General Shop Safety - General Safety
 

Head, Face, and Hearing Protection

The head, face, and ears are continually exposed to potential dangers when working around machinery in an industrial setting. Personal safety equipment is the last line of defense against the hazards that exist in an industrial setting.

Hearing Safety

Many manufacturing processes are very noisy and can result in permanent deafness if suitable precautions are not taken. For example, hand grinders and punch presses produce very high noise levels. Also, people using a pneumatic chisel or power saw are likely to be exposed to noise levels that can seriously damage their hearing.

REMEMBER: The danger is irreversible - a hearing aid will not replace lost hearing.

Types of Hearing Protection

There are several types of ear protectors:

1. EAR PLUGS:  These fit inside the ear canal and can be reusable or disposable according to the manufacturer's instructions. They may sometimes be attached to a cord to prevent being lost. Ear plugs may not be suitable for people with a history of ear problems (Figure 1).

Figure 1  Disposable ear plugs are made of soft, noise-absorbing foam.
2. Canal Caps:  These have soft rubber caps attached to a headband that presses them into the openings of the ear canals (Figure 2).


Figure 2  Canal Caps are an acceptable alternative to ear plugs.
3. Earmuffs: These are normally hard plastic cups, with sound-absorbent filling, that fit over the ears and are sealed to the head by cushion seals (Figure 3). They need to be pressed to the head either by a headband or by special fittings attached to a safety helmet. To avoid any interference with other forms of PPE, it is important to note that most headbands can be worn over the head or the chin or around the back of the neck according to the manufacturer's instructions.


Figure 3  Earmuffs provide the greatest degree of ear protection.

Selecting Hearing Protection 

There are three main things to consider when selecting hearing protectors:

  1. Will they give sufficient protection? The frequency, content, and volume of the noise must be considered. For construction plant noise, data should be obtained from the manufacturer or supplier. The data, plus any site measurement data obtained by employers, should be used along with performance data supplied by manufacturers. The information should be used to ensure that the equipment is suitable.
  2. Are they right for the working conditions? If processes are dusty or dirty, soft plugs, which need to be molded by hand, could lead to ear infections unless good personal hygiene is observed.
  3. Are they right for the wearer? Long hair or thick spectacle frames may prevent the muffs from forming a close seal to the head, reducing the muffs' effectiveness.

Using Hearing Protection

Hearing protectors will only give proper protection if they fit, are worn properly, and are used whenever the wearer is exposed to high noise levels. The more comfortable they are, the more likely it is that workers will use them properly. Taking them off even for a short time when noise levels are high can quickly allow hearing damage to occur. REMEMBER: Hearing protectors that don't fit, don't protect!

Eye Protection

Many machining processes present a risk of injury to the eyes and face. For example, protection will be needed against flying chips or particles when using a disc cutter or cartridge-operated tools, against arc eye and molten metal splash when using welding equipment or hot cutting metal, and against corrosive or irritant chemical splashes when working with epoxy resins and concrete.

REMEMBER: Personal protective equipment (PPE) is always the last line of defense; wherever possible use face shields and machine guards.

Types of Equipment 

There are many types of eye and face protectors available, for example, spectacles, face shields, and goggles. (Figure 4).

Figure 4  Safety glasses, safety shields, and goggles provide important eye and face safety and should be used whenever the type of job requires eye or face protection.

The table lists eye and face protection devices and gives examples of their use.

APPLICATION  TYPICAL PROTECTION NEEDED
Simple hand tool operations using
hammers, punches, and chisels		 Safety spectacles with toughened lenses and side screens (available with prescription lenses for those who wear glasses)
Using power tools for hand grinding, disc cutting etc. Safety goggles, face shields, or visors

Hot work- for example, welding, and angle grinding.

 Fixed eye shields

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