Dual Hearing Protection: When 1+1 ≠ 2
Brad Witt
Dual protection is overused, and in many cases, detrimental in hearing conservation efforts.
In a recent hearing conservation audit I attended, the safety manager described the plant’s policy to ensure adequate protection from hazardous noise by saying, “We want to make sure our workers are protected in noise, so we require dual protection for every worker.” While the intent is commendable, the outcome typically falls short of the desired goal of safeguarding the workers’ hearing.
