You may have seen in airports where the airport crew would wear large headphones. They wear them not because to communicate with each other but to protect themselves from the loud noise of nearby aeroplanes. Apart from using them in airports, you can find many other industries that need ear protectors including earmuffs.
If you are dealing with loud noises frequently, you need to provide yourself with the perfect earmuffs to protect your ears from getting damaged. You might think that loud noise will not hurt your ears, but it can spawn long-term adverse effects that can potentially put you out of your job
-
Determine How Much Noise Reduction You Require
Before getting yourself some muffs, you need to know how much noise reduction you need. Each job will require you to have a decent amount of ear protection to ensure you are exposed to noise at a safe level. In most cases, workers would get earmuffs that have at least 10dB of noise reduction
However, most hearing protectors can efficiently block noise by 10dB when they fit your head correctly. But if the environment is noisy, like construction sites, you may need ear protection that can provide more protection than 10dB. You need to determine the environment’s constant noise levels to ensure you get the perfect ear protection that can block loud noise while also providing adequate and safe sound to hear.
When the ear protection device blocks out noise completely, it makes the wearer unaware of their surroundings, primarily if they work in a hazardous environment where they always watch for hazards. Overprotection of the ears can become counterproductive, so getting the perfect earmuffs is crucial.
But there will come a time when you need to wear earmuffs that will make you unable to hear anything except the loud noise. Activities such as operating a chainsaw or shooting a gun will require the person to wear ear protection to block at least 100dbA or higher. A suitable method is to use earplugs while wearing ear protection on top of it.
-
Consider Ear Protection Compatibility With PPEs
Another factor you need to consider when buying earmuffs is how much noise your worksite usually generates. An example is when you need other personal protective equipment (PPE) other than ear protection such as gloves, goggles, hardhats, etc. Wearing the goggles and the hearing protector can enable sound to pass through since the frame compromises its overall fit.
The same goes for hard hats because it is virtually impossible to wear ear protection correctly on top or under them. Ensure your earmuffs are compatible with other PPEs required in your worksite. Deliberately purchasing ear protection without considering the other PPEs will make protecting ears futile.
-
Consider Comfortability With Your Ear Protection
It can become a bit uncomfortable when you are wearing ear protection when working, causing your productivity to decline. No one can ever efficiently work if something is bothering them throughout the entire time. You need to look for an ear protection size that will fit snugly on your head. It would be best to avoid tight ones as they can hurt your ears over time, which will make you take them off frequently.
Getting the job done will not be a problem anymore since you now know how to choose the perfect earmuffs. You need to trust in your equipment to protect you from possible dangers in a worksite, and ear protection is one of them.
