Direct and indirect methods for the measurement of occupational sound exposure from communication headsets

The measurement of sound exposure for individuals using communication headsets and headphones in the workplace imposes many technical challenges, and it has been difficult to integrate such measurements in national and international standards on occupational noise exposure. This paper reviews existing methods to measure sound exposure directly under listening devices, including the use of specialized acoustic manikins, artificial ears and real-ear procedures, and the associated field logistics and data analysis procedures. An alternative indirect calculation method is proposed that uses the main determinants of exposure as input parameters into the assessment, such as the external noise around the user, the attenuation of the device, and the user’s listening signal-to-noise ratio. The advantages and disadvantages of the different methods are discussed. Together, they form the basis for a set of four measurement methods and one calculation method on assessing occupational sound exposure from headsets and headphones under consideration by a technical Working Group of the Canadian Standards Association