4. Purchase good quality ear protectors - a good quality ear protector should aim
to get high noise levels down to below 85 dB at the ear. When buying ear protectors ensure that the design will fit around any other safety kit employees may have to wear i.e. helmets. You must consider that not all employees will be comfortable with sharing ear protectors (for hygiene reasons), therefore make sure that you order enough to go around everyone. When you have purchased the protective equipment, specifically request that exposed employees wear it whilst working with high noise machinery. If you enforce this as a workplace rule and an employee suffers damage through non-compliance it removes some of the liability from you. If you are going to enforce wearing the protective equipment as a rule, then you should back this up with consequences for non-compliance.