Pambry Electronics proudly launched their latest product, the PED 1780 Personal Environmental Monitor, at this years Health & Safety Event following successful prototyping and significant customer interest at the 2022 event.
The new multi-functional PED 1780 monitors for personal noise dose, noise level, noise exposure, particulate mass and concentration, CO2, temperature and humidity in a single wearable unit with a Klick Fast system connector that allows it to be connected to a range of attachments or used with a supplied garment clip.
At just 125mm x 80mm and 65mm thin (with garment clip attached) the PED 1780 is unobtrusive and comfortable to wear. A vibrant display shows a constant summary for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) & Particle Matter (PM2.5) in the air, Temperature and Humidty, Current Noise Level (dBA) and the average sound pressure level over a period of time (Leq).
Unobtrusive and comfortable to wear
Bluetooth connectivity to a mobile app, recorded data available for download to a PC and capability for a 160 hour battery life depending on sampling frequency makes this an all in one solution for complete Personal Environmental Monitoring.
Established in 1972, Pambry Electronics is a specialist developer, supplier and distributor of Acoustics products. From our development centre in Poole, Dorset, UK, we supply acoustics products to some of the world’s most demanding organisations including the Ministry of Defence, major Aerospace companies, the RNLI and Formula One teams.
To find out more about Pambry Electronics, visit our main website www.pambry.co.uk
The Listen Ear™ Personal Noise Dose Meter constantly monitors sound levels throughout the working day and displays visual dose alerts. Because of this employees know when their daily Occupational Health and Safety, Legal Noise Protection Limit, is reached and they can take action to avoid possible hearing damage. For employers this means the risks of claims for industrial hearing loss are greatly reduced.
So what are the typical sound (dB) levels experienced throughout the day and how do the visual dose alerts warn you of potential over exposure to noise?
Table of typical noise levels
Listen Ear™ visual dose alerts
Figure A – Shows the Listen Ear™ Personal Noise Dose Meter monitoring sound level where the user is working within the Occupational Health and Safety Legal Noise Protection Limit.
FigureB – Shows the Listen Ear™ Personal Noise Dose Meter warning the user they have reached 70%* exposure of their daily Occupational Health and Safety Legal Noise Protection Limit.
FigureC – Shows the Listen Ear™ Personal Noise Dose Meter warning the user they have reached 90%* exposure of their daily Occupational Health and Safety Legal Noise Protection Limit.
The 70% and 90% values are the default values of the Listen Ear™ Personal Noise Dose Meter. These values can be replaced by any custom value. The Listen Ear™ Personal Noise Dose Meter can also be set for use whilst wearing or not wearing ear defenders. The ear defender SNR values are applied by selecting from one of the pre-loaded ear defender models or by applying a custom value.
To celebrate 50 years of British manufacturing, Nigel Bicknell, Managing Director of Pambry Electronics Ltd, a family-run British manufacturer of audio and microphone parts based in Poole explains how Pambry Electronics have grown and developed to now be servicing a huge array of industries with their high-quality parts designed to work in harsh environments.
How did Pambry Electronics and the business get started?
Pambry have been operating since 1972 and the company was originally founded by my father. He started the company due to his interest in building acoustic measurement equipment and finding solutions to audio and wiring problems in harsh environments. Overtime he developed parts and partnerships that were then utilised in the headsets of language schools across Europe and multiple manufacturers of headsets and accessories.
Sound Testing
Fast forward to 2015, we started getting some traction with our newly developed microphones, speakers and other component parts and we now have a range of parts manufactured for all customer types in Audio.
Now in 2022 as a business our turnover is in excess 4 million a year, and the business has changed from being 80% distribution to only about 15% – so much of the business is us making or designing things. We also have the expertise to produce bespoke prototypes for customers and provide solutions to design problems customers have when developing a product. We have a very proud history of developing products in this audio space and consistently research new product opportunities.
Anechoic Chamber
What makes Pambry Electronics successful?
Our continuous investment in research and development allows us to service new sectors and customers. For example, we now have products that aid in companies in ensuring the health and safety of their employees by measuring sound levels in certain environments. This is called the Personal Noise Dose Meter and is something we’ve developed to ensure the safety of people’s hearing in the workplace. This particular product is different from some of our others and as example of us diversifying into new industries, utilising our expertise in sound to help others.
Pambry Electronics Assembly
A lot of our other microphone and speaker parts are also waterproof and can operate at both high and low altitudes, making them perfect for a variety of uses. We supply the microphones that go into Formula One, rally cars and we supply Airbus with microphone products that go in the flight cockpit, for example.
What challenges has Pambry had to overcome?
One of our biggest business challenges in the early days was investing in building our brand. We started off doing smaller jobs like wiring for other companies and other jobs we didn’t find overly fulfilling or exciting as initially we struggled to get investment from banks.
More recent challenges we’ve faced have been the impact of Brexit, the pandemic, and the national skills shortage. It’s become increasingly more difficult to get the right people in to work for us and because we want to maintain our family-feel as a business, so getting the right people in with the right skills is crucial.
What are you most proud of Pambry achieving and why?
We’ve recently celebrated our 50th year of trading and had to expand into even larger premises to house everything we need to be able to keep servicing our customers. We are proud of where we are as a business. Losing my dad suddenly 5 years ago was difficult but we continue to grow the business he started and loved, with even more passion and 3rd generation family involvement.
Pambry Electronics New Facility
Another big achievement for us is we designed a product for a customer and they’ve now placed a £1 million order for it, so we are very proud of that. With wins like that we are able to continue to invest in the company and our people, keeping the family-run ethos throughout.
Established in 1972, Pambry Electronics is a specialist developer, supplier and distributor of Acoustics products. From our development centre in Poole, Dorset, UK, we supply acoustics products to some of the world’s most demanding organisations including the Ministry of Defence, major Aerospace companies, the RNLI and Formula One teams.
To find out more about Pambry Electronics, visit our main website www.pambry.co.uk
At Pambry Electronics we are always looking for ways to enhance and improve our products so when the Klick Fast System designed by Peter Jones (ILG) Ltd was brought to our attention we couldn’t wait to get a Klick Fast option available for the PED 0828 Listen Ear™ – Personal Noise Dose Meter.
The Peter Jones (ILG) Ltd Klick Fast system was designed for the easy attachment of devices to clothing via a simple universal connector and dock system. By adding a Klick Fast System dock or docks from the range available from Peter Jones (ILG) Ltd to clothing and a Klick Fast System universal connector to a device or devices you can quickly attach equipment for use throughout the day.
With a Klick Fast System connector attched simply slide the device into a Klick Fast Dock. Once docked, the device will remain held in place whilst being rotated it into any of the seven positions available with Klick Fast’s in-built ratchet positioner.
Un-docking to remove or reposition the device in another dock also takes just seconds by simply rotating it into an inverted position and letting it slide free.
Here at Pambry Electronics we think the Klick Fast System connector is a great purchasing option especially for customers who have already invested in the Klick Fast System and are looking to add a personal sound exposure meter to their worn equipment. For customers requiring a new Listen Ear™ – Personal Noise Dose Meter we recommend taking a look at the range of Klick Fast System docks on the Peter Jones (ILG) Ltd website and consider the Klick Fast System connector option when purchasing your Listen Ear™ – Personal Noise Dose Meter.
For further information please visit the Peter Jones (ILG) Ltd website www.peterjonesilg.co.uk
The Pambry Electronics PED 0828 Listen Ear™ – Personal Noise Dose Meter with klick Fast connector option is available to buy from today.
Established in 1972, Pambry Electronics is a specialist developer, supplier and distributor of Acoustics products. From our development centre in Poole, Dorset, UK, we supply acoustics products to some of the world’s most demanding organisations including the Ministry of Defence, major Aerospace companies, the RNLI and Formula One teams.
To find out more about Pambry Electronics, visit our main website www.pambry.co.uk
The PED 0922 monitor will include all the features of the PED 0828 Personal Noise Dose Meter and be further enhanced with additional monitoring for Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Volatile Organic Compound (VOC), Particle contamination in the air and Humidty.
This new product will provide an all in one solution for complete Personal Environmental Monitoring and provide employers and employees with a meter to keep individuals within Occupational Health and Safety legal noise pollution limits and simultaneously monitor for air quality and alert if a risk to the users health occurs.
The Pambry Electronics Personal Environmental Monitor will be available to buy later in the year.
Established in 1972, Pambry Electronics is a specialist developer, supplier and distributor of Acoustics products. From our development centre in Poole, Dorset, UK, we supply acoustics products to some of the world’s most demanding organisations including the Ministry of Defence, major Aerospace companies, the RNLI and Formula One teams.
To find out more about Pambry Electronics, visit our main website www.pambry.co.uk
As a leader in personal environment monitoring, Pambry Electronics are proud to announce their new enhanced portable Personal Noise ‘Alert’ Units.
Launched at The Health & Safety Event, 5-7 April 2022 at the NEC Birmingham these two new ‘entry’ level Listen Ear™ products are simple to use and perform a single function of monitoring noise dose over an eight hour period from activation in the case of the Noise Dose Alert, whilst the Noise Level Alert measures the current noise level.
LED Warning Lamp
For each an optical and vibrating alert warns when thresholds have been reached. The LED warning lamp of the Noise Dose Alert changes from green to amber when you reach 80% of your limit to noise exposure and changes to red at 100% when you should put on ear defenders or remove yourself from the environment. For the Noise Level Alert the LED warning lamp changes to amber when noise levels reach 85dB and red at 85dB when again you should put on ear defenders or remove yourself from the environment.
Both new Listen Ear™ products include the Pambry Electronics patented anti-knock feature (Patent No: GB 2 551 724) and have a long battery life.
Nigel Bicknell, Director at Pambry Electronics said “These two new Personal Noise ‘Alert’ products will provide a good entry level health and safety solution for our customers looking to buy a noise alert meter for themselves or for their employees”.
Pambry Electronics, the company behind Listen Ear™ has partnered with Reactec Ltd to bring you technology with an unprecedented ability to deliver ISO standard compliant assessments easily and at a low cost.
The Pambry Electronics Listen Ear™ will become the second personal noise dosimeter available from Reactec adding more choice to their range of affordable, easy to use equipment.
Reactec help forward-thinking organisations switch from being mitigators of industrial workplace health risk, to being preventers by supplying an eco-system of workplace wearables and cloud-based analytics.
The widely accessible data analytics that Reactec provide enable anyone to understand noise assessments so you can move forward with the knowledge you need to best assess and refine your workplace risk, and ensure your regulatory compliance. No consultants necessary.
Get in touch with Pambry Electronics or Reactec today to learn more about how you can take control of your workplace risk with our noise monitoring technology.
Established in 1972, Pambry Electronics is a specialist developer, supplier and distributor of Acoustics products. From our development centre in Poole, Dorset, UK, we supply acoustics products to some of the world’s most demanding organisations including the Ministry of Defence, major Aerospace companies, the RNLI and Formula One teams.
To find out more about Pambry Electronics, visit our main website www.pambry.co.uk
A quintessential sound of the British countryside or an irritating source of noise pollution? The answer it seems, lies in the ears of the listener.
When a local council received a complaint that the local bell ringers were becoming a nuisance, they needed to reassure local residents that noise levels hadn’t increased significantly and definitely weren’t a threat to health.
Whilst there had been a church on the site for over 800 years and the residents must have known it was there when they bought the house, the council recognised that they did have a point when claiming that nobody had ever checked that the noise from the bells wasn’t harmful.
When they started to research noise damage, it became clear that much more is now understood about the long term, cumulative, damage possible from noise exposure and that it is an issue that needs to be taken seriously. Even if the noise has been part of our environment for centuries.
A sound survey was the first proposed solution but, with initial estimates coming in at £2000 – £3000 for a one-off survey, was going to be prohibitively expensive. Especially if it needed repeating several times.
After researching the market for different options, it was decided that the simplest, and most cost effective, solution was to treat the residents as “workers” and measure their “daily dose” of noise. This would not only provide a measure of the actual noise level the residents were exposed to but also include any other possible noise sources. As damage to health from noise is known to be cumulative, other noise sources needed to be taken into account as well.
The noise “Dosimeter” selected was Listen Ear™ from Pambry Electronics. This is a simple, wearable device that costs less than £300 and has the huge advantage of a 4 week battery life. Using Listen Ear™ it was possible to simply charge the unit and set it to log noise measurements then give it to local residents to wear for a few days. The display on the meter shows instantaneous noise levels and % of a safe daily dose with warning lights if there is a risk of harm. If desired the resident can be given a simple, free, App to monitor their noise exposure on a tablet or phone.
Listen Ear™ App Screens
Once the Listen Ear™ has been recovered it’s a simple matter to check the actual noise dose measured and download a detailed log file for archiving or detailed analysis.
This “self-survey” approach has the additional benefit of reassuring the residents that the survey really does represent the noise they are exposed to.
For less than the cost of an initial survey, the local council have shown that the bell noise really isn’t a threat to hearing health and they know have a simple tool to measure possible noise problems anywhere else in the community.
Exposure to loud noise in the workplace for long periods of time can have serious health implications on your hearing, but you may not know that this prolonged exposure can also have an affect on mental and physical health too?
A noisy workplace environment of around 85 decibels (dBA) where you must raise your voice to be heard by someone three feet away can damage your hearing after repeated exposures of eight hours or more.
At 95 dBA or more where you need to shout to be heard by someone at arm’s length – your hearing can be put at risk in less than an hour. Heavy plant machinery, chain saws, and other such equipment used in manufacturing, fabrication, welding and construction industries all operate around 95 dBA.
Here are some other factors to consider if you work in a noisy environment.
Stress and high blood pressure
In addition to damaging hearing, loud noise can cause other physical and psychological conditions including stress. Often the short-term effects of noise related stress go unnoticed or are blamed on other things.
Loud noise can influence the cardiovascular system, resulting in an increase in blood pressure and the release of catecholamines in the blood. An increased level of catecholamines in the blood is associated with stress.
Effect on pregnancy
Research suggests that an unborn child exposed to prolonged loud noise levels may influence the hearing of the child in later life with low frequencies having a greater potential for causing harm.
Accidents and injuries
Other impacts of prolonged noise exposure on the health of a worker include reduced communication and concentration and a contribution to workplace accidents and injuries with difficulty in hearing warning signals.
However, noise exposure in the workplace can be reduced and occupational hearing loss entirely prevented with today’s hearing loss prevention strategies and technology such as Pambry Electronics Listen Ear™ – Personal Noise Dose Meter.
In summary it is very important for employers to carry out regular occupational health assessments for their workers with checks for symptoms over exposure to loud noise such as hearing loss and increased blood pressure.
Workers in the Construction Industry are surrounded by high-noise levels from heavy equipment.
Hearing Loss Facts
Research has shown that long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss. The louder the sound, the shorter the amount of time it takes for noise induced hearing loss to occur.
Construction Site Hearing Loss and Health & Safety
Workers with hearing loss can potentially miss audible warning signals.
Hearing loss may lead to a breakdown in communication.
Increased effort to listen by hearing impaired workers may lead to fatigue, anxiety, and stress.
Workers may also suffer from tinnitus, causing them to hear ringing, rushing, or other noises even when there are no surrounding sounds
How to Protect Hearing and Prevent Noise Induced Hearing Loss
Noise induced hearing loss among construction site workers is preventable. Some important measures that can be taken include:
Wearing hearing protective devices such as earplugs, earmuffs or headsets and selecting the right device for your working environment is important.
Ensure you are wearing a hearing protective device that meets the proper SNR for the sound level measured in your work environment.
Choose a hearing protection solution that is unobtrusive and doesn’t restrict workers, like the Pambry Electronics Listen Ear™ – Personal Noise Dose Meter, so they will always keep it on in all high noise work environments.
