Do non-healthcare workers report physical, physiological, psychological or communication impacts associated with wearing hearing and respiratory protection?

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is used by workers in a wide range of industries to minimise the risk of exposure to occupational hazards. While various effects associated with their use have been investigated, there is a lack of insight on how PPE can act as a stressor, especially for non-healthcare workers. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of non-healthcare workers on the various impacts caused by common PPE types (i.e., hearing and respiratory protective devices) that may affect an individual's well-being. The study employed a cross-sectional research method via online survey, which was distributed globally targeting workers in PPE-dependent industries (with the exception of health care), and designed to explore workers' PPE usage patterns, their perceptions of how PPE impacted them, and to report any specific symptoms they experienced associated with the usage of PPE (n = 234). Communication impairments were identified as the main issue reported for both types of PPE. Frequent users of respirators perceived the use of these forms of PPE to not be helpful or effective in protecting them at work. Infrequent users of hearing protection were found to be significantly impacted by a reduction in their ability to communicate, form social and working relationships, and felt their awareness levels in the workplace were affected. Discomfort and headaches were frequently reported symptoms associated with both types of PPE, with breathing difficulties being another commonly reported symptom for those who use respirators.