addressing your concerns about hearing protection
TRANSCRIPT
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.