Who Should Wear Hearing Protection?
Hearing protection isn’t just for shooting sports. If you must work in an excessively noisy environment, you already know that you should wear protectors, and probably do. Using power tools, noisy yard equipment, or firearms, or riding a motorcycle or snowmobile are other activities that dictate protection. Susceptibility to hearing loss varies individually, however, no one is immune. Habitual exposure to noise above 85 dB will cause a gradual hearing loss in a significant number of individuals, and louder noises will accelerate this damage. Hearing protectors are rated by their noise reduction rating (NRR). Keep in mind when you’re shopping for hearing protection, that the larger the NRR rating number, the greater the amount of protection that is provided. A number of options are available, with varying degrees of quality, convenience and effectiveness. Protection Options Hearing protection devices are used to decrease the intensity of sound that reaches the eardrum. The two basic for
