Here’s the article that was published in the Mining Weekly

Noise Clipper

By: Creamer Media Reporter

13th September 2012

What are the key products & services that your company is exhibiting at Electra Mining?

The focus of Noise Clipper this year is the launch of the new Sonomax Self-Fit custom hearing protection.

What are its applications?

Well as we always say the best hearing protection is the one that is worn. One has to determine what the reasons are that people, working in noise, do not wear hearing protection. I believe that in addition to the lack of knowledge of how noise induced hearing loss is caused, one of the main reasons are that hearing protection is just generally very uncomfortable. Comfort is more than just the wearing comfort it is also being isolated. We believe that custom hearing protection is the best solution because in addition to wearer comfort it also enables the individual to communicate in noise through the use of a filtering system.

What makes the product unique?

With custom made hearing protection one has to take an impression of the individual’s ear canal, this is then sent to a Lab for manufacturing and the completed product then fitted a few weeks later.

The new Sonomax Self-Fit is in fact in addition to an instant mould system also a self- fit system. To explain it in simple terms you can now buy a custom made plug that the individual can make him or herself and have a comfortable custom hearing protector that will last for years made in just 5 minutes.

Where was the product developed?

Sonomax is a Canadian company that specialises in instant mould solutions.

Has the product been imported or manufactured locally?

It’s an imported product that the individual makes locally.

On which project, if any, has the product been used successfully?

This is a new product and the first self-fit custom protection. However the previous version of the Sonomax instant mould custom protection has been available in South Africa for a few years with the main users being BHP Billiton where a few thousand employees have been fitted. The main difference been the two products is that the new Sonomax is a self- fit system while the old had to be fitted by an implementer.

Is the product exportable?

We believe the product is ideally suited for the whole of Africa which to date has been very difficult logistically to offer custom made hearing protection to. The new Sonomax Self-Fit can now be exported throughout Africa as it is a self-fit system and can be bought off the shelf.

Background on the company marketing the product?

Noise Clipper supplies various brands of custom made hearing protection such as Variphone, Sonomax and Noise Clipper, as well as being an accredited service provider of the “best practice” hearing Conservation program called HearingCoach. We service most of the major players in the mining industry such as Impala Platinum, Harmony Gold, Anglo Gold Ashanti and Anglo American to mention a few.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Yes, noise induced hearing loss is a major problem not only in industry but in life in general. The sad part is that it is absolutely preventable. We not only have great products but also a hearing conservation program that is pro-active and focussed on changing the behaviour of the individual.