Hearing protection for the food industry and pharma
On the production line, you do not want to lose a loose object. Our custom earplugs for food and pharma have a DI filter in a metal detectable and X-ray visible version and come with a cord. They reduce line noise, while colleagues and fault alerts stay audible.
Where does the noise come from?
The occupational health and safety catalogues of the food sector do not give a fixed dB value per machine, because that depends on the line, the product and the room. They do keep naming the same sources. A measurement in the RI&E shows whether you are above 80 or 85 dB(A).
Noise sources according to the sector catalogues
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Chopping and skinning machines, cutters, saws and air knivesProduction departments in the meat sectorMeat
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Cans and glass jars knocking against each otherImpact noise in canning departmentsCanning
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Cutters, vacuum pumps, blowers and compressed airProduction of meat productsMeat products
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Crates, pallets, cooling systems and internal transportStorage and dispatchDispatch
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Compressors and shreddersCan be enclosed or placed outside the work areaBakery
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Falling productCan exceed 80 dB(A) according to the catalogue> 80 dB(A)
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Hammer mills and pellet pressesGrain and animal feed processingAnimal feed
What you need to keep hearing
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Fault and alarm signals from the lineA buzzer or beep that shows a machine has stopped or needs attention.
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Colleagues on the lineCoordinating with the operator next to you, without shouting over the machines.
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Forklifts and pallet trucksIn dispatch and during loading and unloading, internal transport drives between the people.
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Instructions and evacuationDirections from the shift leader and the evacuation alarm.
Based on the Arbocatalogus Vleessector (tackling harmful noise, noise), Arbocatalogus Industriële bakkerijen, Arbocatalogus Zoetwarenindustrie and Arbocatalogus Graan en diervoeder, all in Dutch. The threshold values are on Arboportaal, the Dutch government's website on working conditions.
What to look out for with hearing protection in the food industry
Besides attenuation, two extra questions come up in food and pharma. Can the hearing protection contaminate the product? And will the detector find it if it does fall into the line?
What the catalogues say about detectability
The Arbocatalogus Vleessector is the strictest. In the meat and meat products sector, earplugs must be detectable and attached to a cord. The catalogues for industrial bakeries and confectionery call metal detectable hearing protection advisable in the food industry.
The DI filter in our custom earplugs for food and pharma is available in a metal detectable and X-ray visible version. The custom earplugs come with a cord and clip. Test one pair on your own detection line before the rollout.
You can read how detectable custom earplugs work and what to look out for when choosing them in detectable custom earplugs for the food and pharmaceutical industry.
Hearing protection in the pharmaceutical industry
The pharmaceutical industry faces the same two questions as the food industry. Does the earplug protect against production noise, and will it be found if it does end up in the product? According to the datasheet from Dynamic Ear Company, the maker of our filters, the metal detectable and X-ray visible version of the DI filter is intended for environments such as food processing and pharmaceutical production, where no foreign object may get into the product.
The Earplugs for food and pharma come with a DI filter with 22 dB SNR as standard. The filter gives fairly flat attenuation of the low frequencies, so your colleagues and alerts from the line stay intelligible, and it attenuates more from about 4 kHz. They come with a cord, clip and case.
If you work in a cleanroom, your own quality system decides what may be taken inside and how it is cleaned. We found no occupational health and safety catalogue with requirements for hearing protection in the pharmaceutical industry. So first present one pair to QA and test it on your own detection system before having ear impressions taken for the whole team.
Custom earplugs for permanent employees
Several catalogues explicitly choose custom-made protection. In the meat sector, permanent employees get custom earplugs as a rule. The Arbocatalogus Industriële bakkerijen says the same. The Arbocatalogus Zuivelindustrie, for the dairy industry, prefers custom earplugs for employees who work above 80 dB(A) on a structural basis.
Personal custom earplugs fit the same way every shift and go home with the wearer or into their locker. There are no loose foam earplugs from a dispenser lying around.
Hygiene and cleaning
Hard acrylic is sturdy and easy to clean. That makes it a logical choice for intensive use in a production environment. Silicone is softer and more flexible, and is more comfortable for long wear or sensitive ears. Both materials are available for the food and pharma model. Clean the custom earplugs after your shift and keep them in the case. That way you do not carry dirt into the production area.
The filter gives enough attenuation and keeps colleagues easy to understand
The custom earplugs for food and pharma come with a DI filter with 22 dB SNR as standard. It gives flat attenuation of the low frequencies, so speech on the line stays intelligible. From about 4 kHz it attenuates more. The Arbocatalogus Zuivelindustrie says that hearing protection must reduce exposure to below 80 dB(A). More attenuation than that only makes communication harder. If a department is clearly louder, we choose a stronger variant from the same DI series.
What an employer in food and pharma needs to arrange
Above 80 dB(A) you provide hearing protection and give information. From 85 dB(A) wearing it is mandatory. The meat sector requires areas above that 85 dB(A) to be marked or cordoned off. 87 dB(A) is the limit value in the ear, with the attenuation of the hearing protection taken into account.
Some sectors go further. In the confectionery industry, the agreement is that employees wear hearing protection from 80 dB(A). Hearing tests are also arranged there. From 80 dB(A) they take place at least once every four years, from 85 dB(A) once every two years and from 90 dB(A) every year.
A colour per department, a logo for recognition
An eye-catching colour helps twice in production. The shift leader can see at a glance whether everyone has their hearing protection in, and a lost earplug stands out against the product and the belt. You can also choose a different colour for each department. With your logo on it, it is immediately clear that it belongs to the company.
You can read more tips to make sure everyone on the line keeps their hearing protection in at how to make sure employees actually wear their hearing protection.
Sources
- Arbocatalogus Vleessector, Gehoorbeschermingsmiddelen (in Dutch)
- Arbocatalogus Vleessector, Aanpak schadelijk geluid (in Dutch)
- Arbocatalogus Zuivelindustrie, PBM gehoorbescherming (in Dutch)
- Arbocatalogus Industriële bakkerijen, Geluid (in Dutch)
- Arbocatalogus Zoetwarenindustrie, Brancheafspraken geluid (in Dutch)
- Arbocatalogus Graan en diervoeder, Geluid (in Dutch)
- Arboportaal, wat zegt de wet over geluid (in Dutch)
Hearing protection checklist for the workplace
Six sections with checklist items on three A4 pages, from noise measurement and RI&E to information and the hearing test. Each item shows the article from the Working Conditions Decree or the Working Conditions Act, and the last page has an action list. The checklist is in Dutch.
Ear impressions without stopping production
We plan a fitting day around your shifts.
Requirements at a glance
We agree detectability, material and attenuation with QA and the prevention officer.
Ear impressions per shift
From 10 employees, we come to your site and follow strict hygiene guidelines. Employees take their turn per shift.
On siteProduction in our lab
Every earplug is custom-made in the Netherlands, in your colour and with a cord.
Handing out and replacing
Ready about three weeks after the ear impressions are taken, marked for each employee and with a case. Lost them? Then we arrange a replacement quickly.
Questions from the food and pharmaceutical industry
Is the whole custom earplug metal detectable?
The DI filter is available in a metal detectable and X-ray visible version. The custom earplugs also come with a cord. Test one pair on your own detection line before ordering for everyone.
Is detectable hearing protection mandatory?
In the meat and meat products sector, the occupational health and safety catalogue requires it, together with a cord. The catalogues for bakeries and confectionery call it advisable. For other companies, your own food safety system decides what is needed.
Acrylic or silicone in a production environment?
Acrylic is sturdy and easy to clean, which is why it is often chosen for intensive use. Silicone is softer and more comfortable on long shifts. Both are available with the DI filter.
What attenuation do they have?
A DI filter with 22 dB SNR as standard. If a department is louder, we fit a stronger variant from the same series. The filter is interchangeable, so the custom earplugs themselves do not need to be remade.
Can agency and temporary staff get custom earplugs too?
Yes. The catalogues mainly mention custom earplugs for permanent employees, but flexible workers can also have their ear impressions taken on the fitting day or later at a hearing centre in our network.