Hearing Protection - Needs, Technologies and Performance (Protection de l'ouie - besoins, technologies et resultats)

摘要

Noise and the associated hearing loss and degradation of communication capability have been a common and significant problem in the military among the NATO member nations. Noise related issues have continued to grow in consequence and costs. This report details the requirements of the member nations for noise exposure and the associated hearing protection needs. A presentation of the wide range of military continuous and impulse noise environments and methods for their measurement is also presented. The combination of noise exposure criteria, noise levels, and exposure times can be used to calculate noise dose and determine the amount of noise attenuation required. Each type of currently available and emerging hearing protection technology including active and passive earmuffs and earplugs, level dependent earmuffs and earplugs, and communication earplugs, headsets, and helmets along with their attenuation performance is presented in the report. Additionally, new technology areas including techniques to reduce bone conducted noise and tactical hearing protectors for ground soldiers are presented, and the issue of laboratory versus field attenuation of hearing protectors and standardized methods for measurement of attenuation are addressed. Finally, guidance is given on hearing protection selection factors and criteria along with a summary and recommendations for future work.