See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/310756280

Review of the 2016 Edition of ANSI S12.6 and its place in the panoply of
standards on the measurement of real-ear attenuation at threshold since 1957

Article  in  The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America · October 2016

DOI: 10.1121/1.4969857

CITATIONS READS

0 1,125

1 author:

Elliott H. Berger
3M
103 PUBLICATIONS   1,270 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

REAT standards development and uncertainty estimates View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Elliott H. Berger on 07 January 2019.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

The History of REAT since 1957, and the new ANSI S12.6 Page - 1
by Elliott H. Berger

The History of REAT REAT – the worldwide standard

since 1957, and the Sound-field thresholds with and w/o HPD
new ANSI S12.6
Elliott Berger
Division Scientist
3M, Indianapolis

NHCA
San Antonio, TX
February 24, 2017 1/3 Oct. Noise Bands
Random Incidence
Reverberant Room
©3M 2017 All rights reserved.

Milestones in REAT Standardization

Standard Comments Why REAT?
ANSI Z24.22-1957 Pure-tone, frontal incidence, anechoic

BS 5108-1974 1/3 OB diffuse, anechoic (preferred)

Captures all the important sound paths
ANSI S3.19-1974 (ASA STD1-1975) 1/3 OB diffuse, reverberant; required by U.S. EPA for HPD labeling Includes subject variability – pluses and minuses
AS 1270-1975 Pure-tone or 1/3 OB, frontal incidence, anechoic (preferred) Alternatives to REAT all have their own shortcomings
ISO 4869-1981 / BS 5108-1983 Similar to BS 5108-1974, but allows anechoic or reverberant Acoustical test fixtures (ATF, insertion loss)
ANSI S12.6-1984 Similar to ANSI S3.19 Microphone in real ear (MIRE, insertion loss)
ISO 4869-1:1990 Similar to 4869-1981, but includes uncertainty estimates Temporary threshold shift (TTS)
ANSI S12.6-1997 & 2008 Method A and B (subject fit) options, and explicit subject instructions
AS 1270-1999, 2002, 2014
(ISO/TS 4869-5:2006) Method-B type testing

ANSI/ASA S12.6-2016 Similar to S12.6-2008, but with updated and clarified uncertainty estimates

NHCA Conference
San Antonio TX, February 24, 2017
The History of REAT since 1957, and the new ANSI S12.6 Page - 2
by Elliott H. Berger

Effect of subject fitting procedures

Key issues with respect to REAT NIOSH/EPA 2006 Interlaboratory averages vs. label data

Explicit guidance to the experimenter regarding HPD fitting

ANSI S12/WG11 discussions revealed differing interpretations of existing
hearing protector standards
Evolution in standards has been towards a trained-user fit paradigm
Attempts to estimate field performance have not been widely adopted
Method A
Method B
Method A
Method B
ANSI S12.6-2016 Method B Label Values Label Values

AS/NZS 1270:2014
ISO/TS 4869-5:2006

Earplug Earmuff

Questions regarding the accuracy of REAT, REAT provides a valid, generally conservative
estimate of attenuation at higher sound-levels
and specification of its uncertainty
Circumaural
earmuff
Is attenuation level dependent?
Does REAT have low-frequency errors?
What is the uncertainty of REAT?

NHCA Conference
San Antonio TX, February 24, 2017
The History of REAT since 1957, and the new ANSI S12.6 Page - 3
by Elliott H. Berger

REAT artifact due to Physiological Noise Masking Uncertainty Estimates

40 20
125 Hz ANSI S12.6-2016 and other sources
Physiological Noise and Occlusion Effect (dB)

Physiological Noise

30 15
Expanded uncertainty (U95)
1/3‐OB Values Single Number Value

REAT – MIRE (dB)

< 250 Hz 250 Hz – 4 kHz  > 4 kHz ANSI S12.68 E•A•RCAL 
20 Occlusion 10 EARPLUGS
Effect Within‐lab 3.0 2.1 2.6 2.4 2 ‐ 3 
Between labs 8.0 6.4 6.4 6.0 ‐
measured predicted
10 5
EARMUFFS
REAT - MIRE
Within‐lab 2.2 1.6 2.2 1.8 1 ‐2 
Between labs 3.8 4.8 6.2 4.8 ‐
0 0 For statistical significance, difference must be > 2 x U95 / √2
Example for within-lab testing of earplugs
Difference for single-number value must equal or exceed 3.4 dB

References
1. Berger, E. H. (1986). “Review and Tutorial - Methods of Measuring the Attenuation of Hearing Protection

Closing Remarks Devices,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 79(6), 1655–1687. doi:10.1121/1.393228

REAT is the accepted reference HPD attenuation test method worldwide
Best evidence suggests REAT captures all sound paths to inner ear
Though measured at low levels, REAT predicts well for higher levels
REAT has one known artifact: due to physiological-noise masking, REAT
overestimates attenuation at and below 125 Hz,
REAT uncertainty is clearly described in the newest U.S. (S12.6-2016),
and forthcoming ISO (4869-1:2017?) standards
2. Berger, E. H. (2005). “Preferred Methods for Measuring Hearing Protector Attenuation,” In Proceedings of Inter-
Noise 05, Noise Control Foundation, Poughkeepsie, NY, p. 58
3. Berger, E. H. and Kerivan, J. (1983). “Influence of Physiological Noise and the Occlusion Effect on the
Measurement of Real-Ear Attenuation at Threshold,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 74(1), 81–94. doi:10.1121/1.389621
4. Berger, E. H., Kieper, R. W., and Stergar, M. E. (2012). “Performance of new acoustical test fixtures complying
with ANSI S12. 42-2010, with particular attention to the specification of self insertion loss,” in Proceedings
InterNoise 2012, Institute of Noise Control Engineering, 11, 517-528
5. Murphy W. J., Byrne, D. C., Gauger, D., Ahroon, W. A., Berger, E. H., Gerges, S. N. Y., McKinley, R., Witt, B., and
Krieg, E. F. (2009). “Results of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health – U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Interlaboratory Comparison of American National Standards Institute S12.6-1997 Methods A
and B,” J Acoust. Soc. Am., 125(5), 3262-3277. doi:10.1121/1.4787864

In the US time stands still – ANSI S3.19 remains the law of the land, 6. Gallagher, H. L., McKinley, R. L., and Theis, M. A. (2014). “Estimating Effective Noise Dose When Using Hearing
Protection: Differences between ANSI S12.68 Calculations and the Auditory Response Measured with Temporary
and likely will for the foreseeable future
Threshold Shifts,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 136(4), Pt. 2, p. 2134.

NHCA Conference
San Antonio TX, February 24, 2017
The History of REAT since 1957, and the new ANSI S12.6 Page - 4
by Elliott H. Berger

Questions?

©3M 2017 All rights reserved.

Elliott H. Berger, Division Scientist, Indianapolis, IN 3M, PELTOR, and the color yellow for earplugs are
Elliott.Berger@mmm.com trademarks of 3M Company and its affiliates.

NHCA Conference
San Antonio TX, February 24, 2017
View publication stats