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 system test both ears in under 5 second across 7 frequencies. The noise reduction provided by the hearing protector is measured directly and objectively and provides and accurate quantitative assessment, without the need for the employee to listen or respond to the test signals.

When selecting the appropriate hearing protection it is key that they offer the best fit and meets the needs of the wearer. Use the Hearing Protection Advisor to help find the best solution for you.

Hearing Protection Advisor

1. 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 do not have to rely on subjective test responses.

2. Run the test for Personal attenuation rating (PAR)
   The 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 results are documented for each test subject for future reference.
3. Workers self-fit their won earplug or earmuffs
   Workers fit the probed version of their hearing protection themselves and in less than 5 seconds, the system generates a personal attenuation rating (PAR) that indicates a workers noise reduction levels for their current fitting.
   Advantages: Self fitting reflects the individuals fitting method and indicates if additional training is necessary using the EARfit system to educate the wearer on how to fit their hearing protection equipment.