INDUSTRY-FIRST AD CAMPAIGN PUTS HEARING PROTECTION AT THE FOREFRONT

A new ad campaign recently launched by Bacou-Dalloz Hearing Safety Group is one of the first in the industry to look beyond issues of compliance and attenuation ratings to focus on one of the most important elements of any hearing conservation program – the noise-exposed workers who wear hearing protectors on the job. The “People” campaign, which features a series of people-oriented, full-page ads for Bacou-Dalloz brands Howard Leight® and Bilsom, is currently running in a number of safety publications, including Occupational Health and Safety, ISHN and OHS Canada.

“Hearing protection is about people, after all,” said Bill Sokol, vice president Strategic Marketing for the Bacou-Dalloz Hearing Safety Group. “For years, hearing protection was a numbers game with companies trying to trump one another with facts and figures about noise reduction ratings (NRRs). However, we recognize that people and the motivation to wear hearing protectors properly on the job are central to any effective workplace hearing conservation program.”

Aimed at both safety professionals and users, the new Howard Leight and Bilsom ads are linked to a special mini-website – www.hearingportal.com/people - where visitors can learn more about the “Safety Beyond Compliance” approach to selecting hearing protectors, incorporating the 4Cs factors of Comfort, Communication, Convenience and Caring. Visitors can download a PDF of a “Safety Beyond Compliance” presentation for training purposes, as well as register to receive a complimentary Howard Leight/Bilsom Hearing Safety Kit. The kit features a selection of Howard Leight ear plugs, a Bilsom earmuff, posters and other hearing safety information to enhance workplace hearing conservation programs.

“Damage from hazardous noise is cumulative and noise-induced hearing loss is permanent, however it is completely preventable,” Sokol said. “The technology exists to provide proper protection without the downside risks of physical discomfort or the inability to hear important signals or communication. Our goal is to help safety officers and industrial hygienists put this technology into its human context to improve actual worker protection.”

Since its beginnings as a one-man operation more than 30 years ago, Howard Leight Industries has grown into one of the largest manufacturers of in-ear hearing protection in the industrial market and is widely recognized as an innovator in protection and fit. Since 2001 Howard Leight has been a part of the Bacou-Dalloz™ Hearing Safety Group.