For many industrial sites, noise exposure and communication tools only get reviewed when something goes wrong, such as a near miss, a complaint, or a failed audit. Yet noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) remains one of the most common work-related illnesses worldwide. Unaddressed hearing loss is estimated to cost the global economy close to 1 trillion US dollars every year.
The good news is that NIHL is 100% preventable when noise is controlled and hearing protection is selected, fitted, and used correctly. A short, structured noise and communication checkup before year-end can help you spot gaps now and build a stronger, data driven plan for 2026.
This article walks through five practical questions to guide that review, focusing on noise hotspots, communication failures, dual protection, and overall program readiness. At each step, you will also see how Sensear high-noise communication headsets and in-ear solutions can help you close the gaps you find.
Short answer: Start with current data, not assumptions. Map where, when, and how long workers are exposed above safe limits, then align controls and hearing protection to those exposures.
Most safety teams have a general sense of their “loudest” areas, but conditions change. New lines come online, aircraft types change, data halls fill up, overtime and shutdowns increase exposure hours, and suddenly yesterday’s map does not match today’s risk.
What to review:
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends limiting worker noise exposure to 85 dB(A) as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). Exposures at or above this level are considered hazardous and call for hearing conservation measures.
If you have not updated exposure data in the last 12 to 18 months, or if your operation has changed significantly, year-end is the right time to schedule new measurements or dosimetry.
Practical prompts:
Ask yourself and your team:
Where Sensear helps:
Once you understand the noise profile, you can match it to a specific level of protection and communication capability. Sensear headsets and in-ear solutions are designed for high-noise environments with:
Tools such as the Sensear Headset Selector and Hearing Protection Calculator can help you translate noise data into a recommended device for each role on site.
Short answer: If people are shouting, repeating themselves, or missing critical instructions, you do not just have a communication issue. You have a safety issue.
Noise is not only a threat to hearing. It also interferes with the information workers need to stay safe and productive. Communication failures can appear as:
What to listen for:
During your checkup, talk to supervisors and frontline workers:
Behavior such as “lifting the cup to hear” or “slipping one earplug out” is a clear sign that current PPE is forcing workers to choose between hearing and protection.
Where Sensear helps:
Sensear solutions are built to remove that trade-off. SENS® Technology allows workers to:
At the same time, Sensear headsets and in-ear devices can integrate with:
That means you can standardize on one solution for hearing protection and communication instead of juggling separate radios, earplugs, and ad hoc workarounds.
Short answer: Double protection or dual protection (earplug plus earmuff) should be standard wherever exposures can exceed about 100 dB(A) over a shift, but only if it does not compromise situational awareness and communication.
Many industrial sites still have pockets of extreme noise such as blasting, forging, de-icing, heavy grinding or milling, or certain mining tasks. In these conditions, a single hearing protector may not provide enough attenuation.
NIOSH recommends that workers whose 8-hour TWA exposures exceed 100 dB(A) wear double hearing protection.
Key questions for your checkup:
Traditional dual protection can turn into isolation. Workers may be technically protected but practically blind to their surroundings.
Where Sensear helps:
Sensear offers dual protection headsets that combine:
For workers in refineries, chemical plants, underground mining, aviation ground support, or other high-risk environments, this lets you provide extreme noise protection while still allowing them to hear voice, alarms, and warning sounds.
Short answer: The right device depends on noise level, task, communication needs, and environment, not just the catalog description.
Regulatory guidance is clear that hearing protection must be chosen carefully, fit correctly, and used consistently to be effective. At year-end, it is worth asking whether the PPE you are issuing still matches the way work is being done.
Look at these dimensions:
1. Noise level and pattern:
2. Communication needs:
3. Environmental factors:
Where Sensear helps:
Instead of a one-size-fits-all earmuff, Sensear offers a range of solutions that you can match to each task:
All Sensear headsets also carry IP54 ratings for the headset and IP67 ratings for the noise-canceling boom microphone, which helps them stand up to the water, dust, and dirt that often defeat consumer style devices.
When you line up each role and environment against the Sensear portfolio, it becomes much easier to document that you have selected the right level of protection and the right communication capability for each job.
Short answer: A strong program combines accurate data, appropriate devices, training, and clear communication standards, and then reviews them regularly.
Your year-end checkup is the perfect time to step back and ask whether your program is keeping pace with evolving risk, regulations, and technology.
Program elements to review:
- Policy and documentation:
- Training and fit:
- Incident and near miss data:
- Technology roadmap:
Where Sensear helps:
Sensear is often brought in when companies realize they cannot keep layering radios and headsets on top of basic PPE. By partnering with Sensear, you can:
That combination of protection, communication, and user acceptance is what turns a yearly checkup into real risk reduction.
Once you have answered these five questions, you should have a clearer view of where your biggest gaps and easiest wins are. A simple way to move forward looks like this:
1. Prioritize your hotspots:
Start with areas where noise and communication issues overlap and the potential consequences are highest.
2. Match controls to risk:
Use engineering and administrative controls where possible, then confirm the right Sensear solution and level of protection for what remains.
3. Standardize on high-noise communication:
Reduce the number of ad hoc devices and non-approved workarounds by moving to a consistent platform of Sensear headsets and in-ear products.
4. Plan touchpoints for 2026:
Schedule periodic checks, such as mid-year and year-end reviews so noise and communication stay on the agenda, not just after incidents.
If your year-end checkup reveals gaps in both hearing protection and communication, you do not have to solve them alone.
A few focused steps now can help you enter 2026 with workers who can hear clearly, stay protected, and remain aware of their surroundings, no matter how loud the job gets.
How often should we review noise exposure data?
At minimum, review whenever processes change or at least every one to two years in high-noise environments. More frequent checks may be needed in dynamic operations such as construction, mining, or aviation.
When is dual hearing protection necessary?
When 8-hour TWA exposures exceed roughly 100 dB(A), NIOSH and other safety organizations recommend using both earplugs and earmuffs.
Can we protect hearing and still communicate clearly?
Yes. Sensear headsets and in-ear solutions combine appropriate NRR/SNR levels, SENS® Technology, and integrated communication options so workers can hear speech, signals, and alarms while remaining protected in high noise.