Acoustic Shock occurs when a call centre agent is exposed to a sudden and unexpected loud noise or high pitched sound.
Examples can include:
Unlike a traditional phone handpiece, a person wearing a headset cannot quickly drop the phone from the ear as soon as the noise is heard. This means that the headset wearer can be exposed to damaging sounds which can cause temporary pain through to permanent hearing loss often resulting in expensive workers compensation claims.
Certain headsets have built-in acoustic shock protection which in simple terms, filters out all the loud, unexpected and high-pitch noises that can cause damage before they reach a call centre agents headset.
Whilst the initial costs of headsets with acoustic shock protection can cost a little more, the costs are insignificant when compared to the costs of a workplace injury making them a great investment for the safety of your call centre agents and business.