3M helps tackle workplace hearing loss.

3M, the diversified technology company, develops hearing products specifically aimed at the food manufacturing industry, to try and help prevent workers suffering from workplace hearing loss.

Hearing loss caused by exposure to noise at work continues to be a significant occupational disease. Some 170,000 people in the UK suffer deafness, tinnitus or other ear conditions as a result of exposure to excessive noise at work1.

Although occupational noise-induced hearing loss is a totally preventable condition, once the damage has been done there is no way of reversing the effects.

3M recently launched the Oprime Alert System, which is a portable sound measuring system that helps customers select the appropriate type of hearing protective equipment for use in particular areas. The meter is deployed at an employee's work station and indicates the average noise level in that area and the type of protection likely to be required. A colour coding system enables safety officers to choose the appropriate hearing protection option quickly and easily.

3M has a range of hearing protection designed specifically for the food industry, which are hygenic, metal detectable and can be readily cleaned.

The E-A.Rsoft Metal Detectable disposable plug, for example, offers optimum comfort due to its soft, smooth construction, coupled with maximum protection for high noise environments. Added benefits for the food industry include it being non-food blue and containing a blue metal detectable cord and an integral stainless steel ball.

Two reusable ear plugs complete the range of plugs ideal for food manufacturing industry. Tracers offer a convenient option as they simply insert into the ear and fit most ear canals comfortably. They also incorporate an easy to see, fully metalised non-food blue vinyl cord. The newest addition to the range is the Tracer 20, which is ideal for lower noise levels (83 dB(A)-93 dB(A)) as it offers an attenuation of SNR 20dB.

During a typical year, almost tire per-cent of food manufacture workers suffer from ill health caused by of made worse by work, more than twice the number suffering from a reportable injury at work2. Hearing loss is one of the main causes of ill health and regulations state that workers must be provided with hearing protection on request when noise levels reach or exceed 80db(A). It is compulsory when levels reach 85db(A).

Some typical noise levels associated with common tasks in the food industry include:

* Wrapping, cutting wrap, bagging, etc.: 85-95dB(A)

* Milling operations: 85-100dB(A)

* Blast chillers/freezers: 85-107dB(A)

* Packaging machinery: 85-95dB(A)

* Product impact on hoppers: 90-100dB(A) (1) HSE (2) HSE

Contact 3M on tel [phone] (UK) of visit www.3M.co.uk/cleverthinkingatwork