A Complete Hearing Protection Guide: Proper Uses & More

When you’re exposed to loud sounds repeatedly in any workplace or at home, you should wear hearing protection. Anything from some time at a concert to working on a construction site requires hearing protection. This hearing protection guide will cover some of the key things you need to know about hearing protection. 

What is the Primary Purpose of Hearing Protection? 

It’s easy to forget that sound is physical. Sound is the mechanical movement of air on a very sensitive part of our eardrum. Listening to loud noises is essentially like letting something hit your eardrum, and this damage can be very destructive to our ears and reduce, or even eliminate, our ability to hear.  

Even mild damage to your hearing can significantly impact your life. Hearing protection is all about reducing your exposure to the physical damage of sound. You wouldn’t let something hit you in the arm until you’re bruised at work, so don’t let something hit hurt your ears, either. 

At What Decibel Level Should You Wear Hearing Protection? 

You can comfortably listen to sounds under 70 dBA or lower without ear protection. However, prolonged exposure (think hours) to noises above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss. Lastly, you can only listen to sounds above 90 dBA for two hours safely; above this, you certainly need hearing protection. 

Keep in mind that hearing protection isn’t always the best first choice. You do need to be able to hear noises at some workplaces for safety reasons. Workplaces should try to remove sources of loud noise or engineer the equipment to produce less noise and include noise-dampening materials around the noise source. When none of these are possible or work well enough, then you need to wear hearing protection. 

Looking for hearing protection that fits your unique needs? Explore our selection today or give us a call and we would be happy to walk you through your options..

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Hearing Protection Types 

There are two main kinds of hearing protection: 

1. Earplugs: These are soft foam inserts that you place in your ear in order to slow down the noise and prevent it from impacting your eardrums as much as it would otherwise.
2. Ear muffs: Ear muffs offer external hearing protection (i.e. you wear them outside your ears). They can provide more protection from louder noises as they have room for more material. The exact protection ear muffs provide is explained by their ratings, which you should always familiarize yourself with. Plus, ear muffs can also supply sound on the inside with communication devices, so you may be able to communicate with people while wearing ear muffs, unlike ear plugs. 

How to Choose Hearing Protection 

We strongly encourage you to get professional guidance when choosing hearing protection. You must ensure that the ear plugs or ear muffs provide enough protection for the loudest sounds you might be exposed to. 

Get Your Complete Hearing Protection Guided from CanGard 

CanGard offers hearing protection for various workplaces and noisy environments, including ear plugs in bulk and high-end ear muffs. Explore our selection to find what you need, or reach out to our team to discuss your hearing protection options. 

Article Updated 2024-04-18