> One issue is than ANC can't predict and sometimes react fast enough to sudden loud noises, so if an engine backfires next to you, your ANC headphones will take a few miliseconds to catch up and will allow the original sound (minus their inherent (passive) sound isolation) to reach your ear.

Ön the other hand, isn't the time spent exposed to loud sounds what counts for hearing damage? I.e. one should be less worried precisely about the sorts of things ANC is bad at dealing with?