Choosing the Right Hearing Protection for Your Activity

Exposure to excessive levels of noise is one of the leading single causes of hearing loss, especially amongst younger people who might not normally be at risk of things like age-related hearing loss. One of the methods of preventing this most recommended by your hearing instrument specialist (HIS) is the use of hearing protection. The basic premise of hearing protection is always the same: to reduce the level of noise that makes it into your ears, reducing the potential for damage.

However, there are different types of hearing protection and, depending on the work, hobby or activity that you’re seeking to wear them during, different options might suit your needs better. Here, we’re going to look at a few considerations you should make when choosing hearing protection.

Getting an Idea of How Much Hearing Protection You Need

There is a way to measure the effectiveness of the hearing protection that you wear. In particular, you should look at how many decibels it can reduce external noise by. This is often labelled on hearing protection as the noise reduction rating. Most hearing protection devices are labelled with a numeric score. This score translates, quite simply, to how many decibels it can reduce noise by. 

Any noise of 80 decibels (dBs) or higher can start to do permanent damage to your hearing. How long it takes to start doing damage depends on the loudness. For instance, it takes over 12 hours of exposure to noises over 85dBs to start doing damage. However, noises of 98 decibels can take only 23 minutes to cause damage.

Choosing the right level of noise protection for the hobby, work activity or event that you’re considering. Here are some of the noise levels of common activities:

• 80 decibels: Ringing telephone and manual tools.
• 90-95 decibels: Blenders, tractors, trucks, shouted conversations and eclectic drills.
• 100-110dBs: Baby crying, factory machinery, motorcycles, discos and symphony concerts.
• 120-130dBs: Jet planes at ramp, ambulance sirens, heavy machines, rock concerts and football stadiums.
• 140-150dBs: Jet engines and airplanes taking off and firecrackers.
• 155-160dBs: Firecrackers, fireworks at three feet.
• 163+dBs: Rifles, handguns and shotguns.

Earplugs can, at maximum, protect against 33 decibels. Earmuffs can provide a max of 31. Together, they can offer protection of up to a 36-noise reduction rating (NRR).

The Right Choice for Your Work Environment

The noise that you’re exposed to isn’t the only factor to consider, either. You also need to think about which work environment you’re in and how that can affect your use of hearing protection. For instance, if you’re working somewhere where you need to communicate, then you can get things like custom earplugs with acoustic filters that can make it easier to hear and respond to others.

If you do work that involves getting your hands dirty, then you want to avoid putting your fingers inside your ears. As such, fishing out earplugs isn’t going to be the best option and earmuffs might be the best option.

You also have to consider how frequently or intermittently you need to make use of hearing protection. If you are likely to keep it on throughout the entire workday, or for hours on end, then disposal earplugs might be a good choice. However, if you have to frequently take them out and put them in, it might be better to switch them for earmuffs instead.

Do You Need Other Protective Equipment as Well?

If you have to wear other personal protective equipment (PPE) for your work or activity, then you should make sure that your choice of hearing protection is compatible with it. This can include things like hardhats, goggles and eye protectors.

For instance, there are cases where goggles or a helmet might break the seal of a pair of earmuffs, so you can’t wear them effectively together. In other cases, you might find that a hardhat makes it difficult to put in or take off earplugs. In such cases, you can even consider options like hardhats that have earmuffs attached to them already. There are plenty of hearing protection options out there so don’t hesitate to ask your hearing instrument specialist about them.

Get Help Choosing the Right Hearing Protection Today

If you’re still uncertain precisely what kind of hearing protection you should opt for, or you simply want to make sure that you get the best quality on the market for your budget, then you should get in touch with your hearing instrument specialist today. You can call Audio Hearing Aid Service today at 330-244-9881 or 330-364-6637. Our team is happy to help.