Hearing protection is the least effective control measure, and should only be considered once all options to eliminate the noise at source or minimise the exposure to noise have been exhausted. You must provide hearing protection in your work if it is needed to manage noise risks, and train your workers on how to use it correctly.

Hearing protection comes in two forms: earmuffs and earplugs.

Chooosing the right hearing 

 Hearing protection has five different classes. The class of hearing protection your workers will need depends on the noise levels at your work. The higher the noise level, the higher the class of the hearing protection. It’s important that your workers wear the correct class of hearing protection, because it is designed to protect workers from specific levels of noise over specific timeframes. The figure below illustrates the hearing protection classes:

What are your responsibilities regarding hearing protection?

You must:

• Provide your workers with the correct class of hearing protection appropriate for the noise levels in your work.
• Make sure that your workers are correctly wearing and using the hearing protection when needed.
• Store the hearing protection correctly so it doesn’t get damaged.
• Make sure the hearing protection is compatible with any other personal protective equipment your workers may be required to wear.
• Make sure the hearing protection is a good fit for your workers.
• Not charge your workers for the hearing protection.
• Educate your workers on how to use the hearing protection safely, including storing, caring and maintaining it correctly.

What else do you need to do?

• Make sure that your workers are not exposed to noise levels equivalent to 85db(A) (decibels) over 8 hours, or peak noise levels of 140 db(A).
• Talk to a competent person to check if a noise assessment is needed if you’re unsure of the noise levels at your work, or if your workers have been exposed to hazardous noise levels.
• Use signs to identify areas where the noise risk exists and where hearing protection must be worn.
• Warn your workers when noisy work will be happening, so they can move away or wear hearing protection.

For more information, see our guidance on hearing protection. We’ve also designed a poster for you to use in your workplace to remind your workers when hearing protection must be worn.

You must make sure that workers receive the information, training, instruction or supervision they need to protect themselves from hazardous noise. Workers must be able to understand what you are telling them.

What information do you need to provide workers?

• The impact on their health from hazardous noise.
• How hearing can be affected by hazardous noise.
• Responsibilities of workers, managers, supervisors and Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs).
• Dangerous tasks and the level of hazardous noise they could be exposed to.
• How to identify and report hazardous noise levels.
• How to report faulty or damaged hearing protection and noise control equipment.
• How to choose, fit, wear, maintain and store hearing protection
• Where and when to wear hearing protection.
• How and when to use to noise control measures.

For more information, see our guidance on training.