Frequently Asked Questions

It's true that most people's hearing test gets worse
as they get older. But for the average person, aging does not cause
impaired hearing before at least the age of 60. People who are not
exposed to noise and are otherwise healthy, keep their hearing for many
years. People who are exposed to noise and do not protect their hearing
begin to lose their hearing at an early age. For example, by age 25 the
average carpenter has "50-year old" ears! That is, by age 25, the
average carpenter has the same hearing as someone who is 50 years old
and has worked in a quiet job.

That is unlikely for two reasons. First, the average
ear canal is about 1 1/4 inches long. The typical ear plug is between
1/2 and 3/4 of an inch long. So even if you inserted the entire
earplug, it would still not touch the eardrum. Second, the path from
the opening of the ear canal to the eardrum is not straight. In fact,
it is quite irregular. This prevents you from poking objects into the
eardrum.

Using earplugs will not cause an infection. But use
common sense. Have clean hands when using earplugs that need to be
rolled or formed with your fingers in order for you to insert them. If
this is inconvenient, there are plenty of earplugs that are pre-molded
or that have stems so that you can insert them without having to touch
the part that goes into the ear canal.

The fact is that there are fatal injuries because
people do not hear warning sounds. However, this is usually because the
background noise was too high or because the person had severe hearing
loss, not because someone was wearing hearing protectors. Using hearing
protectors will bring both the noise and the warning sound down
equally. So if the warning sound is audible without the hearing
protector, it will usually be audible when wearing the hearing
protector. Also, many warning systems can be adjusted or changed so
warning signals are easier to detect.

Hearing protectors will lower the noise level of your
equipment; it won't eliminate it. However, some hearing protectors will
reduce certain frequencies more than others; so wearing them can make
noises sound different. In cases where it's important that the sound
just be quieter without any other changes, there are hearing protectors
that can provide flat attenuation. There are also noise-activated
hearing protectors that allow normal sounds to pass through the ear and
only "turn-on" when the noise reaches hazardous levels. There are even
protectors that professional concert musicians use that can lower the
sound level while retaining sound fidelity.

An SNR is a single number rating system determined
according to International Standard ISO 4869. The tests are carried out
by commercial laboratories that are independent of the manufacturers.
Like NRRs, SNRs are expressed in dB's and are used as a guide for
comparing the potential noise reduction capability of different hearing
protection devices. Since the procedures for measuring NRRs and SNRs
are different, the NRR and SNR values for an individual hearing
protector are different. For further details please refer to the
Canadian Standard CSA Z94.2 or American Standard ANSI S12.

In order to get full benefit, hearing protectors must
be worn all the time during noisy work. If hearing protectors are
removed only for a short duration, the protection is substantially
reduced. The following table gives a maximum protection provided for
non-continuous use of an ideally fitted "100%" efficient hearing
protector. For example if one takes off his/her hearing protector for 5
min in a 8-hour shift, the maximum protection will be 20 dB.

Ear protectors must be used ALL THE TIME to get full benefit.

Some people find they can wear hearing protectors and
still understand speech. Others will have trouble hearing speech while
wearing hearing protectors. Being able to hear what other people say
depends on many things: distance from the speaker, ability to see the
speaker's face, general familiarity with the topic, level of background
noise, and whether or not one has an existing hearing impairment. In
some cases, wearing hearing protectors can make it easier to understand
speech. In other instances, people may be using hearing protectors to
keep out too much sound. You may need a protector that reduces the
sound enough to be safe without reducing the sound too much to hear
speech at a comfortably loud level. For those people who work in noise
and must communicate, it may also be necessary to use communication
headsets. Allow your employees to try different protectors. Some will
work better than others at helping them to hear speech, and different
protectors may work better for different people.

Think about getting a new pair of shoes. Some shoes
take no time to get used to. Others - even though they are the right
size - can take a while to get used to. Hearing protectors are no
different from other safety equipment in terms of getting used to them.
But if hearing protectors are the wrong size, or are worn out, they
will not be comfortable. Also, workers may need more than one kind of
protector at their job. For example, no one would wear golf shoes to go
bowling. If hearing protectors are not suitable for the work being
done, they probably won't feel comfortable.

Comfort—so you’ll wear them

* Consistency—use them every time, all the time, in
hazardous noise
* Cleanliness—keep plugs and hands as clean as possible

How long can someone be in a loud noise before it's hazardous?

The degree of hearing hazard is related to both the
level of the noise as well as to the duration of the exposure. But this
question is like asking how long can people look at the sun without
damaging their eyes. The safest thing to do is to ensure workers always
protect their ears by wearing hearing protectors anytime they are
around loud noise.

You should clean the ear tips
after each use to remove any ear wax or other debris. Cleaning the ear
tips can be easily done using a damp cloth or antibacterial tissues, if
needed, and after removing the filters, the ear tips can also be
cleaned with warm water and a mild soap. The filters generally do not
require regular cleaning however they can be cleaned with the use of
warm water, only if necessary should they be cleaned with mild soap or
hygiene tablets and allowed to dry thoroughly.

The ear plugs come with the filters inserted into the larger set of ear
tips. This is the size most people find works best, however if they are
difficult to insert or seem to want to fall out the smaller size may be
better for you. The pill sized filters can be easily removed and placed
into the smaller tips. They come with instructions but mainly you just
want to be sure the filter logo is facing out and they are flush with
the top of the tip.

There are two rules: First, if you have to raise your
voice to talk to someone who is an arm's length away, then the noise is
likely to be hazardous. Second, if your ears are ringing or sounds seem
dull or flat after leaving a noisy place, then you probably were
exposed to hazardous noise.

Anyone regularly exposed to hazardous noise should
have an annual hearing test. Also, anyone who notices a change in
his/her hearing (or who develops tinnitus) should have his or her ears
checked. People who have healthy ears and who are not exposed to
hazardous noise should get a hearing test every three years.

If you have hearing loss, it's important to protect
the hearing that you have left. Loud noises can continue to damage your
hearing making it even more difficult to communicate at work and with
your family and friends.

You can find more information about tinnitus, or ringing in your ears, by visiting the American
Tinnitus Association website.