Hi Renata – can we use noise cancelling headphones in place of earmuffs as hearing protection? I feel noise cancelling headphones provide better protection from the noise.
Your employer has a broad duty of care under s.21 of the OHS Act to ensure that your workplace is safe and healthy – this includes ensuring that your hearing is protected in noisy workplaces. The specific risk of noise is covered at r.34 of the OHS Regulations.
According to the Regulations, your employ must ensure that no employee at your workplace is exposed to noise that exceeds the noise exposure standard, and where high risk noise is identified must follow the Hierarchy of Controls to eliminate or reduce the noise exposure. Wherever possible your employer must, so far as is reasonably practicable, eliminate the source of noise. Where elimination is not reasonably practicable, they must reduce the noise exposure through substitution or engineering controls, if reasonably practicable to do so – e.g. substitute quieter plant or equipment, use physical engineering controls such as noise absorbing surfaces. If the employer has implemented substitution or engineering controls and a noise hazard still exists, then they must utilise administrative controls to reduce the noise exposure – e.g. limiting the time employees are exposed to noise by rotating tasks to quieter areas.
If all higher Hierarchy of Control methods are not effective in eliminating or reducing the noise hazard, employers needs to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) – e.g. earmuffs or earplugs.
The Compliance Code: Noise provides guidance to employers on how to comply with their duties and obligations under the OHS Act and Regulations, but offers no definitive insight into the earmuffs v earplugs debate and does not mention noise cancelling headphones. It does offer the following:
When selecting hearing protectors, an employer must consider the nature, level and duration of noise and the systems of work at the workplace. OHS Reg r34(6)
It is important to provide adequate protection without overprotecting. Overprotection makes useful sounds such as warning signals hard to hear and can put an employee’s personal safety at risk.
When several employees are exposed to identical sources of noise at the workplace and their exposure is likely to be the same, employers should select hearing protectors for those employees by taking into account the factors listed above in respect of one or more of those employees. OHS Reg r34(7)
Employers need to also consider:
- whether they comply with AS/NZS 1270 Acoustics – hearing protectors
- the suitability for the type of working environment and the systems of work. For example, earplugs are unhygienic when rolled up and inserted into the ear with dirty hands; in these circumstances earmuffs are more appropriate. However, earmuffs can be uncomfortable to wear in hot environments and can make it difficult for the employee to wear a helmet
- the comfort, weight and clamping force of the personal hearing protector
The individual fit of personal hearing protectors to the user is critical for optimum protection. Wearing additional work equipment (e.g. hard hats, dust masks and eye protection) may affect the performance of a hearing protector. The fit of hearing protectors needs to be checked while the user is wearing regular work equipment. Employees wearing spectacles need to be fitted with hearing protectors while wearing the spectacles.
Personal hearing protectors need to be selected and maintained in accordance with AS/NZS 1269.3 Occupational noise management – hearing protector program. Good quality hearing protectors will generally include information about how to maintain them. Employers need to involve employees in the selection process and offer a reasonable choice from a range of types. It is important that the hearing protector chosen is worn at all times in noisy areas.
Obviously, one of your employer’s primary concerns with the use of noise-cancelling headphones may be that employees would use them to listen to loud music or other audio that could present a distraction or prevent workers from hearing alarms, voices, sirens etc. The development of policy and training to ensure that such devices are used safely would be an essential step to ensure that you are not introducing another hazard.
As HSR you have rights and powers to initiate a discussion with management in your workplace about the option of noise cancelling headphones.
Things to focus on when selecting noise cancelling headphones for a working environment:
- The means of noise reduction – active via technology v passive via physical blockage
- Sound quality – improved ability to hear voices and alarms v reduced quality due to muffling
- Individual fit
- Noise reduction rating (NRR) – the NRR of earplugs can vary, depending on the type of material used and how well they fit in the ear. Some high-fidelity earplugs can block out as much noise as 30 decibels, while others might only block out around 15-20 decibels. On the other hand, noise cancelling headphones typically have an NRR of around 20-30 decibels.
- Compliance with AS 1270: Hearing Protectors
Consult with the other HSRs in your workplace so that you can address this issue collectively and consider contacting your union organiser for support and guidance. Your union may have encountered this question elsewhere amongst their members and may be able to provide more industry-specific information to you.
If you have any questions about OHS we encourage to fill out an Ask Renata query and one of our officials will get back to you shortly. Alternatively give Ask Renatabot a try!