❺ Photographing the fitting status of earplugs❻ Determining the effectiveness of sound insulationinsulation❼ List of other earplugsIN THE BACKYARDOn the Front Lines of Technology DevelopmentWith its revision of existing guidelines, the first in 31 years, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has finally begun to focus on improving occupational health against noise-induced hearing loss. An innovative application currently being developed by the New Market Development Group is expected to contribute significantly to this effort.Interview and article by Ryosuke Kobayashi / Photo by Yuki Akaba❶ Noise hazard education for workers❷ Hearing test (without earplugs)❸ Explaining how to wear earplugs❹ Hearing test (with earplugs)Screen display and resultsTo evaluate the effectiveness of earplugs, a worker’s hearing needs to be measured using a device. Measurements are taken once again for the worker wearing earplugs. The difference between the values for the naked ears and when wearing earplugs obtained from the two measurements is used to determine the effectiveness of the earplugs and whether they fit correctly. The data obtained can be combined with additional information such as the department to which the individual is assigned and years of service for use to create a company-wide occupational health management system.Report on earplug fit test resultsThe final report on the results shows the pass or fail of the earplugs. If failed, users will be advised to switch to earplugs with appropriate noise reduction ratings (SNR values) and/or to wear earplugs correctly.How to wear earplugs correctly—a poorly understood concept Unless earplugs fit correctly, working in a noisy environment can lead to hearing impairment. This app considers fitting as a key factor in preventing noise-induced hearing loss and provides detailed descriptions on how to wear earplugs.An unprecedented app that addresses the first revision of the guidelines in 31 yearsThe project began when Takeshi Nakaichi of the New Market Development Group learned that many people, espe-cially at small and medium-sized businesses, were working in noisy environments without wearing earplugs.“Regulations require workers to wear masks to prevent exposure to dust and harmful substances—the mask fit tests are also required to ensure the masks fit each individual’s face,” says Aoi Takeda, who is working with Nakaichi on developing the Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Prevention Navigator. “In contrast, earplug regulations are lagging. Rion has explored extensively the theme of preventing noise-induced hearing loss. This project started with the desire to develop a fit test for earplugs as one of our initiatives.” 14Behind the Scenes in Developing Noise-induced Preventing Noise-induced Hearing Loss by Integrating Key Elements into a Single System
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