Sperian have introduced VeriPRO technology by Howard Leight, which ensures that the employees get the most out of their hearing protection devices. Developed in conjunction with the House Ear Institute, VeriPRO measures realworld attenuation of unmodified earplugs and can be used as a means to improve individual employee training and enhance the overall effectiveness of hearing conservation programmes.
According to Ben Elsey, Hearing Conservation Specialist, Sperian Protection Australia, VeriPRO makes it easy to get an accurate, real-world assessment of employees' earplug fit, which is essential to achieving adequate attenuation. VeriPRO provides an ideal tool to improve both individual training, which studies have shown to be the effective means of improving earplug attenuation, and overall hearing conservation programme effectiveness.
VeriPRO consists of software and an optimised headset, and utilises a three-part process to determine the effectiveness of an employee's earplug fit over a range of frequencies. The result, known as a Personal Attenuation Rating (PAR), identifies the actual protection an employee receives from the earplug in each ear, This allows safety managers to determine if their employees are receiving optimal protection, require additional training on how to fit their earplugs, or need to try a different model.
VeriPRO benefits both safety managers and employees alike. For the safety manager, it fulfils regulatory requirements for training with documented results. For employees, VeriPRO demonstrates the importance of hearing protection in the workplace, and helps employees select and compare protectors to find the ideal choice for their ears and specific applications.
Unlike other field verification systems, VeriPRO can be used with any earplug, and performed in virtually any setting. VeriPRO offers two test protocols. The Complete Check runs employees through five frequencies to determine PAR and is recommended for annual use. The Quick Check is a simplified test of earplug fit at one frequency, used as a fast and easy pass/fail check for more frequent use.
VeriPRO also includes short training videos on how to properly fit Howard Leight earplugs. Employee results are captured and stored in the program, and can be analysed to determine program trends. The VeriPRO package consists of PC-based software, an audiometrically optimised headset, audio processor, QuickStart guide and USB cable.