Galliford Try Highways is mandating use of on-site active hearing protection from 1 July 2020 as part of a clampdown on noise induced hearing loss (NIHL).
The move to safeguard employees and sub-contractors from one of the most commonly reported occupational diseases in Europe, combines PPE with noise monitoring and 'hear through' technology developed by EAVE to allow wearer to continue to hear environmental sound which would otherwise be blocked by passive hearing protection techniques.
Highways work is almost unique in requiring construction and maintenance operatives to be aware of ambient noise.
Galliford Try Highways is deploying smart headsets to monitor and map noise exposure, and display information on worker exposure across a site in real-time via a cloud-based software platform.
Mark Bridges, Health and Safety Manager at Galliford Try Highways, says: "We have a duty to provide our workers with the best possible protection against hazards.
What we’re trying to do is create a movement for change in the industry.
"A lot of the team on site really appreciate putting their hearing protection on and still being able to hear their environment.
When you ally this with the ability to constantly monitor their exposure, the benefits of Eave’s approach are really apparent."
David Greenberg, Eave CEO, adds: "We’ve been working with Galliford Try’s highways suppliers to ensure they are ready for the 1 July, with the correct protection in place for workers. It’s been inspiring to work with Mark as we share a similar passion to go beyond the bare minimum to protect the hearing of workers in hazardous noise.
"In today’s digital world when the technology available can do so much more to properly protect workers, we need to take action."
