EarCovered at work

Disadvantages of not wearing hearing protection

Hearing protection is not worn enough at work and that despite all the efforts a company makes. Not wearing hearing protection has disastrous consequences:

• both for the individual (hearing loss, ringing in the ears, ear and headache, cardiovascular disease, reduced mental well-being, …)
• as for the company (greater risk of accidents, less productivity, more absenteeism, …)
• and society (major health care system burden).

Step-by-step plan to motivate employees to wear hearing protection

We want to provide a solution to this problem by providing effective methods and techniques tailored to the company. We will do this during a 2-year trajectory financed with a TETRA program (VLAIO).

• STEP 1: First we examine the possible reasons/determinants of (non-)use. For this purpose, in our previous research we designed a questionnaire in the form of an assessment instrument (AI) to gauge the (non-)use of hearing protection within the company. Both the input of the employees/shift leaders who work in noise and the input of the prevention adviser/management are important here. The AIs originated both from the literature and from practice after focus discussions and interviews with employees and prevention advisers in ten companies. In the first pilot projects in January and February 2022 ten companies will implement the AI.
• STEP 2: Based on the answers, we will formulate change goals (March – April 2022).
• STEP 3: The selection of methods and techniques is discussed in the second project year. During the second testing grounds (September - November 2022) the practice will test them.

Guide with findings for businesses

All findings are poured into a user-friendly and accessible implementation guide . In this way, companies can themselves initiate a sustainable behavioral change with employees who work in a noisy environment .