4 Advice to Choose a Electronic Hearing Protector Supply

Guide to Selecting the Right Ear Muff

When combining hearing protection with safety glasses, face masks, etc., ensure performance is not adversely affected.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of Electronic Hearing Protector Supply. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

Wearing hearing protection can mean the difference between enjoying the sounds of everyday life and a lifetime of disability. Every day, we are exposed to potentially hazardous environmental noise. It is, therefore, critical that workers who must be present where the noise level is high and constant select either a muff or plug protector to reduce the noise level to an acceptable level. We will now discuss the factors you should consider when selecting the correct ear muff for the job.

Step 1: Determining Your Noise Level
Is the noise level and frequency content known (dB and Hz)?

If not, see the list of common noise sources on the next page. On some machines and power tools, you can find the dB level in the user manual or stated on a label on the machine.

If yes, follow this example: It is recommended that the calculated level under the ear muff should be under 85 dB (A). Therefore, subtract 85 dB from the noise level dB to find out the minimum protection level needed. The key is to provide enough attenuation but not enough to overprotect the wearer. Understand your whole-shift noise exposures and select the ear muff on the basis of that exposure, and do not use the highest measured noise level as your guide.

Example:

If you use a chainsaw, and the dB level is 110 dB (A). The recommended level under the ear cup should be below 85 dB (A). Therefore, you need an ear muff with an attenuation of at least 25 dB (110&#;85 =25).

When to consider selecting an ear muff with a lower protection level:

• Is the exposure time shorter than four hours? The ear muff protection level is based on noise exposure over an eight- hour working day. If the exposure is shorter, you should consider selecting a lower protection level.
• Do you need to hear important information from colleagues, warning signals etc.? Consider selecting a lower protection level or use an electronic level dependent ear muff.
• Are you suffering from hearing loss? If you have a hearing impairment, you may already have difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments. If you select the highest attenuation for hearing protectors, you may find it even more difficult to communicate or hear warning alarms.

When to consider selecting an ear muff with a higher protection level:

• Does the noise consist mainly of low-frequency noise? If the noise is mainly low frequency, you should consider selecting a higher protection level because low-frequency noise is more difficult to block out.
• Do you need to wear safety glasses, face masks etc.? When combining hearing protection with safety glasses, face masks, etc., ensure performance is not adversely affected. If you are uncertain, seek additional advice and guidance or select an ear muff with a slightly higher protection level.
• Are there any other noise sources nearby? If there are other noise sources nearby, you should consider selecting a higher protection level.

This article originally appeared in the June issue of Occupational Health & Safety.

*Disclaimer*
The information contained on this page is for promotional and informational purposes only. All equipment should be used by trained professional tradesmen who have been trained how to use the equipment described on this page, and understand the risks of their work. PowerPak assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the use or misuse of any product purchased. In no event shall PowerPak be liable for any direct, special, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other torts, arising out of or in connection with the use of this information or the contents of this page. PowerPak reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents on this page at any time without prior notice.

Hearing protection is necessary for those living or working in a noisy environment such as construction sites, airports, factories, or even entertainment venues. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, anyone exposed to noise equal to or above 85 decibels regularly requires wearing hearing protection devices.

This is important because not wearing hearing protection can lead to permanent hearing loss, and if care is not taken from the get-go, it can be hard to prevent. However, there are a few things to know before you set out to select the right hearing protection device for yourself, and NRR is one of them.

What is NRR?

NRR is an abbreviation of Noise Reduction Rating, a unit of measurement used to determine how effective a hearing protection device is in reducing exposure to noise within a working environment. In other words, it tells the extent to which hearing protection devices may reduce the overall noise you are exposed to.

Therefore, hearing protectors need to pass the American National Standards (ANSI) in line with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to be declared effective for commercial use. However, it is important to keep in mind that any hearing protector's NRR is a laboratory tested figure. So the actual noise reduction provided by any such device may be lower than what their Noise Reduction Rating indicates.

How does it Work?

The rule of thumb is that the higher the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of a device, the better it is. In fact, the highest NRR hearing protection devices are considered the best. However, as discussed above, these ratings are not as simple to decipher. For example, if you are on a construction site that has a noise exposure of 100 dB and you are wearing hearing protection headphones with an NRR of 40 dB, it does not mean that you are now exposed to 60 dB of noise.

Featured content:
A Complete Guide to Car Roof Top Tent For Camping

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Safety Hearing Protection Manufacturers.

The actual reduction in the level of noise will always be less than what the NRR states. So, to calculate the real decibel deduction provided by the hearing protector, you will have to apply the following formula:

(NRR &#; 7)/ 2 = Actual Decibel Deduction

Hence, following the above-stated example, you subtract 7 from 40 (which is the NRR of protective headphones) and divide the resulting number (33) by 2. So, the actual noise reduction provided by the headphones is 16.5 dB, and you are exposed to 83.5 dB of noise after wearing the hearing protection headphones.

Do not let this information undermine the importance of wearing hearing protection because it is important to remember that something is always better than nothing, and in this case, it is actually necessary. Moreover, to maximize noise reduction, wearing the hearing protection device properly is also crucial.

Wearing Dual Protection

Oftentimes, when people work in excessively noisy conditions, they tend to wear double protection. For example, someone may choose to wear earmuffs on top of hearing protection earplugs. In this case, the total decibel reduction will not come by adding the individual reduction of each protective device.

To determine the total actual decibel reduction provided by both, you add 5 decibels of protection to the device with the higher NRR.

So, for example, if the earmuffs have an NRR of 26 and the earplugs have an NRR of 32, wearing both together will provide a total noise reduction of 37 decibels.

What to Consider When Choosing Your Hearing Protection Device?

There are a couple of things to be cautious of when choosing your hearing protector. While NRR is one of the most important metrics to judge your potential protection device against, it is not the only thing to consider. In fact, the device which is right for someone else may not be the best for you.

Following are a few tips to help you understand how NRR should be used in the selection process and what are other factors to consider:

   1. Select the right NRR

Depending on your budget and the intensity of noise, the right hearing protection device for you can be different from that of someone else's. While 'the higher the NRR, the better the device' notion holds true, you may not require a hearing protector with a very high NRR if you are exposed to moderate levels of noise.

   2. Choose the right fit

The utility of your hearing protection device will be limited if it does not fit your ears perfectly, no matter how high its NRR is. For example, large ear defenders or headphones may appear to be an attractive option, but if they are loose on your ears, they may slip routinely, causing external noise to damage your ears.

   3. Select the right type

Just like the optimal NRR for your hearing protection device may vary; similarly, the right type of hearing protector can differ according to your workplace. There are a number of options available in the market, such as earmuffs, earplugs etc., with further variations among them. You should make your decision based on the exposure of noise level, your own convenience, and your audiologist's advice.

If you are present in a setting that exposes you to high noise levels, you must consider wearing hearing protection. By taking preventative measures from the beginning, you can retain your hearing function; avoid damaged hearing or even just the risk of developing noise-induced, permanent hearing loss.

For any other PPE equipment, check out our website:

https://www.powerpak.net/

Want more information on Custom Baby Earmuff Wholesale? Feel free to contact us.