1. CSA STANDARD ON HEARING PROTECTION DEVICES
NHCA
CSA STANDARD ON HEARING PROTECTION DEVICES Z
A. Behar – Ryerson University
D. Shanahan - CSA

2. Presentation Contents
1. NATURE OF THE STANDARD
2. HISTORY OF THE STANDARD
3. PREVIOUS STANDARD (1994)
4. WHY A NEW STANDARD?
5. PRESENT DRAFT
6. WHAT’S NEXT?

3. A STANDRD THAT IS NOT “MEASURING” BUT BASICALLY AN “APPLICATION” ONE:
full title: Z
HERARING PROTECTION DEVICES –
PERFORMANCE, SELECTION, CARE
AND USE

4. HISTORY OF THE Z94.2 STANDARD
Editions published in:
1974
1979
1984
1994
2002
and .
* CSA Standards must be revised every 5 years.

5. WHY A NEW STANDARD? A. PROBLEMS WITH THE PREVIOUS VERSION:
i) Users familiar with the NRR, not comfortable
with the Class system
No NRR derating guidance
No discussion on new developments including FAES
Structure not user’s friendly

6. B. NEW DEVELOPMENTS: i) New ANSI attenuation testing standard
(ANSI S )
ii) New ISO Standard with 3 different
rating scales (ISO )
- Octave bands
- HML
- SNR

7. CSA-Z94.2-14 Dec. 2014 Edition An All New and Greatly Improved
CSA Standard!

8. Test procedures and classification
Only one test to be performed:
- Force Measurement (for muffs and semi inserts)
Sound Attenuation test performed as per either
a) ANSI S3.19 – 1974, or
b) ANSI/ASA S (Method B)

9. Measurement of Threshold of Hearing
ANSI S3.19
“Real Ear” Measurement of Attenuation
Over a Range of Frequencies (125 – 8,000 Hz).
Measurement of Threshold of Hearing
(with and without protectors)
OPERATOR HELP DON PROTECTORS!

10. Measurement of Threshold of Hearing
ANSI S12.6 (Method B)
“Real Ear” Measurement of Attenuation
Over a Range of Frequencies (125 – 8,000 Hz).
Measurement of Threshold of Hearing
(with and without protectors)
SUBJECT DONS PROTECTORS!

11. From the measurement results following procedures in the
USING METHOD IN ANSI 3.19
From the measurement results
- Classes A, B and C
and
- NRR
are calculated
following procedures in the
previous Standard .

12. SNR(SF16) From the measurement results a Single Number Rating
USING ANSI S12.6, METHOD B
From the measurement results a Single Number Rating
SNR(SF16)
is calculated.

13. Selection, of Hearing Protection Devices
Important Sections:
Types of HPDs
Sound attenuation
i) Reasons for not achieving lab results
ii) Derating approaches

14. iii) Attenuation at frequency extremes
iv) Effectiveness (duration of wearing HPDs)
v) Double protection
vi) Overprotection
Specialized HPDs
FAES

15. Certification friendly (example
in Annex)
Expanded Annexes
Requirement for use of octave
band calculation for Lex >105 dBA

16. Selection of Protectors:
a. CLASS A, B or C
b. Single Number Rating
c. SNR(SF84)
d. Octave-Band Computation

17. (Percentage of NRR achieved)
DERATING OF NRR
(Percentage of NRR achieved)
Plugs: 50%
Muffs: 70%
Dual protection: 65%

18. Correction when measuring ambient
noise level in dBA:
- 3 dB.
Aplicable to NRR and to SNR(SF84)

19. 75 - 80 Good Table 4: Protection Outcome
Resulting sound level Protection outcome
Insufficient
Acceptable
Good
Overprotection

20. Other Sections deal with:
- Fit, Care and Use
- Implementation (of the HPDs program)

21. Hearing protection programs to be part of a management system
Recommendation:
Hearing protection programs to be part of a management system
(in line with the CSA Z1007 Standard

22. Thank you!
Any questions?