Wearing hearing protection should be something that you definitely need to consider since it may be the difference between living a life enjoying the sounds or living it with a permanent disability.
Every day, you are exposed to many environmental noises that can be harmful. The problem is that, sometimes, you don’t even notice them because you’re so used to them.
Hearing protection should be taken into high consideration for those who work in places with a high level of noise. But how can you choose the best earmuf for you?
#1: Determine the Noise Level:
Most power tools and machines usually have labeled the noise level and frequency (dB and Hz). When they don’t, you can easily see on their respective user manual.
This is important to take into consideration because it affects the earmuf that is best for you. You need to be aware that the recommended level under the earmuf should be below 85 dB. So, just imagine that you need to use a chainsaw on your work and that it has 110 dB. This means that the best earmuf for you would have an attenuation of 25 dB.
The safety earmufs choice also depends on whether you need a lower or a higher protection level.
Some of the cases when you can consider lower level protection:
– The level of the earmuf is based on the noise exposure of a person working 8 hours a day. If your exposure to the noise is not that long, you can consider a lower protection level.
– When you need to wear signs or hear important information from your work colleagues.
– In case you already suffer from a hearing impairment, it may be a better choice to go for a lower level protection because it will be easier for you to understand speech in noisy environments.
Some of the case when you can consider higher level protection:
– If you’re only subjected to low-frequency noise, this is the best choice for you because this kind of noise is more difficult to block out.
– When you need to wear face masks or safety glasses, for example. This will make sure that your performance is not affected.
– When besides the noise level on your work you also have other noise sources in the surroundings.
#2: Choose the Best Earmuf Style:
When choosing safety earmufs, you also need to consider any requirements you might have in your workplace. For example, if you have to use a hard hat, you need to make sure that you choose a cap-mounted earmuf and that it can fit the hat. In case you have to wear a hat for sun protection or a bump cap, you should take a look at the neckband earmufs.
#3: Other Requirements to Consider:
You should also consider whether the noise levels you need to deal with are intermittent and whether you’d like to have the radio on because your tasks are very monotonous.
With so many different earmufs in the market, your decision might get a little complicated. So, you might want to check out the best earmuf reviews to make sure you’re choosing the best earmuf for you.
