3M Hearing Protection Fit Testing

Hearing protective equipment is a Category 3 piece of PPE, like respiratory protection. If you fit test your respiratory protection, it would be good practice to fit test your other Category 3 PPE where equipment is available.

3M™ E-A-Rfit™ Dual-Ear Validation System uses a proven technique known as Field Microphone in Real Ear or F-MIRE to measure how well the hearing protector is working for each employee. The noise reduction provided by the hearing protector is measured directly and objectively, without the need for the employee to listen or respond to the test signals.

The selection of the appropriate hearing protector with the best fit is key to find the hearing protection solution that fits your needs. Use the Hearing Protection Advisor to help you find your best hearing protection solution.

Hearing Protection Advisor

1. Workers self-fit their own earplugs or earmuffs.
   In less than 5 seconds, the system generates a personal attenuation rating (PAR) that indicates a worker's noise reduction levels for given fitting advantage: Reflects an individual's fitting methos and indicates if additional training is necessary in hearing protection fit testing.

2. Connect to the unique dual-element microphone.
   The microphone measures the noise reduction of each earplug or earmuff as worn by the workers across the wide range of industrial noise frequencies. Advantage: Objectively tests 7 frequencies in under 5 seconds per ear, so you don't rely on subjective test responses.
3. Run the Test for Personal Attenuation Rating (PAR)
   Patented system and proprietary algorithms quickly analyse real-ear data to provide the PAR and fit variability. Advantage: PARs can assist in determining if the level of hearing protection your workers are getting is appropriate to their work environment. Documented results: Easy-to-understand test restuls are documented for each test subject for future reference.