2022 NHCA Annual Virtual Conference

This presentation introduces hearing protection fit testing on workers (n=1197) in three different factories in China. The 3MTM E-A-RfitTM Dual-Ear validation system was used to measure the Personal Attenuation Rating (PAR), on eleven different models of Hearing Protection Devices (HPDs). The subjects who did not achieve the minimum required attenuation would receive intervention voluntarily. A survey was used to collect the subjects’ general information, information related HPDs use, and attitudes toward HPDs use. Result shows that PARs varied widely among individuals, and there were significant differences in PARs of workers in the three factories, the reason of which may be due to the hearing conservation management system and the attention characteristics of the HPD used. The males, under the age of thirty, with college education or above and five to fifteen years of service, achieved higher PAR values in the field fit testing than the others. In addition, the main reasons for failure in the test were improper fitting and inappropriate selection of hearing protectors. One-on-one intervention together with fit testing were shown to improve the PARs, which shall be essential to hearing protection.