ORIGINAL PAPER
Noise reduction at the shooting range by means of level-dependent hearing protectors
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Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland (Department of Vibroacoustic Hazards)
Online publication date: 2019-03-07
Corresponding author
Rafał Młyński
Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute,
Department of Vibroacoustic Hazards, Czerniakowska 16, 00-701 Warsaw, Poland
Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2019;70(3):265-73
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ABSTRACT
Background: The aim of the tests was to establish the possibilities of reducing impulse noise by using level-dependent hearing
protectors at a shooting range. The tests included 9 models of level-dependent earmuffs and 2 models of level-dependent earplugs.
They were conducted in the presence of impulse noise generated by 7 types of firearms (pistols, a submachine gun, rifles, a shotgun). Material and Methods: The tests were conducted at an outdoor shooting range, using an acoustic test fixture that meets the
requirements of the ANSI/ASA S12.42-2010 standard. Noise parameters were established for the noise reaching the microphones
installed in the ear simulators of the acoustic test fixture: uncovered and protected by the tested hearing protectors. Results: All 11 tested level-dependent hearing protectors allow to satisfactorily (below the exposure limit values) reduce the C-weighted
peak sound pressure level and A-weighted maximum sound pressure level parameters of noise produced during shots from the
7 types of firearms included in the study. Moreover, in the most unfavorable case, the permissible number of impulses due to the
value of the A-weighted noise exposure level normalized to an 8-h working day parameter exceeds 5000 per day. Conclusions: Level-dependent hearing protectors constitute the appropriate means to protect the hearing of people at a shooting range, while
maintaining the functionality of these protection devices to transmit speech signals. Med Pr. 2019;70(3):265–73