The Global Hearing Protection Devices Market Continues To Grow Owing To an Increase in Manpower in the Manufacturing and Construction Sectors and Increased Cases of People Being Diagnosed With Hearing Disabilities

 

A hearing protection device, more commonly known as an HPD, is an ear protective device worn on or behind the ears to help avoid noise-induced hearing impairment, especially noise caused by construction, aircraft, machinery, and some home appliances. An HPD works by reducing background noise and blocking out high-frequency noise that's typically emitted from machinery, or other loud noises. An HPD usually blocks out more than 90 percent of the noise in a room, and often can't be bought by most people because they are typically a bit bulky, which makes them a more expensive than traditional earplugs.

Market Dynamics                                  

One of the most common reasons why an HPD is recommended for workers exposed to noise above 200 hertz is because they protect the worker's ears by reducing the amount of time that they're exposed to damaging radiation. Most workers who wear hearing protection devices are not exposed to as much noise as they would be with no protection, so they tend to retain more of their hearing after extended exposure to the loud sounds. This keeps them healthier overall and prevents the onset of hearing loss that normally occurs after long-term exposure to high levels of noise.

The main factor driving the growth of the hearing protection devices market is stringent rules made by governmental bodies all over the world for workers' safety. Increased hours of working in factories with heavy machinery emitting sounds can result in temporary or permanent deafness. Keeping in mind this issue, rules have been made for factory workers across the world to wear safety devices such as hearing protection devices to work. This is boosting the growth of the market. For instance, according to World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 466 million people in the world were diagnosed with hearing problems in 2020, hence, regulatory organizations such as National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the U.S., Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Work Health and Safety Regulations (WHS) have made various rules and regulations for the safety of the workers.

However, hearing protection devices can create discomforts such as itching and are not suitable for people who have ear infections. Moreover, along with unwanted noises HPDs can sometimes block necessary noises because of which many people refrain from using the devices. These factors are the main restraints hindering the growth of the market.      

This market is distributed in five regions that include North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa, and Latin America. Among these, North America is estimated to hold a bigger share of the Hearing Protection Devices market, owing to the rapid growth of manpower in the manufacturing and construction sectors. The market in the Asia Pacific is also estimated to witness significant growth owing to the prevalence of key players in the region.

Competitive Analysis

Major players operating in the global hearing protection devices market include Moldex-Metric Inc, ADCO Hearing Products Inc, Elvex Corporation, Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Sonomax Technologies Inc, Starkey Laboratories India Pvt. Ltd, Dynamic Ear Company, 3M, Amplifon, Hellberg Safety Ab, and Honeywell International Inc.

In October 2019, Honeywell International Inc. launched the ‘VeriShield’ 100 Series Passive Earmuffs, which is a smart solution to hearing issues. The product was launched to help companies to protect their employees from hearing issues resulting from too much noise.