Which weighting scale is best for determining hearing protection attenuation?

The C weighted scale is best for determining hearing protection attenuation because it closely resembles the frequency response of sounds that can cause hearing damage, particularly in the lower frequencies. This scale takes into account the sounds that are more intense and likely to impact hearing health, such as impulsive noise (like gunshots) and industrial sounds, where the lower frequencies can be more prominent.

While A weighted scales are commonly used for assessing general environmental noise exposure and reflect human ear sensitivity in quieter environments, they do not effectively represent the noise levels and frequencies that hearing protection devices are designed to mitigate. The flat weighted scale does not adjust for frequencies and therefore fails to provide a meaningful measure for evaluating hearing protection. B weighted scales are not standard in audiology and thus are less commonly used for this specific purpose, making C the most relevant option for determining how much sound is actually being blocked by hearing protection devices across relevant frequencies.