When Should You Wear Ear Protection?

Ear protection is very important, especially if you live or work in loud environments; that said, even everyday environments like workplaces and homes have machines and devices that cause hearing damage due to long-term exposure. Here is when to wear your ear protection.

Listening to Music

Noise-induced hearing loss is caused by long-term exposure to a high decibel level; a high level usually means anything above 70 decibels. Consider that a whisper is 30 decibels, and a gunshot is 140 decibels. Music concerts are normally around 110-120 decibels for a period.

Since listening to music is not a short time period, there is a higher chance of damaging the cilia in your ear. If you attend a music concert, always wear earplugs or ear protection and if you are listening to music on your device listen to it at a lower volume, to protect your hearing.

Using Machines

Using everyday machines is one of the leading causes of hearing loss in people over fifty; that’s because washing machines, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners and gardening machines operate at a high decibel level and damage your hearing over time without you realizing the issue.

If you are operating a household machine such as a washing machine or dishwasher, use earplugs to protect the cilia and your hearing in later life. If you are using gardening machines like a lawn mower, a trimmer or a chainsaw, always use ear protection to reduce decibels.

During Work

Some workplaces are louder than others; if you work in an office, you probably don’t need ear protection, the decibel levels with stay between 30 and 40, which is not damaging. However, if you work in construction or in a garage or factory, it’s a good idea to mostly wear ear protection.

Construction environments and factories use machinery that operates over 70 decibels on average; in most cases, these machines operate much louder. Because the noise is sustained over the course of a day, it makes hearing damage likely – wear sound-dampening headphones.

Noisy Environments

When using machines in your home, it’s advisable to wear ear protection, but it’s also sensible to wear it if you live near a road or a construction site as well. While ordinary traffic falls between 45-71 decibels, this can rise if you live beside traffic lights where vehicles congregate regularly.

Similarly, construction sites near your home can harm your hearing with the sound of machines in the area throughout the day. Construction sites are usually temporary but can still damage hearing over the short term. Use ear protection like earplugs when living or working at home.
Hearing is often taken for granted until it starts to alter or disappear; then, we pay attention to it.

However, paying attention to your hearing more frequently helps to mention the quality of your natural hearing for longer. There are two ways you can do this, make sure you listen to the correct volume on your devices and wear ear protection in loud spaces for better hearing.