The power of human hearing should never be underestimated. It plays a crucial role in helping us navigate our surroundings, along with our eyesight. Together, they provide our brains with vital information about our location, potential hazards, and where we want to go. When either of these senses is hindered, our ability to understand our environment and move safely is compromised. That's why improving our situational awareness, especially through enhanced hearing, is considered a significant advancement for our safety and well-being.

There are over 1.64 million workers in the food processing industry who face numerous safety hazards while on the job. One of the most common hazards is the high noise levels from the equipment around the plant. In certain food processing plants, the noise can exceed 95 dB(A), making it difficult for workers to communicate effectively. Often, workers resort to removing their ear protection and shouting over the noise or seeking out quieter areas for simple conversations, which can lead to unsafe practices and downtime.

The mining industry is one of the most crucial sectors of the economy. Despite that, the industry faces unique challenges due to its remote locations, rugged terrain, and hazardous work environments. As a result, communication is essential for the sake of miners' lives, enabling companies to overcome many of these challenges and improve safety, productivity, and profitability.

Would you believe it if you were told that about 61% of mining, oil, and gas workers have been exposed to hazardous noise on the job (NIOSH, 2019)? The oil and gas industry is especially a high-risk working environment, where workers are exposed to various hazards daily, including constant exposure to extreme noise. More often than not, oil and gas workers aren't adequately protected. As such, the need for effective intrinsically safe communication and hearing protection devices in the oil and gas industry that support worker compliance cannot be overemphasized.

The paper and pulp industry is one of the largest industries in the world, with the U.S. playing a major role in its market. According to Fortune Business Insights, the North American paper and pulp industry market was valued at USD 64.51 billion in 2022, accounting for nearly 20% of the global paper and pulp market size (Statista, 2023). It is also one of the most dangerous industries globally, as paper dust is highly combustible, leading to the risk of explosions within manufacturing plants. Additionally, there are several other health hazards that can put employees at high risk but can all be mitigated. 

The steel industry is one of the largest global industries in the world, employing over 6 million people worldwide. It is also one of the louder industrial sectors, with the average noise exposure ranging between 85-92 dB(A) from various equipment including compressors, machine grinders, jets, and hammers. The noise generated by hot and cold rolling mills alone can reach up to 110 dB(A).

Industry leaders in every field value the importance of safety for employees and managers. This emphasis on safety is even more important in fields that include extremely high levels of occupational noise exposure, such as mining or oil and gas. However, in these extremely loud environments, traditional methods of hearing protection just don't provide enough noise reduction. That's where double hearing protection (DHP) comes in. 

“What?! What did you say?! I can’t hear you!” Is this a typical occurrence in your oil or gas operations? Industrial noise in an oil or gas operation is a concern for all employers, with noise levels reaching up to 110 dB(A) or beyond. Studies have shown that the prevalence of hearing loss among oil and gas workers can be as high as 27% depending on their work environment. Beyond the on-the-job safety concerns of noise and the impact it has on hearing loss, there are long-term health effects that go well beyond hearing impairment. The CDC reports that hearing loss is the third most chronic physical condition in the US, outpacing diabetes and cancer. Studies have also shown a substantial increase in an individual’s likelihood of developing Alzheimer's or dementia as the severity of hearing damage increases.

A noisy environment is one of the main stress triggers for employees and leads to reduced productivity. In high-noise environments, sounds coming from machinery or equipment produce high or extreme noise levels that can adversely affect communication between workers. Common practices like shouting at others or asking them to talk loudly are barely effective. If employees cannot alert each other, accidents can occur and cause injuries. As OSHA requires workers to wear hearing protection in environments where noise reaches or exceeds 85 dB(A), workers run into issues by removing their hearing protection when they need to communicate with one another. Most employees have a critical requirement to communicate with colleagues and traditional hearing protection headsets restrict the workers' ability to communicate. Therefore, workers need a solution that provides the correct level of hearing protection, while allowing employees to communicate and have situational awareness. 

Workers employed in the recycling and solid waste industry face many hazards that can lead to serious injury, illness, or death because of their daily exposure to harmful substances and the use of hazardous machinery.