3M has created a free online service designed to help customers choose the most suitable hearing products for their workplace.
The Hearing Selector Tool software allows users to input the noise levels from their working environment into a datasheet. The selection process can then be carried out by two methods, depending on the data collected – the High, Medium, Low (HML) method can be selected if LA (at ear) and LC (peak) values have been identified, while the Octave Band Analysis method can be applied if octave band-analysis noise measurement has been undertaken.
According to 3M, the software will automatically choose products that it deems suitable for the noise level that has been entered. The items displayed in the results are colour-coded to highlight their suitability. Those marked as green represent the optimum product for the task, yellow-coded products are described as suitable for the activity, and any marked red are deemed to be unsuitable.
The products displayed by the service include the company’s full passive hearing range, comprising Peltor and E-A-R products. The website also features a presentation on hearing conservation, a noise-awareness DVD, and a free noise-check service, which is designed to allow customers to ensure that their existing hearing protection meets legal requirements.
Sue Poole, a product manager from 3M’s Occupational Health and Environmental Safety Division, said: “As a specialist in personal protection equipment, we understand how important it is to make the right choice. The added value-service tools we offer, such as the Hearing Selector Tool, not only support end users when it comes to the selection of hearing protection equipment but also results in time and money benefits by simplifying the selection process and offering customers a wider range of products to choose from.
For more information, visit www.3M.co.uk/ohes
