SMITHFIELD, RHODE ISLAND, USA, January 5, 2010 – In many occupational Hearing Conservation Programs, solutions often become a problem – a seemingly endless cycle of behaviors and tactics that yield minimal results and little real-world data.

A new free white paper case study titled “QuietDose™ In-Ear Dosimetry is a ‘Foundational Element’ of Dixie Industries’ Safety Program” details how the Chattanooga, Tennessee, specialty forging and assembly operations company, was able to use new QuietDose in-ear dosimetry to break that cycle and abate an OSHA citation.

For over a decade, Dixie Industries spent over $1 million on more than 30 different engineering and administrative control projects to achieve an overall noise reduction. Yet, a noise control problem persisted and Tennessee OSHA cited the company in 2005 for excessive noise. Instead of returning to the cycle of controls, Dixie Industries sought to apply cutting edge QuietDose in-ear dosimetry from Howard Leight® to obtain more and more precise information about its worker noise exposures – and abate the citation.

QuietDose is the first noise level monitoring system that uses in-ear dosimetry to measure every sound that reaches the user’s eardrum, with and without hearing protection. Dramatically more precise than existing area or personal sampling devices currently in use, QuietDose provides previously unattainable and highly precise data points on accumulated noise dose that allow both workers and management to make the smartest, best-informed hearing protection decisions.

“From the beginning, we made the decision to use QuietDose as an instrument to collect actual exposure data and not use it as a replacement for our existing Hearing Conservation Program,” said Ed Tougaw, production manager at Dixie Industries, a division of the Columbus McKinnon Corporation, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

“The success of our in-ear dosimetry program sent a message that everyone could and should make a contribution to the overall safety environment at Dixie,” said Tougaw.

This case study details Dixie Industries use of QuietDose to:

• Compare the benefit of monitoring employee noise dose versus making capital investments in engineering noise controls to reduce specific noise levels
• Allow safety managers to monitor worker noise exposure levels to determine noise dose during their workday
• Provide personalized, accurate data to validate the success of Hearing Conservation Program and abate an OSHA citation

Download the free case study “QuietDose™ In-Ear Dosimetry is a ‘Foundational Element’ of Dixie Industries’ Safety Program” at www.hearforever.org/dixie.

About Howard Leight

About Howard Leight/Sperian Hearing Protection, LLC

Howard Leight/Sperian Hearing Protection, LLC is a leading global provider of passive and intelligent hearing protection solutions, and the founder of the HearForever initiative™. For over 30 years, Howard Leight has pursued the prevention of occupational hearing loss through innovation in hearing protection design, technology, performance and comfort, and the promotion of progressive Hearing Conservation Programs. Leading solutions include the highest attenuating Max^® single-use earplug; patented Air Flow Control™ technology for optimal earmuff attenuation; QuietDose™ personal in-ear dosimetry; and the industry-changing VeriPRO^® earplug fit testing system. Visit: www.howardleight.com.

Visit the HearForever website at http://www.hearforever.org. Follow us on Twitter (#HearForeverOrg) at http://twitter.com/HearForeverOrg and find us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/HearForever.