Addressing Your Concerns About Hearing Protection

HEARING PROTECTION T201211-01©2012 Bongarde

Hearing loss a fast-growing chronic condition

Affects nearly 30 million Americans and Canadians

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) common type

Affects those exposed to loud or prolonged noise

Hearing loss affects quality of life

Permanent ringing in ears

Distorted or muffled sounds

Hard to communicate

Leads to frustration, withdrawal, depression

NIHL is irreversible

NIHL is preventable

Exposed to noise at or above 85 decibels?

Wear hearing protection

Take care of it

Why do some not wear hearing

protection?

Misinformation

Let’s address some common

concerns

CONCERN #1

Won’t hear warning sounds Won’t hear

malfunctioning equipment

You should hear just fine

But things may sound different

If your hearing is damaged already

Consider hearing aids under earmuffs

CONCERN #2

Hearing protection is uncomfortable

Maybe at first

Like a new pair of shoes

If fit is right

If worn correctly

You’ll get used to it

CONCERN #3

Noise doesn’t

bother meI’m used to it

The ear doesn’t adapt

to noise

Your hearing might be damaged

Get your hearing

checked now

CONCERN #4

Earplugs cause ear infections

Not likely

Ear infections caused by

virus

Or a scratch

If you have a pre-

existing ear

condition

Tell your fitter

Maybe wear

earmuffs for now

CONCERN #5

Hearing protection

doesn’t work for me

Only effective if fits properly

Only effective if worn properly

Select protection carefully

Fit each ear separately

Ear canals can differ in size and

shape

• NIHL is permanent

• Prevention is simple

Listen up!

Ways You Can Protect Your Hearing

T1003-04©2008 Bongarde

When it comes to hearing protection, the question is:

When have you heard enough?

You require hearing protection when you work in an environment with a continuous decibel level greater than 85.

How loud is 85 decibels?

A lawnmower, electric drill, table saw, and shop vacuum are all above 85 decibels.

Other factors indicating you need hearing protection are more personal.

Would you feel more comfortable with hearing protection?

Are you nervous or fatigued, or experience a ringing in your ears after working in a noisy area?

Answering yes to any of these questions indicates you need hearing protection.

Some workplaces use this formula as a rule of thumb:

If you need to raise your voice to be heard by a co-worker just three feet away, then you need hearing protection.

Once you have determined you may require hearing protection, the next question is how much?

The level of noise to which you are exposed is your answer here.

Ask your supervisor to test the area where you work.

What you require will be based on this level of noise.

Hearing protection devices have a noise reduction rating (NRR) placed on their packaging.

For example, if you work in an environment where you are exposed to a noise level of 100 decibels, you require hearing protection to bring the level down to 85 decibels or less.

Simple subtraction will tell you an NRR rating of 15 should do the trick.

But it isn’t as easy as that.

Since noise reduction ratings are often based on a device’s perfect fit in a perfect environment, actual use may not provide

as much protection as the packaging states.

In this case use a reduction rating of 30, to make sure you have adequate protection.

PPE is designed to protect you.

If you can’t understand what your co-workers are saying, you might have too much hearing protection or the wrong kind.

Too much protection will leave you feeling isolated and at risk of injury because you can’t hear machines or your co-workers.

There are many different types of protection designed to limit the amount of noise that reaches the inner ear.

Here are several examples. Discuss these options with your supervisor:

Earplugs, the most common type of ear protection, come in different varieties and materials.

They are placed in the outer ear and can reduce noise by as much as 30 decibels.

Canal caps, on the other hand, close off the inner ear and are used with a headband or string connecting the caps.

Caps are most often used when an earplug is not viable.

Earmuffs fitted with a headband, also a common hearing protection device, cover the whole ear.

Like other types of hearing protection devices, earmuffs filter out 15 to 30 decibels of noise.

Specialized earmuffs are available that will filter out particular frequencies of noise allowing the user to hear speech.

When faced with noise levels above 100 decibels, you should consider a combination of earmuffs and plugs.

It’s important that the hearing protection device you choose fits properly and is kept in proper

working condition.

Most importantly, you need to wear the device because hearing loss is something you don’t

notice until it is too late.