Hearing Protection Fit Test

Why You Should Consider a Hearing Protection Fit Test

Noise induced hearing loss is an irreversible type of hearing loss affecting the hair cells within the cochlea. Once these hair-cells are damaged due to noise they presently can't be restored. It is important to ensure that the devices you use to protect your hearing are effective. It can be easy to use hearing protection for years and not realise that it may no longer be as effective and put one's hearing at risk of noise damage. Below are some reasons on why one should consider a hearing protection fit test.

Poor fitting custom mould

The noise protection mould may have a poor fit that was never validated for it's effectiveness since it was issued.

Poor insertion of custom hearing protection

The noise protection mould may not be inserted properly as the user has never been properly instructed and therefore carried on with incorrect habits of insertion. Gaps in the ear allowing loud sound inwards can increase one's risk to having their hearing affected.

 Changing ear anatomy shape with not-updated hearing custom hearing protection.

 Over time, with custom mould hearing protection, the cartilage of the outer ear may change shape, rendering the hearing protection loose in the ear with gaps that are more accommodating of ambient noise. Ambient noise that is meant to be reduced.

How Do You Conduct a Hearing Protection Fit Test

We would need the manufacturer's report on noise reduction (attenuation) to check if the hearing protection matches up to test results as expected. The hearing protection fit test can be a useful means of verification for anyone in an industry encountering loud levels of work, e.g. noise from the construction trade, noise from factories etc. 

Hearing protection fit test calculates a Personal Attenuation Rating (PAR), which is an estimation of the noise reduction levels obtained across test frequencies in one or both ears expressed as a single number. 

The hearing protection fit test can be done 2 ways at Sonant Hearing Clinic, Kent. 

Subjective Audiometric Check (£120)

1.) We can check your hearing thresholds at various frequencies whilst you are sitting in a quiet soundproof booth using headphones alone and then with the custom hearing protection in your ears. The test is performed as a standard hearing test without hearing protection in the ears and with hearing protection in the ears. The time to conduct this test could take around 20 - 35 minutes.

Objective Real Ear Test (£200)

2.) Here we present sound to your ears from a speaker in front of you, then insert a small probe microphone into your ears. The probe microphone is very small and not uncomfortable. We measure the sound in your ears using the probe micrphone when your ears are not occluded by the hearing protection, and then measure the sound in your ears occluded with the custom hearing protection. We compare the difference between the two results (Personal Attenuation Rating  - PAR) to the manufacturer's specification. This method is more involved but doesn't rely on feedback from the user. This can take around 30 -40minutes to perform.

Lastly, after doing all the necessary steps to ensure that one has got their noise protection moulds fitted and tested properly. It's even more important to ensure that your noise plugs are worn whenever you are in an environment with high noise levels. The noise-reducing plugs/moulds wouldn't protect your hearing if you forget to wear them or leave them in the pocket!

If you work in a noisy industry or have a noisy occupation or recreation, we would advise that you have your hearing routinely tested. Contact us to arrange a hearing test on 07922 153134. 

Book with us online under Custom hearing protection or call us on 01634 479 550 to discuss further.