(2k,
3k, (2,3,
4kHz):
Employees using continuous ESP starting in 2005
• Employees using continuous in-ear dosimetry starting in 2005
2000 - 2007 (N=46)
50
ESP Introduced
Mean HTL 3,4,6kHz
45
trend line
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Year of test
47
QuietDose
Preventive Action After NIHL
In practice, an OSHA-recordable STS is not a preventive action
It is documentation of a hearing loss after the fact.
How soon will an employee suffering NIHL be re-fit / re-trained ?
“Best case scenario” per Hearing Conservation Amendment
In-ear dosimetry “worst case”
scenario …
1 Day
• Retest
• Audiometric test
0
2
4
6
8
10
Months
12
14
• Notification
16
48
QuietDose
Off-job + On-job
=
STS
49
In-ear dosimetry as a Problem Solver
QuietDose
QuietDose Implementation
• Employees with documented noise-induced hearing loss
or Standard Threshold Shift [STS]
• Employees at-risk for NIHL
• Employee training + sampling
• Dual-protection/Extreme noise exposure
• Engineering controls
50
• Measure actual noise
dose
• Continuous, real-time
monitoring
• Notification of
pending over-dose of
noise
• Stops NIHL
51
• Expert support
• No on-going costs
• True PAR
• Test any earplug,
anywhere
• Worker involvement
creates self-efficacy
• Built-in reliability checks
52
Make Hearing
Conservation Part of
Your Everyday Life
53
Download today’s presentation at
www.hearforever.org/dukeenergy
54
55
Solutions
Lagging Indicators vs. Leading Indicators
57
Solutions
Indicators for Hearing Loss:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Standard Threshold Shift
Temporary Threshold Shift
Recordable Hearing Loss
Dosimetry
In-ear Dosimetry
Labeled NRR (derated?)
Personal Attenuation Level (PAR)
58