title: Evaluation of hearing protection used by police officers in the shooting range.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Impact noise is characterized by acoustic energy peaks that last less than a second, at intervals of more than 1s.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the levels of impact noise to which police officers are exposed during activities at the shooting range and to evaluate the attenuation of the hearing protector.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurements were performed in the shooting range of a military police department. An SV 102 audiodosimeter (Svantek) was used to measure sound pressure levels. Two microphones were used simultaneously: one external and one insertion type; the firearm used was a 0.40 Taurus® rimless pistol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The values obtained with the external microphone were 146 dBC (peak), and a maximum sound level of 129.4 dBC (fast). The results obtained with the insertion microphone were 138.7 dBC (peak), and a maximum sound level of 121.6 dBC (fast).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings showed high levels of sound pressure in the shooting range, which exceeded the maximum recommended noise (120 dBC), even when measured through the insertion microphone. Therefore, alternatives to improve the performance of hearing protection should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus de Marília, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: hlguida@marilia.unesp.br.
authors.forename: Heraldo Lorena
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Guida
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus de Marília, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla Linhares
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Taxini
authors.affiliation: Universidade Tuiuti do Paraná (UTP), Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Claudia Giglio de Oliveira
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus de Marília, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vitor Engrácia
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Valenti
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004430:Ear Protective Devices / Q000592:standards*; D005389:Firearms; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016495:Police; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Medição de ruído; Noise measurement; Noise occupational; Police; Polícia; Ruído ocupacional