28 Sep Safety Update: Communication in High-Noise Environments

Source: Safety Daily Advisor

A new development at Honeywell Safety Products is aimed at workers who must communicate while wearing hearing protection.

QUIETPRO® is a Honeywell device that allows users to communicate without compromising listening quality even in high-noise environments. According to Peggy Costabile, director of global marketing at Honeywell, users can speak at a normal level and be heard without picking up environmental noises or compromising speech quality.

The device uses an in-ear headset and a microphone placed inside the ear tip, which eliminates the ambient sounds typical of external microphones. The loudness adjusts as the user walks around the workplace—as the environment gets louder, the system dampens the noise to a safe level.

QUIETPRO features an innovative internal fit testing system. Once the device is inserted and the system turned on, it performs quick calibrations to check for proper fit. The user is alerted if protection is inadequate.

Honeywell has also created an in-ear dosimetry system that monitors noise exposure during the shift and indicates if the user is being overexposed. A series of flashing lights indicates to the wearer, and to the safety manager monitoring the system, that there is an exposure problem.

Effective, 7-minute sessions providing comprehensive safety training at an average cost of $1 a day.