Abstract
The present American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Method for the Measurement of the Real-Ear Attenuation of Ear Protectors at Threshold is expensive and time-consuming, and the amount of protection determined with this method may be misleading in many cases. Also, this standard is restricted to the evaluation of ear protector attenuation and has no specifications on other ear protector characteristics such as durability, toxicity, and sizing. The ANSI S3-52 Writing Group is revising the attenuation measurement standard to include both subjective and physical methods for evaluating ear protectors. The IEEE Working Group 30.10 is preparing a physical method of evaluation. In addition, ANSI Writing Group Z-137 is working together with the ANSI S3-52 and the IEEE 30.10 committees to prepare an overall performance standard for ear protectors which will include nonacoustical as well as acoustical specifications.