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Using hearing protection

Using hearing protection

Have you ever thought about protecting your ears before? No? Then you're not alone. It’s easy to forget that everyday noises can impact your hearing. In this section you can find out more about the impact of noise and how you can protect your hearing.

Overview:

Why should I protect my hearing?

Think about it – your eyelids can close in a fraction of second, but your ears have no way to protect themselves. There’s no way to deliberately shut off your hearing – your ears are always ready to pick up sounds, including loud ones. This means that with regular or one-off loud noises, your hearing can suffer.
working in a workshop

What impacts can loud noises have?

You might be surprised by the sounds that can have a long-term effect on your hearing! Loud music at concerts, noise from DIY work at home, traffic noise… these can quickly impact your hearing. In fact, noise-related hearing loss affects more and more people than ever.
Persistent noise doesn’t just affect your ears. Every loud noise puts your body into a state of alert, which makes your heart beat faster, increases your blood pressure and makes your breathing rapid. Some long-term effects might even be concentration problems, sleep problems, high blood pressure and even heart conditions.

But the good news is that with the right hearing protection, you can prevent this!

Do I need hearing protection?

Each person is affected by noise differently, and the volume at which noise becomes a problem varies for everyone. Street noise, engine noise, or even a gig or concert where the sound is over 80 decibels (dB) can be trouble.

How can I protect my hearing?

There are some simple things you can do to help make sure your hearing is protected...
Turn it down!
Whether it’s the radio, TV, or your phone, quieter is better!
Fewer noises at once
More than one conversation at once, or playing music over the sound of electrical appliance, can strain your ears.
Buy quieter appliances!
Whether it’s a washing machine, dishwasher, or fridge, take a look at the decibel rating when you’re buying a new electrical appliance. The lower the rating, the quieter it will be, and the better it is for your ears!
Keep your distance!
Staying further away from the source of loud noises will help.
Wear hearing protection!
If you’re doing something noisy like mowing the lawn or sawing wood, you should always wear hearing protection. A circular saw can be as loud as 110 dB, which is enough to cause damage!

See our custom hearing protection
By following these simple tips, you can keep your ears healthier for longer, so you won’t miss a thing!

What types of hearing protection are there?

There are a few different types of hearing protection for different situations. Some of the different categories are outlined below:
Capsule hearing protection product

Capsule hearing protection

Capsule hearing protection, in the form of earmuffs with a strap, can be worn either directly on your head or attached to a safety helmet. Some fold easily, so they’re easy to carry too. They’re perfect for very loud noises or short-term exposure.
foam ear plugs

Foam earplugs

These are made from expandable foam.This means that once they’re in your ear, they adapt to the shape of your ear canal – they’re comfortable and effective.
plastic ear plugs

Plastic earplugs

Plastic earplugs have grip stems and a cord, making them quick to insert and remove. This makes them great for anyone who works somewhere with louder and quieter periods.
ear molds

Earmolds

To make an earmold, an impression of your ear canal is taken and used to create your own personalised hearing protection. They’re very comfortable and you can get them with various sound filters, so you can choose the right ones for any situation – specially designed ones are available for musicians, concert-goers, motorcyclists and swimmers.

Cotton earplugs

These are the cheapest option for single-use earplugs, but they still offer a good level of protection.