Hearing Protection

Hearing protection decreases the intensity, or loudness, of noise and helps preserve your hearing.

Harmful sounds are either, too loud and last too long, OR are very loud and sudden. For example hearing loss can be caused by, exposure to a one-time intense “impulse” sound such as an explosion, or by continuous exposure to loud sounds over an extended period of time, such as sitting to close during a concert or working in a factory.

Noise levels become a danger to your hearing at 85 decibels and above. While continuous exposure to 85 dB impacts your hearing after 8 hours, louder sounds require exponentially less time to do lasting damage to your hearing. The Decibel scale is an exponential measure of sound – 0 dB represents the softest audible sound, and 10 dB indicates a volume double 0 dB. Similarly, 90 dB indicates a noise level twice as loud as 80 dB.

For reference, loud city traffic can easily register 85 dB. Passing exposure to this noise level will not harm your hearing, but prolonged exposure will make a lasting mark- in a timeframe as short as a standard work shift. A lawnmower usually runs around 90 dB and at that volume will cause hearing loss after only 2.5 hours. Power tools frequently operate at around 110 decibels, which can damage your unprotected hearing after only 90 seconds while noise over 120 dB does nearly instantaneous harm.

Everyone with on the job exposure to loud noise levels should consider using Industrial Hearing Protection. Think about your place of employment – is there consistent noise you may need to think about? Many different professions can put people at risk for hearing loss.

Jobs that occur around noisy machinery such as automotive technicians, factory workers and machinists should be wary of prolonged sound exposure. Miners and construction workers labor in settings that contain both steady sounds at loud levels as well as sudden bursts of extra-loud noise. Employees who work in water and waves or on the crew of boats need to consider hearing protection that can reduce sound while remaining impervious to water. Workers at music venues and concerts need to protect their ears from blasting amplified sound systems. Airport workers, including the ground crew and pilots all work around some of the loudest sustained sounds in workplaces today – the blanketing sound of jet engines.