What Hearing Protection is Right for You?

Ear protection will help preserve your ability to hear in different conditions and environments. It is especially important for employees who work in noisy areas. Working without this equipment will lead to hearing loss due to damage to parts of the ear, like the ear canal. 

Your ears can only take as much noise regarding frequency. Once the frequency is exceeded, it is wise to look into various hearing protection aids to safeguard your ears. Check on various factors like noise levels and types to get the appropriate hearing protection you will need. Employers need to investigate the employee's needs and the labor laws to safeguard the employees' ears. 

Types of Hearing Protection

There are various types of hearing protection aids that you can use in your workplace. It will depend on your workplace environmental noises, comfortability, level and types of noises you are protecting against.  

Earplugs

Earplugs fit into the ear canal and block out most low-frequency noises. They are the most common type of hearing protection due to their simplicity, functionality and performance. Earplugs are quite small and can fit into anyone's ear. It is easier and more convenient for you to use since it is readily available. 

You will find expandable earplugs of any size and color in the market. They are easier to fit into the ears and quite comfortable unless you do not know how to fit them in your ears. More advanced pre-molded earplugs are reusable and available in various sizes and designs that maintain their comfortability and functionality. Canal plugs have an additional headband that you can use to hold the plugs when not in use. 

Earmuffs

In contrast, earmuffs cover the entire outer ear and are more reliable in high-frequency noises. Their efficiency through a wide range of noises makes them very efficient. 

Factors That Influence Your Choice of Hearing Protection

Apart from comfort and functionality, it would help if you considered how much you want to hear. When choosing hearing protection aids, you need to check on their size and comfortability. Some aids come in a variety of sizes. You need to check which will best fit your ears. Choosing a larger or a smaller size might cause irritability and more cumbersome work of fitting and refitting. 

It would also be best to consider how much sound you will want to filter out from the noise. 

Some aids will completely shut out the outside noises. You cannot hear anything from the outside. Sometimes, you may recommend doubling up on the hearing aids due to very high-frequency noises. The types of noises that you want to protect against will also affect your choice of aids. Continuous noises and sharp or popping sounds will need different aids when protecting your ears. 

How to Choose the Right Hearing Protection

Choosing appropriate hearing aids will boil down to understanding your needs and the noises at your workplace. Consider all these factors wholesomely for you to make the right choice. Your audiologist will give you advice on the best one for you.