How Can You Pick the Right Protection for Your Needs?

Are you trying to find the proper ear protection for your work environment or recreational activity? Fortunately, many ear protection types depend on the noise level or exposure time of the noises around you. This article will help you find the proper ear protection recommended by a hearing health professional.

How Much Noise Are You Exposed To?

As a general rule, the CDC recommends exposure levels of between 75-85 decibels (dBs). If your sound level exceeds this, consider investing in ear protection. If your noise levels greatly exceed 85dBs, you might need special ear defenders like noise-canceling headphones. You can even combine earmuffs and earplugs for very high noise levels. For lower thresholds, consider foam earplugs or other ear protection that brings it down into the recommended decibel range.

Talk with your hearing health professional if you work in a noisy environment to see what are the safe decibels that you can be exposed to in your work time frame.

How Long Is Your Exposure Time?

Are you in an environment that is constantly exposed to high noise levels? If so, consider investing in high-end protection like high-quality earmuffs or noise-canceling headphones. If you are only exposed to high noise levels intermittently throughout the day, you might need ear protection that is more convenient to take in and out. Earplugs can be helpful as they can be taken in and out and as needed during the day.

Do You Need to Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?

PPE can interfere with the effectiveness of ear protection. Items like safety glasses can prevent earmuffs from forming a seal or make earmuffs impossible to wear. Consider investing in specialist earmuffs compatible with PPE or wearing earplugs, which are smaller and may not interfere with your equipment as much.

Do You Need to Hear Safety Signals or Other Noises?

If you do need to hear other noises for safety reasons, then avoid using high-fidelity ear protection, which reduces sound across low and high frequencies. Consider using special headsets or electronic devices that help you filter out deafening noises but still hear lower tones. That way, you can pick up on human conversation or noises that signal safety concerns.

What Are the Conditions Like in Your Environment?

If your working environment is hot, then ear protection like earmuffs can become uncomfortable. If you need to wash your hands frequently or the area is unsanitary, items like earmuffs, which require frequent contact to take in and out, may be undesirable, as they could cause ear infections.

Finding The Right Ear Protection for You

If you are frequently exposed to loud noises, special earmuffs could be ideal as they fit over PPE and other work equipment. If you need to hear safety signals or conversation, headsets that allow communication or high-frequency reduction headphones can help you pick up the signals they need to hear. When choosing ear protection, you must talk to a hearing health specialist to find the proper ear protection for your needs.