EN 352-4:2001

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2001
Varovala sluha - Varnostne zahteve in preskušanje - 4. del: Naušniki, prilagodljivi
ravni hrupa
Hearing protectors - Safety requirements and testing - Part 4: Level-dependent ear-muffs
Gehörschützer - Sicherheitstechnische Anforderungen und Prüfungen - Teil 4:
Pegelabhängige Kapselgehörschützer
Protecteurs individuels contre le bruit - Exigences de sécurité et essais - Partie 4: Serre-
tete a atténuation dépendante du niveau
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 352-4:2001
ICS:
13.340.20 Varovalna oprema za glavo Head protective equipment
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 352-4
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
March 2001
ICS 13.340.20
English version
Hearing protectors - Safety requirements and testing - Part 4:
Level-dependent ear-muffs
Protecteurs individuels contre le bruit - Exigences de Gehörschützer - Sicherheitstechnische Anforderungen und
sécurité et essais - Partie 4: Serre-tête à atténuation Prüfungen - Teil 4: Pegelabhängige Kapselgehörschütze
dépendante du niveau
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 18 January 2001.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European
Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the Management Centre or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the Management Centre has the same status as the official
versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
Management Centre: rue de Stassart, 36  B-1050 Brussels
© 2001 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 352-4:2001 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

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Contents
Page
Foreword 3
Introduction 4
1 Scope 4
2 Normative references 5
3 Terms and definitions 5
4 Requirements 6
5 Testing 6
6 Information supplied by the manufacturer 7
7 Marking 8
Annex A (normative) Test results, uncertainty of measurement 9
Annex B (informative) Determination of criterion level and spread out sound
transmission for level-dependent ear-muffs 10
Annex ZA (informative) Clauses of this European Standard addressing essential
requirements or other provisions of EU Directives 12
Bibliography 13
Page 3
Foreword
This European Standard has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 159 "Hearing
protectors", the secretariat of which is held by SIS.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication
of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by September 2001, and conflicting
national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by September 2001.
This European Standard has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European
Commission and the European Free Trade Association, and supports essential requirements
of EU Directive(s).
For relationship with EU Directive(s), see informative Annex ZA, which is an integral part of
this standard.
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations
of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United
Kingdom.
Page 4
Introduction
Level-dependent ear-muffs are designed to provide restoration of external sounds, while
providing attenuation of sounds at high levels. They may be selected for use in intermittent or
impulsive noise environments and where external warning sounds are required to be heard. This
Standard is concerned with those ear-muffs having an electronic sound restoration circuit.
This part of the Standard is a specification intended for type approval purposes, for which four
sets of specimen ear-muffs are tested.
The requirements and tests of the standard are concerned primarily with the level-dependent
performance of the ear-muffs.
This Standard for "Hearing Protectors - Safety Requirements and Testing: Level-dependent
ear-muffs", sets requirements for personal hearing protection devices in relation to
Directive 89/686/EEC - Personal Protective Equipment.
EN 352-1:1993 deals with requirements and test methods for ear-muffs, EN 352-2:1993 with
ear-plugs, EN 352-3:1996: with ear-muffs for attachment to safety helmets. Additional safety
requirements and the associated test procedures for ear-muffs with active noise reduction are
contained in prEN 352-5:2000, for ear-muffs with audio communications in prEN 352-6:2000
and for level-dependent ear-plugs in prEN 352-7:2000. An associated standard EN 458, covers
selection, use, care and maintenance of hearing protection.
The particular requirement for hearing protectors in relation to their ability to reduce noise to
below daily limit levels set by Directive 86/188/EEC - "on the protection of workers from the
risks related to exposure to noise at work" is addressed in the standard by means of a
requirement to report in which noise environments the hearing protector may be used without
exceeding the relevant action level set by that Directive.
An additional acoustic performance test method to that described in EN 24869-1 and applied in
EN 352-1:1993, EN 352-2:1993 and EN 352-3:1996 is required for level-dependent ear-muffs.
Methods of measurement are under consideration by CEN/TC 211. Until such time as this
work is completed the test method described in annex B of this standard is recommended for
level-dependent ear-muffs in addition to the EN 24869-1 test.
1Scope
This European Standard is applicable to level-dependent ear-muffs. It specifies additional
constructional, design and performance requirements, methods of test, marking requirements
and user information relating to the incorporation of the level-dependency facility.

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2 Normative references
This European Standard incorporates by dated or undated reference, provisions from other
publications. These normative references are cited at the appropriate places in the text and the
publications are listed hereafter. For dated references, subsequent amendments to or revisions
of any of these publications apply to this European Standard only when incorporated in it by
amendment or revision. For undated references the latest edition of the publication referred to
apply (including amendments).
EN 352-1 : 1993 Hearing protectors - General requirements - Part 1 : Ear-muffs
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this European Standard the terms and definitions given in EN 352-1:1993
and the following definitions apply.
3.1
criterion level (H)
A-weighted sound pressure level of the H noise for which the A-weighted equivalent diffuse
field related sound pressure level when a level-dependent ear-muff is worn first
exceeds 85 dB(A)
3.2
criterion level (M)
A-weighted sound pressure level of the M noise for which the A-weighted equivalent diffuse
field related sound pressure level when a level-dependent ear-muff is worn first
exceeds 85 dB(A)
3.3
criterion level (L)
A-weighted sound pressure level of the L noise for which the A-weighted equivalent diffuse
field related sound pressure level when a level-dependent ear-muff is worn first
exceeds 85 dB(A)
3.4
level-dependent ear-muff
an ear-muff fitted with an electronic sound restoration circuit
3.5
sound restoration circuit
an electroacoustic device intended to reproduce lower level external sounds in the ear canal,
while usually providing attenuation of higher level sounds by means of a level-dependent gain
function
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4 Requirements
Level-dependent ear-muffs shall meet the requirements of EN 352-1:1993. Additional
requirements are listed below.
4.1 Sizing
There are no additional requirements for level-dependent ear-muffs beyond those referenced in
EN 352-1:1993.
4.2 Materials and construction
No component of the ear-muff shall constitute an electrical safety hazard to the user.
4.3 Performance
4.3.1 General
Level-dependent ear-muffs shall meet all the performance requirements of EN 352-1:1993,
including the minimum attenuation requirement in their passive mode. Additionally, the
requirements specified below shall be satisfied.
Specimens of ear-muffs shall be conditioned and tested as specified in 5.1.1 and 5.1.2. The
scheme of testing shall be as specified in 5.1.3.
4.3.2 Criterion levels
The criterion levels for the three noises H, M and L determined in accordance with 5.2 shall
be reported in wearer information.
4.3.3 Spread of sound attenuation and sound transmission
The standard deviations reported in accordance with 5.3 shall not be grea
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