The ultimate focus of purchasing is on the bottom line. But often, getting what's best for less involves an understanding of products and processes far beyond pricing and volume discounts. This is particularly true in the case of hearing protection devices (HPDs), where making sound OSHA-compliant purchasing decisions requires an understanding of both the risks of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and of the conservation products and programs designed to mitigate it.

In fact, according to Renee Bessette, COHC, Marketing Manager of Sperian Hearing Protection, LLC, "It is also important for key Purchasing personnel to be actively involved in the Hearing Conservation Program to ensure appropriate kinds and quantities of HPDs are purchased and restocked as needed."

Bessette goes on to explain that noise-induced hearing loss is a serious, but often overlooked occupational injury, one that the World Health Organization has called, "the number one hidden disability in North America." With an estimated 10 million workers already afflicted with some degree of hearing loss and another 30 million at risk, NIOSH has classified NIHL as the most common occupational illness in North America.

"Unlike other occupational injuries, noise-induced hearing loss causes no immediate trauma," says Bessette. "Rather, it accrues over time, often going unnoticed for years. But once damaged, hearing lost to noise hazards cannot be regained. The loss is permanent and untreatable. However, it is also 100% preventable."

So, what do purchasing professionals need to know about hearing conservation? Bessette outlined five essential points to bear in mind: