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Hearing Loss Prevention
About 30 million people in the U.S. are exposed to hazardous noise levels at at work, including musicians, factory workers, construction workers, airport staff, emergency personnel, plumbers, carpenters, and many more. And outside of work, dangerous noise levels can be found in common, everyday sounds.
So what is considered to be a dangerous noise level? Sustained or repeated exposure to any sound louder than 85 decibels can cause permanent hearing loss. To understand just how loud 85 decibels is, compare it to the decibel levels of these common sounds, provided by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (NIOSH/CDC).
Protect Your Ears from Damage
Hunting and Recreational Shooting Protection
Hunting requires the ability to hear faint, soft sounds, yet it also has the potential to cause hearing damage from the peak noise levels of a shotgun blast, which can reach more than 130 decibels. Hunters can buy over-the-counter foam plugs, but also have the option of using custom-fit earplugs that preserve certain sounds while protecting against the sounds of gunfire.
Industrial Hearing Protection
A power saw can reach 110 decibels, a newspaper press 97, a chain saw 120, and a jet takeoff 150. These levels are well above the 85 decibel threshold for hearing damage, and frequent exposure has been shown to cause numerous work-related hearing loss cases. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2009 alone there were more than 21,000 cases of work-related hearing loss reported.
Ear Protection for Musicians
Unfortunately, the prevalence of hearing loss among musicians is very high. Concerts can reach well over 100 decibels, and participating in frequent shows without hearing protection can cause permanent hearing loss and tinnitus.
But over-the-counter foam plugs are simply not an option for most musicians. Foam plugs muffle sounds by reducing volume mostly in the high frequency range. Custom musicians plugs, on the other hand, will reduce volume more evenly across frequencies, preserving the natural quality of sound and in some cases enhancing the quality of sound.
Law Enforcement Protection
Hearing is essential to a career in law enforcement, but there are unfortunately many situations in which permanent hearing loss may occur. Police car sirens can reach between 106 and 118 decibels, well over the 85 decibels that is considered to be the lowest level that causes damage. In addition, shouting, gunfire, and other emergency situations all present dangerous noise levels.
The use of custom-fit, high fidelity ear plugs is a great way to protect your ears while preserving the ability to hear important sounds, alerts, and speech.
Prevention is Better than Cure
If you think you may be exposed to hazardous noise levels, it is better to take the preventative steps now than to wait until you suffer from the symptoms of hearing loss and are forced to make the appointment. Talk to our hearing specialists and start protecting your hearing today.
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