What is the EN352 about?
EN352 is a family of standards dedicated to hearing protection that includes performance requirements and testing methodologies for various types of hearing protectors, including passive and electronic hearing protection devices.
Since earmuffs help reduce exposure to harmful noise, they fall under Category III of higher risk within the scope of Regulation 2016/425 (EU) of PPE and are subject to mandatory annual audits by an approved Notified Body.
Why is EN352 Being Updated?
All European Harmonized Standards are subject to mandatory periodic review every five years, either reconfirmed for another five years or subject to revision, and EN352 is no exception.
The European Technical Committee CEN/TC159 for Hearing Protection, in its last periodic assessment, decided to review all relevant parts of this family of standards. The latest version of the EN352 standards can be identified by the year of publication included following the standard number, for example, EN352:2020.
Who is EN352 Intended for?
- Manufacturers of hearing protectors
- Testing entities for earmuffs
- Designers of earmuffs
- Acoustic engineers
- Occupational Health and Safety Departments
What Has Changed in Headband Earmuffs, Earplugs, and Helmet-Mounted Protectors ?
EN352-1: Headband Earmuffs
EN352-1 is the first in the EN352 standards family. It specifies requirements for the construction, design, performance, marking, and user information regarding headband earmuffs. It determines the requirements for sound attenuation of earmuffs, measured by EN ISO 4869-1: 2018.
The EN352-1 standard does not apply to:
- Earmuffs mounted on head protection and/or face protection equipment.
- Earmuffs outside the head size range defined in the EN352-1 standard.
Why should you use the EN352-1?
Earmuffs are used as hearing protection devices to reduce noise levels and protect ears from exposure to excessive volumes.
EN352-1 helps users by specifying the requirements for hearing protectors to reduce noise exposure levels and the risk of hearing loss. It specifies testing methods for measuring the acoustic performance of hearing protectors and ensures that earmuffs have optimal functionality and meet minimum quality requirements for hearing protection devices.
What has changed since the last update?
The EN352-1:2020 replaces the EN 352-1:2002 and includes some technical changes compared to the EN 352-1:2002, such as:
- Headband strength, clarification for universal earmuffs: measure headband strength for all usage modes.
- Drop test, clarification of test criteria: only the passive function (sound attenuation) needs to be verified (relevant for products with supplementary electronic functions).
- Change in headband strength: clarifications on data analysis, measurement protocol for universal earmuffs, and user information content.
- Insertion loss, clarification for asymmetrically designed earmuffs: standard deviation criteria for insertion loss applied separately to left and right cups, additional user information provided with asymmetrically designed earmuffs.
- Minimum sound attenuation: change in requirements for minimum sound attenuation from octave band values to HML and APVf98 values. Marking, additional requirement: marking with manufacturing date or expiration date.
EN352-2: Earplugs
EN352-2 specifies requirements for the construction, design, performance, marking, and user information regarding earplugs. It determines the requirements for sound attenuation of earplugs, measured by EN ISO 4869-1: 2018.
EN352-2 applies to earplugs intended for users who can follow instructions and understand related risks, can correctly insert the earplugs, and can provide feedback on performance.
Why should you use the EN352-2 standard?
Earplugs are hearing protection devices that protect ears from harmful sounds or noise; when poorly manufactured, they can be uncomfortable for users and may not even fulfill their function.
The requirement for hearing protectors to reduce noise below limit levels is addressed in the EN 352-2 standard, requiring that the sound attenuation of earplugs, measured by EN ISO 4869-1, is not less than a specified minimum.
The EN 352-2 standard establishes requirements for the physical and acoustic performance of earplugs. It also provides performance requirements, material and construction requirements, and marking requirements for earplugs to ensure they do not cause physical harm to users.
The EN 352-2 standard exists to ensure that earplugs perform optimally and meet minimum quality requirements.
What has changed since the last update?
The EN352-2:2020 replaces the EN352-2:2002 and includes some technical changes compared to the EN 352-2:2002, such as:
- Additional requirements for custom-molded earplugs: requirement for ear impression collection and test sample fitting.
- Drop test, clarification of test criteria: only the passive function (sound attenuation) needs to be verified (relevant for products with supplementary electronic functions).
- Minimum sound attenuation: change in requirements for minimum sound attenuation from octave band values to HML and APVf98 values.
- Marking, additional requirement: marking with manufacturing date or expiration date, marking of reusable packaging for reusable earplugs.
- User information: warning statements that are no longer textual, HML values on packaging, product lifespan statement, information on replacement tips for banded earplugs, assembly instructions for replacement tips for banded earplugs, statement of sound attenuation values in accordance with EN ISO 4869-2:2018, warnings for pre-formed earplugs.
EN352-3: Helmet-Mounted Earmuffs
EN352-3 specifies requirements for the construction, design, performance, marking, and user information for earmuffs attached to head protection and/or face protection devices, referred to as integrated earmuffs.
It defines requirements for sound attenuation of integrated earmuffs, measured by EN ISO 4869-1: 2018. The EN352-3 standard does not apply to earmuffs outside the head size range defined in the BS EN 352-3 standard.
Why should you use the EN352-3 standard?
Integrated earmuffs are used by construction workers and other professionals dealing with harmful sound levels. This type of protectors can be considered a safety device for workers constantly exposed to harmful sound levels, so they must meet basic protection requirements.
What has changed since the last update?
The EN352-3:2020 replaces the EN352-3:2002 and includes some technical changes compared to the EN 352-3:2002, such as:
- Definition of earmuff, support, supplementary combination: supra-aural cups have been removed, the definition has been expanded from helmet to head protection and/or face protection device, note added for clarification.
- Sizing and adjustability, small-sized and series-mounted earmuffs: requirement relaxed since the amendment of table 3 of the EN 13819-1:2020 standard.
- Drop test, clarification of test criteria: only the passive function (sound attenuation) needs to be verified (relevant for products with supplementary electronic functions). Change in headband strength: clarifications on data analysis and user information content.
- Insertion loss, clarification for asymmetrically designed earmuffs: standard deviation criteria for insertion loss applied separately to left and right pads. Insertion loss: additional user information provided with earmuffs for asymmetrically designed earmuffs.
- User information: warnings that are no longer textual, product lifespan statement, information on asymmetric earmuffs, statement of sound attenuation values in accordance with EN ISO 4869-2:2018, HML values on packaging.
The EN352-3 standard helps users select the most suitable model of integrated earmuffs for their needs by specifying minimum sound attenuation values. It defines the material and construction, as well as sizing requirements for mounted earmuffs. It also provides performance, material, and construction requirements for mounted earmuffs to ensure they are not likely to cause physical harm to the user.
The EN352-3 standard ensures that integrated earmuffs operate at an optimal level and meet minimum quality requirements.
Do You Need to Do Anything?
The action is primarily the responsibility of the manufacturer, as all products will need to be tested, certified, and marked according to the new standards.
There is no mandatory measure for the end customer or the person purchasing the product. However, it is recommended that the buyer verify if the product produced after July 21, 2024, displays the correct year of publication of the standard, for example, compliance with the EN352-1:2020 standard for headband earmuffs. The standard(s) in question can be consulted in the Declaration of Conformity or in the user instructions.
You should also check the product to ensure you are aware of any performance changes resulting from these updates.
Need more Information?
In our newsletter, you can find detailed information about the update of the EN 352 Standard.
