Abstract
Although regulations limiting noise exposure in the workplace apply to individuals who wear communication headsets as part of their employment, no standard method for measuring this type of noise exposure has been available. A system for conducting this type of measurement has been developed. This system is indirect in that the electrical signal to the headset is measured after the transfer functions of the headset, ear, and a dosimeter microphone are applied to the signal. The resulting electrical signal is then inputted to a conventional dosimeter. While this approach requires that the transfer function of the headset be determined before a field measurement, it eliminates the need for a probe microphone in the wearer's ear. The transfer function of the headset (its effectiveness in generating sound) is measured using an acoustic manikin head. A significant number of headset brands and models have now been tested with this system in the laboratory, and the system is currently being used in the field. Theoretical and practical details of the system are discussed, along with general results of the tests that have been conducted.
