a little noise about noise reduction ratings -.PPTVIP

November 16, 2007 ALN about NRR ALN about NRR - A Little Noise about Noise Reduction Ratings Presented at the 2007 “Tidewater LS AIHA Fall PDC” on Nov 16, 2007 by Christopher D. Jones, MS, CIH NAVMEDCEN Portsmouth, IH Department BACKGROUND Think back, way back, to your early career education in industrial hygiene or safety, to the time you first heard about the hierarchy of controls BACKGROUND Remember them? Engineering controls; then Administrative controls; and finally Personal Protective Equipment We are all pretty comfortable with this method of prioritization to respond to occupational stressors in our workplace when we are assessing personnel exposures to odds and ends BACKGROUND For some reason, it is second nature for us to recommend an engineering control for paint mist before we jump on a respirator …. BACKGROUND But we forget all about this when we are dealing with noise; put plugs in their ears or muffs on their head is often choice #1, not choice #3 BACKGROUND If we put someone in a half mask respirator for protection against dust, what is the assigned protection factor for that mask/filter combination? Ten - regardless of respirator manufacturer If, on the other hand, you put earplugs inside the ear canal of an employee, what is the assigned protection factor for that plug? It depends on who made the plug WHATS AN NRR? The EPA requires that HPDs be labeled with their noise reduction rating, the NRR; a single number rating of the hearing protection; the higher the NRR, the higher the attenuation for a specific ideal situation (The Occupational Environment - Its Evaluation and Control, aka., the White Book, AIHA, 1997) Two kinds, A = the one on the box; and B = a subject/fit NRR, a special one, hard to find Test frequencies = 125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 3150, 4000, 6300 and 8000 Hz WHATS AN NRR? The NRR doesnt provide an accurate estimate of the true attenuation provided to the wearer, because it can be affected by fit, insertion techn