Which individual ensures that personnel properly carry and use hearing protection devices (HPDs)?

The workplace supervisor plays a critical role in ensuring that personnel adhere to safety protocols regarding the use of hearing protection devices (HPDs). Their responsibilities include overseeing day-to-day operations and ensuring that all employees are following established safety standards. This means they must actively monitor that workers are wearing HPDs appropriately in noisy environments.

Supervisors serve as the direct point of contact for employees and can provide immediate guidance and corrective actions when HPDs are not being used properly. They can also help facilitate training sessions to demonstrate the correct use of these devices and to explain the importance of protecting hearing in the workplace, emphasizing compliance with hearing conservation programs.

While other professionals like occupational health nurses, audiologists, and occupational hearing conservationists have important roles in the broader context of hearing conservation (such as providing medical oversight, conducting hearing assessments, or developing fit testing protocols), it is the workplace supervisor who has the direct responsibility for ensuring that employees use HPDs on a day-to-day basis.