Abstract
Many machine tool applications are known to generate real ear noise levels in excess of ear damage thresholds. Yet there are no practicable engineering means of controlling noise exposure levels in many cases. Thus ear defenders are a necessary part of an ongoing hearing conservation programme. It follows therefore that much contemporary concern is given by industry to the application of semi clinical audiometric testing in manufacturing environments. Further, much thought is being given to the use of acoustically satisfactory ear defenders offering adequate “real ear” attenuation. This paper outlines the more important parameters of audiometry in a typical machine tool industry and gives details of audiometric results obtained against quoted noise exposure levels.