These two services are often confused, but they measure completely different things.

Audiometric testing 

This assesses the worker. It checks whether hearing has already been affected by noise exposure and monitors any changes over time.

Ear fit testing 

Assess the device. It verifies whether the HPD the worker is wearing is providing adequate noise attenuation for their specific ear anatomy, on that day, with the way they insert or wear it.

Audiometric testing tells you if hearing damage has occurred. Ear fit testing helps prevent it from occurring in the first place.

Both matter in a noise management programme, but they answer different questions. Rely on audiometric results alone and you’re measuring the outcome after exposure, not confirming protection before it.

The Personal Attenuation Rating (PAR) is a quantitative measure of the noise reduction an individual worker actually achieves when wearing their specific HPD. Unlike manufacturer ratings, the PAR reflects the individual worker, their device and the way they wear it.

Safework Health uses the 3M E-A-Rfit Dual-Ear Validation System to measure PAR. The system uses a microphone-in-real-ear (MIRE) approach:

• A small probe microphone is placed inside the worker’s ear canal
• Noise levels are measured simultaneously outside and inside the ear while the HPD is in place
• The ratio between the two measurements produces the fit factor, which is used to calculate the PAR

The process takes approximately five minutes per worker. At completion, each worker receives a documented result showing whether their HPD provides sufficient attenuation for their noise exposure environment.

What is a passing result?

For workplaces where noise exposure approaches or exceeds the 85 dB(A) exposure standard, the target is a PAR that brings in-ear levels to 80 dB(A) or below, the recommended in-ear noise level under Australian WHS guidance.

If a worker doesn’t achieve a passing PAR on the first attempt, our assessors guide them through correct insertion technique and retest. That on-the-spot correction often makes the difference between a passing and failing fit.

Ear fit testing can be conducted on both earplugs and earmuffs, though the variables being assessed differ between device types.

Earplug Fit Testing

Earplugs present the highest variability in real-world performance because correct insertion is essential and hard to check yourself. Even small differences in insertion depth can significantly reduce attenuation. Many workers who believe they’re inserting earplugs correctly are not, and this isn’t something they’d know without objective measurement. Fit testing identifies the problem and corrects it in real time.

Earmuff Fit Testing

Earmuffs are generally more consistent to apply but can be compromised by facial hair, prescription glasses, hard hats, high-vis collars, and other PPE worn simultaneously. For workers using earmuffs alongside other equipment, fit testing confirms the seal is still effective under actual working conditions.

The Training Benefit

Beyond generating a PAR result, ear fit testing has an immediate training benefit. If a worker inserts earplugs incorrectly, our assessors show them the right technique and retest on the spot. Many workers complete a fit test session and, for the first time, understand what a correctly fitted HPD feels like. That knowledge carries through to every shift they work.

Safework Health offers flexible options to suit your operational requirements.

On-Site Ear Fit Testing

Our qualified assessors travel to your workplace, keeping disruption to a minimum. On-site delivery works best for larger groups, remote and regional sites, and workplaces where sending workers off-site isn’t practical.

In-Clinic Ear Fit Testing

Available at Safework Health clinic locations nationally. Clinic appointments suit smaller groups, individual workers and pre-employment assessments before someone starts in a noisy role.

Contact our team to talk through scheduling, group bookings and regional availability.