Section 2: Personal protection

If it is impossible to avoid the risks due to exposure to noise by other means, appropriate and properly fitted individual hearing protectors are made available to workers under the following conditions: 1° When exposure to noise exceeds the lower exposure values defined in 3° of Article R. 4431-2, the employer shall make individual hearing protectors available to workers; 2° Where noise exposure equals or exceeds the upper exposure values…

Individual hearing protectors are chosen so as to eliminate the risk to hearing or to reduce it as much as possible. They are chosen after consultation with the workers concerned, the occupational physician and, where appropriate, the agents of the prevention services of the social security organisations and the health, safety and working conditions organisations mentioned in article L. 4643-1.

The employer shall verify the effectiveness of the measures taken in application of this chapter.

The employer must keep a record of the types and models of individual hearing protectors allocated to workers, so that they can be replaced properly when they become worn.