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National Hearing Awareness Month aims to remind businesses and individuals how to prevent hearing loss by avoiding loud noises or using hearing protection equipment. Companies should test the sound levels in the workplace while mitigating potential hazards before choosing safety gear. Earmuffs and earplugs should fit properly to prevent loud sounds from reaching the ear drum. October is known as National Protect Your Hearing Month in the U.S. The event is designed to increase public awarene …

Double hearing protection is needed in work environments with noises that exceed 100 decibels on average over an eight-hour shift. Workers can wear ear plugs underneath their protective earmuffs to stay safe in these situations. They should also test the noise level regularly to find out if this equipment is necessary based on the exposure level. Occupational hearing loss remains a persistent problem in work zones across the U.S. Many machines and industrial processes create loud noises …

Noise is inevitable when you’re working with heavy-duty industrial equipment. But exposure to loud noises can lead to permanent hearing loss; these noises don’t have to be deafening to damage a person’s hearing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), workers shouldn’t be exposed to sounds exceeding 85 decibels for eight hours. That’s about as loud as a lawnmower or washing machine. If workers are exposed to more than 85 dBs of sound for eight hours on a time-weig …

For a lot of places in the U.S., October means cooler weather, tricks, and treats. For the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health and organizations like PK Safety, though, it also means National Protect Your Hearing Month. The goal of this month is to educate people about preventing noise-induced hearing loss. While you might wear hearing protection at a loud job site, are you also being mindful of your hearing safety when you're not working? Do you consider bringing earplugs to a …

Hearing damage isn’t always the result of explosions or other single, loud noises. A lot of damage occurs at much lower levels and more gradually, especially if you’re exposed to constant low background noise. Noise intensity, duration of exposure, and the type of sound all contribute to how it can damage your hearing. Even slight hearing loss can have an impact on your life, and the damage is irreversible above certain decibel levels. Symptoms include ringing in your ears, noises sounding …

Loud noises on the worksite are irritating and dangerous. Short-term exposure to very loud worksite sounds can cause permanent nerve damage to the inner ear and hearing loss. Ear plugs are just one piece of hearing protection PPE that can be used to protect your ears—when worn properly, they can be used in noise up to 110 dB (roughly the noise level of a chainsaw, leaf blower, or snowmobile). The SparkPlug Foam Earplugs from Moldex has a noise reduction rating of 33, which is the highest N …

October is National Protect Your Hearing Month. As many as 40 million adults under the age of 70 may have some form of hearing loss in one or both of their ears as a result of noise, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Hearing loss can affect anyone instantly or over time, and while it can’t be fixed, it’s preventable. It’s a great time to drop by a hearing clinic and get your ears tested for hearing damage, especially if you have or already at r …

Industrial environments with high noise levels, like construction sites, can potentially damage workers’ hearing. Sound level meters that are used for acoustic measuring indicate noise levels in a workplace, and let workers know when it’s time to put on their PPE. According to OSHA, if noise level exceeds 85dB, they must put on personal hearing protection equipment to prevent hearing loss. There are three important factors that can put you at risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL): ho …

Noise is one of the most common occupational hazards in many workplaces. This is especially true in industrial settings, where there is often constant background noise that increases the danger of permanent hearing loss for workers. Most people think that you can permanently damage your hearing only when exposed to an extremely high level of noise, such as an explosion. Hearing damage can also occur gradually, at much lower levels of noise if you are continuously exposed to it. The fact …

Every year millions of people in the US are exposed to hazardous occupational noise. The law requires employers provide their employees with a safe workplace. When the workers’ noise exposure exceeds an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels on the A scale (dBA), the employer must develop and implement a hearing conservation program, which includes noise level monitoring, annual hearing tests, and hearing protection ( 29 CFR 1910.95(c)). Where noise is a potential hazard, wearing …