Paper & Packaging

The production processes related to pulping paper, paper milling and paper packaging all require multiple tasks coordinated by a series of specialized machines and equipment that frequently emit high-end industrial noise.

Paper and packaging workers are exposed to continuous high industrial noise from the woodchippers used to reduce the raw material into fibers, the hammer mills designed to achieve optimal consistency, and the paper presses and rollers, where paper is compressed to sheets. Every stage of the production process involves machinery that generates high industrial noise that threatens workers with Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL).

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that potentially damaging noise levels put 18 million workers at risk and produced 14,500 cases of work-related hearing loss. Like many occupational injuries, work-related hearing loss is preventable when controls are implemented, proper protection is provided and required standards are followed. 

Multiple hazards exist for paper and packaging workers on the job; however, noise and hearing loss are not considered as critical as other dangers like slips, trips, and falls. Because hearing loss is more gradual and not typically immediately noticeable, it is less recognized than other injuries.

Hearing damage is preventable, but it cannot be undone. There is no surgery or cure for noise-induced hearing loss. Repeated exposure to high noise levels, such as working near woodchippers, hammer mills, presses, rollers, and high-speed conveyors, can all lead to permanent hearing loss or tinnitus. 

The U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) requires manufacturing industry employers to provide hearing protection to their employees when noise exposure equals or exceeds an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) of 85 dB(A) or more.

There are a variety of different machines, equipment and activities on a paper and packaging site that can create significant and harmful noise levels, particularly with long-term exposure. Another important consideration when choosing the proper headsets to support paper and paper milling process, are certified intrinsically safe devices that help paper mill workers avoid the risk of explosions, since paper dust is highly combustible.

That is why providing workers with Sensear’s proper noise-canceling headsets is critical to mitigating the serious risk of hearing loss. 

Reducing high-noise levels to safer decibel dB(A) levels to protect paper and packaging workers is only part of the mission at Sensear to keep workers safe on the job. In addition to our industry-leading noise-reduction headsets, we also provide workers with 360° situational awareness of their environment.

Sensear’s range of Two-Way Radio and/or Bluetooth^® Headsets and Earplugs are powered by groundbreaking SENS^® (high noise communication) Technology that elevates speech and suppresses dangerous background noise so workers can hear speech and stay protected in high-noise environments. The result is increased job site safety with enhanced communications and vital 360° situational awareness.

Workers can have seamless conversations whether they are face-to-face, connected via short range, or on their two-way radio or Bluetooth-enabled devices, all while protecting their hearing using high-quality, noise-canceling headsets. Sensear headsets also provide protection and clear communications between operators inside vehicles and throughout the milling or processing facility.

Sensear offers a variety of headset solutions to provide the best protection for workplace communication and safety, including dual-protection headsets where exposures may exceed 95 dB(A), intrinsically safe headsets for volatile environments, and in-ear bone conduction headsets that are ideal for workers required to wear respirators, but who still need to communicate effectively.

Sensear is the perfect solution to protect hearing for paper and packaging workers.

With some of the best hearing protection solutions for paper and paper mill applications, Sensear is solving high-noise communication problems for many of the world’s leading manufacturing companies.