Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Alternative field methods for measuring hearing protector performance.

John R Franks1, William J Murphy, Dave A Harris

  • 1Hearing Loss Prevention Section, Engineering and Physical Hazards Branch, Division of Applied Research and Technology, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 4676 Columbia Parkway MS C-27, Cincinnati, OH 45226-1998, USA.

AIHA Journal : a Journal for the Science of Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety
|August 12, 2003
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Neutrophil serine proteases degrade endothelial cortactin and promote extravasation.

The Journal of cell biology·2026
Same author

Munc13-4-STX7 inhibitors impair endosomal TLR activation and systemic inflammation.

Nature chemical biology·2026
Same author

Untangling Traffic Jams: RAB11FIP4 Orchestrates Cellular Recovery in Cystinosis.

Autophagy reports·2025
Same author

Nexinhib20 inhibits JFC1-mediated mobilization of a subset of CD11b/CD18+ vesicles decreasing integrin avidity, but does not inhibit Rac1.

Journal of leukocyte biology·2025
Same author

Artificial intelligence and machine learning in veterinary medicine: a regulatory perspective on current initiatives and future prospects.

American journal of veterinary research·2025
Same author

Characterizing dynamic atmosphere generation system performance for analytical method development.

Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene·2024
Same journal

Industrial hygienists: who we are, priorities, goals, limitations.

AIHA journal : a journal for the science of occupational and environmental health and safety·2003
Same journal

Comparison of emission models with computational fluid dynamic simulation and a proposed improved model.

AIHA journal : a journal for the science of occupational and environmental health and safety·2003
Same journal

Health and safety management system audit reliability pilot project.

AIHA journal : a journal for the science of occupational and environmental health and safety·2003
Same journal

Correlation between quantitative fit factors and workplace protection factors measured in actual workplace environments at a steel foundry.

AIHA journal : a journal for the science of occupational and environmental health and safety·2003
Same journal

The effect of the size of openings on contaminant control between two adjacent spaces with differing air pressures.

AIHA journal : a journal for the science of occupational and environmental health and safety·2003
Same journal

Identification of agricultural tasks important to cumulative exposures to inhalable and respirable dust in California.

AIHA journal : a journal for the science of occupational and environmental health and safety·2003
See all related articles

Field testing of hearing protector effectiveness is limited. New methods like FitCheck headphone (FCH) and FitCheck in sound field (FCSF) show promise for reliable real-world attenuation measurements.

Area of Science:

  • Audiology
  • Occupational Health
  • Acoustics

Background:

  • Real-world hearing protector attenuation testing is scarce compared to mandatory Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) tests.
  • Standardized laboratory methods like ANSI S12.6-1997 provide subject-fit data but are not always feasible for field applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate three novel field-test methods for measuring hearing protector attenuation.
  • To compare these field methods against established laboratory subject-fit data.

Main Methods:

  • Evaluated FitCheck headphone (FCH), FitCheck in sound field (FCSF), and bone-conduction loudness balance (BCLB) methods.
  • Tested 20 normal-hearing subjects using a repeated-measures design against laboratory Method B (ANSI S12.6-1997).
  • Administered tests in single-person audiometric booths common in industrial settings.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • The FCSF and BCLB methods yielded attenuations statistically similar to the laboratory Method B.
  • The FCH method showed statistically greater attenuation, but within acceptable test-retest variability.
  • Significant effects were observed for method, frequency, and interactions with gender and method.

Conclusions:

  • The FCH and FCSF methods are feasible and reliable for field testing hearing protector attenuation.
  • FCH is suitable for earplugs, while FCSF can test all protector types with additional equipment.
  • These field methods offer practical alternatives for assessing real-world hearing protection.