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Earplug articles · general information, not legal advice
Hearing Protection at Work: What the Regulations Say About Earplugs and Ear Protectors
In short: Israel's Safety at Work Regulations (Occupational Hygiene and Health of Workers Exposed to Noise), 5744-1984, provide that where noise above the permitted level is found at a workplace, the occupier shall supply employees exposed to harmful noise with "suitable and serviceable ear protectors", and the employees must use them. Under the regulations, ear protectors do not replace reducing the noise by technical and engineering means. General information, not legal advice. The obligations at a particular workplace are checked with the safety officer. We come to your factory, worksite or office, take an ear measurement for each employee, and the earplugs are sent to you by mail.
We take a measurement
Of each employee's ear
Sent by mail
The earplugs are sent to you by mail
General information, not legal advice. Employers, safety officers and employees often ask us whether an employer must supply earplugs. The answer is in the regulations, and it is worth reading in the original wording. The quotations below are our English rendering of the Hebrew text; the binding text is the Hebrew one.
What regulation 4(4) says
Regulation 4 deals with "environmental and personal hygiene measures" at a workplace where noise levels above the maximum permitted exposure were found. Paragraph (4) provides that the occupier:
"shall supply employees exposed to harmful noise with suitable and serviceable ear protectors, which the employees shall be obliged to use and to keep intact and clean; ear protectors shall be used until what is stated in paragraph (1) is carried out, and not as a substitute for it, unless a regional labour inspector has determined otherwise;"
Paragraph (1), which the regulation refers to, deals with reducing noise levels "by technical-engineering means". In other words, according to the wording, ear protectors are used until the noise is reduced, not instead of reducing it.
What counts as "ear protectors"
The definition in regulation 1 covers two kinds:
"earplugs placed inside the outer ear canal, or earmuffs covering the auricle, intended to reduce the noise reaching the ear, both by noise level and by noise frequencies;"
An earplug inside the ear canal is one option within that definition. The regulations do not specifically require a custom earplug. Which kind of protector suits a particular role is a question for the professionals at the workplace.
Who the regulations apply to
The regulations define an "employee exposed to harmful noise" in two ways: someone exposed at their workplace to noise above the level permitted under the regulations, and someone who does one of the kinds of work in the First Schedule to the regulations. The list includes, among others:
- "quarrying, blasting, crushing and milling"
- "mechanical sawing, grinding and polishing" and "mechanical carpentry"
- "metalwork and panel beating, including riveting and cutting metals with gases"
- "operating mechanical engineering equipment and tractors without a closed operator's cab" and "operating pneumatic hammers"
- "lawn mowers, motorised scythes and chainsaws" driven by an internal combustion engine
By sector: Factories and industry · Construction and infrastructure · Workshops, garages and crafts · Gardening, farming and outdoor work
What else the regulations require
Ear protectors are only one part. Here is a short summary of other regulations, kept as close to their wording as possible:
| Regulation | Topic | What it says, in short |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Noise surveys | Occupational environmental tests and mapping of noise levels "at least once every two years", by a "authorized laboratory tester" |
| 4(1) | Reducing noise | Reducing noise levels "by technical-engineering means" |
| 4(4) | Ear protectors | Supplying "suitable and serviceable ear protectors", which the employees must use |
| 4(5) | Signs | A permanent sign: "Harmful noise area: suitable ear protectors must be used" |
| 5 | Training | Training employees "both in writing and orally, at least once a year" |
| 6 | Medical examinations | An initial examination and periodic examinations "by an authorised physician" |
A custom earplug and regulation 4(4): what it is and what it is not
- What it is. A custom earplug is made from a flexible material to a measurement taken from the employee's ear. It can be one of the options an organisation considers.
- Who decides what is "suitable". The type of protection for each role is set by the professionals in your organisation, for example the safety officer, based on the results of the noise surveys.
- What it is not. Supplying an earplug does not, in itself, show compliance with the regulations. We do not publish technical values and do not promise a particular level of protection.
Hearing tests under the regulations
Regulation 6 requires an initial medical examination and periodic examinations for employees exposed to harmful noise, and regulation 7 provides that these include an "audiometric test". These examinations are carried out by an "authorised physician", as defined in the regulations. G-Sound does not carry out these examinations, and a private hearing test does not replace them.
Who does what
| Who | What, as described on this page |
|---|---|
| The employer | Supplies suitable and serviceable ear protectors (regulation 4(4)), trains employees (regulation 5) and arranges noise surveys by a authorized laboratory tester (regulation 3) |
| Authorised physician | The initial and periodic medical examinations, including an audiometric test (regulations 6 and 7) |
| G-Sound | Makes a personal custom earplug to a measurement taken from each employee's ear, and comes to the workplace by appointment. We come to you at no cost to take measurements. |
Practical steps for employers
- Check with your safety officer or safety consultant which roles are defined as harmful noise.
- Decide which protector suits each role, and document the training given to employees.
- If you choose custom earplugs, arrange a measurement day at your workplace.
- Name a contact person for new employees and for lost earplugs.
About the source. The quotations are from the Safety at Work Regulations (Occupational Hygiene and Health of Workers Exposed to Noise), 5744-1984, as amended up to 18.09.2023 (Nevo database), rendered into English by us. Before relying on the wording, check the current binding Hebrew text. A review by the regulator: regulatory burden reduction report on the noise regulations (gov.il, 2021, in Hebrew). The information on this page is general and is not legal or safety advice.
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Custom earplugs: all types
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Updated 1 November 2026 · Written by the G-Sound editorial team. General information only; the earplug type and use are decided for each case in the conversation.
More in English
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Must an employer supply earplugs?
Under regulation 4(4) of the noise regulations, at a workplace where noise levels above the permitted level were found, the occupier shall supply employees exposed to harmful noise with suitable and serviceable ear protectors. The definition in the regulations covers earplugs inside the ear canal or earmuffs. What suits each role is checked with the safety officer.
Must the employee use the ear protectors?
According to the wording of regulation 4(4), the employees "shall be obliged to use them and to keep them intact and clean".
Do ear protectors replace reducing the noise?
According to the wording of the regulation, ear protectors are used until the noise is reduced by technical-engineering means, not as a substitute for it, unless a regional labour inspector has determined otherwise.
Does G-Sound carry out hearing tests under the noise regulations?
No. Under the regulations, the medical examinations for employees exposed to harmful noise are carried out by an authorised physician. We take measurements and make custom earplugs.
Is this page legal advice?
No. It is general information that quotes the wording of the regulations. The obligations at a particular workplace are checked with the safety officer or a qualified adviser.
Please do not send sensitive medical information in a message. We go over the relevant details on the phone.
Looking for custom earplugs for your team?
Tell us about the work environment and the number of employees, and we will look at the options with you. Call 055-3333338 or send a WhatsApp message.
Call G-Sound to arrange a measurement.
055-3333338G-Sound is an authorized marketer of Philips hearing aids.