Ear plugs should be worn when sound levels reach 85dB and over. Wearing noise reduction ear plugs with a high NRR (noise reduction rating) will eliminate the risk of hearing loss.

It can be said that noise levels at construction sites can manage to exceed what is measured as a safe sound. Being subjected to loud sounds for a long period of time can attribute to extreme ear pain and hearing damage.

Noise ear plugs are the ideal solution for construction workers and employees who work in a noisy environment as they provide protection and allow you to work with higher concentration levels.

To prevent your ears from ever ringing or experiencing damage wear protective earplugs designed for being worn around music. Musician earplugs are fantastic attenuating and protective plugs for your ears that will allow you to enjoy the music at a safer volume.

Working with music

If you are in a band or work alongside a band, such as a technician, it is advisable to have musician ear plugs, especially if you undergo long rehearsals on a daily basis. Band practises can reach approximately 110 – 120 decibels, 30 – 40 decibels higher than normal.

Using earplugs in a bar or club has brilliant effects, it dilutes the music in the background protecting your hearing, and allows bar tenders to hear drinks orders more coherently.

If you are a music teacher, wearing ear plugs is advisable as being surrounded constantly by students playing instruments can damage your hearing. Beginners tend to play instruments a lot louder than professionals and can reach to approximately 140 decibels. It is also a great idea to get your students using earplugs especially as children’s ears are a lot more sensitive.

Working at industrial sites/farms

Health and safety in the industrial environment is crucial, especially with heavy machinery being used across the area all week long.

Noise reduction ear plugs are also extremely useful for working farmers when having to feed their herds. Pig’s squeals can reach to approximately 100 decibels during feeding so it is vital to protect your hearing on a regular basis. This is also true when working with farming machinery which can reach over the safe 87 decibels, putting farmers at risk of hearing loss.

Apparently, I was wrong. In one study, 70% of teachers claimed they were disturbed by schoolhouse noise whereas only 60% of employees in the lumber and mechanics industries claimed to be bothered by the noise.

The study is a bit misleading, however, as this would make it sound as though teachers have a greater chance of suffering hearing loss than someone constantly exposed to loud machines and chainsaws. They aren’t.

Hearing damage can occur with one really loud sound or by constant exposure to noise over 85 decibels. Clearly, a classroom of noisy children could reach these levels, but unless the teacher doesn’t have any control at all, the noise isn’t constant. Employees who use power equipment all day are far more likely to suffer hearing damage if they do not wear proper work earplugs.

However, this is not to say that the noise teachers are exposed to doesn’t cause other health issues. Noise pollution is stressful and stress leads to illness, so wearing earplugs while teaching may be wise. Moldex Mellows earplugs can block some noise while still allowing the teacher to hear what’s going on in the classroom.

And what of the children? Studies have proven that children perform better on tests in a quiet environment. It may be a good idea to get children used to wearing children’s earplugs while studying. This may just improve their grades. As well, creating classrooms with acoustics in mind is also important.

Well, just one more reason why I didn’t choose teaching as a career. I love my children, but I know when Monday morning rolls around and the kids are at school, the first thing I do is shut off every television and enjoy the peace while I have my breakfast!

Nearly 1 in 7 people in the UK are affected by deafness or significant hearing difficulty. That’s around 9 million people. Of these, 35,000 are children and young people between the ages of 0 and 25. Around 840 babies are born every year in the UK with impaired hearing in both ears. The majority of children end up with hearing problems due to chronic infection of the middle ear.

At the other end of the spectrum, age-related deafness is seen in 55% of adults over 60 and 70% of adults over the age of 70.

Nearly 87% of hearing damage is sensorineural deafness. Sensorineural deafness results when the tiny sensors in the ear canal are damaged. This happens due to a number of reasons: exposure to loud noise, viral or bacterial infections, genetics, medicines or aging.

In light of this, what can you do to protect your hearing? Obviously, the easiest way to protect your hearing is to wear hearing protection such as earplugs when you know you’ll be exposed to loud noises. Muscian’s earplugs can be used when attending concert or music venues. As well, they can be used when playing an instrument (especially the drums).

You can purchase inexpensive foam earplugs for doing normal chores such as mowing the lawn or using power equipment when doing household projects. Do you have a noisy hobby or special interest? Consider motorcycle earplugs or shooter’s earplugs if you participate in one of these hobbies.

As well, remember to give your ears a break from noise by ceasing the activity now and again and resuming in 15 minutes or so. Turn down the volume on your personal music device or order custom fleximonitors for quality sound without the damaging decibels. Make sure you control the volume on your child’s toys.

Proper nutrition can help protect your ears from damage. How? Just like any other part of your body, the components of your inner ear require nutrients to remain healthy. Taking in a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains will strengthen all the cells in your body. Make sure ear infections and other infections such as sinus or sore throats receive proper treatment.

If you have any hearing troubles while taking a new medication, make sure you speak with your physician about it immediately before permanent damage occurs. In some cases, such as heart medications, tinnitus is a side effect, but you should never discontinue important medicines such as these without speaking with your doctor. The tinnitus may be temporary as your body adjusts to the medication. Your physician can advise you further on the next course of action.

One of the latest hot topics in the world of “what man-made thing” to avoid is PVC or polyvinyl chloride, and being a highly popular plastic, it is tough to avoid. You can find PVC in pipes, siding, roofing and a number of other plastic products.

Is the harm in touching the PVC or the damage it may incur over years of exposure? Not necessarily. The real problem is in the manufacturing of PVC. Toxins emitted from the production have been found to increase the risk of the following:

• Cancer
• Endocrine disruption
• Endometriosis
• Neurological damage
• Birth defects & impaired child development
• Reproductive and immune system damage

As well, the environmental impact is great. PVC cannot be recycled, so it ends up in landfills where it may be accidentally combined with other substances that increase the toxic nature of PVC. In addition, the material wears more quickly than other, more expensive materials used in building and construction.

Though the main area to target when it comes to avoiding products with PVC is the construction industry (over 75% of PVC use), we may have to take smaller stabs at ridding the world of PVC production and use. The construction industry is taking into account the long-term cost and environmental impact of PVC, but what will we do with all the PVC that’s currently in use in homes and buildings?

Earplugs are small, so it’s not as though they are creating a huge impact, but it’s good to know that companies like Moldex are doing their part. And you can too. Every time you make a purchase that is PVC-free, you are helping protect our environment and diminishing the ill health effects of PVC manufacturing. This is especially true if many earplugs are being used such as seen with use of industrial earplugs.

As well, many users report that earplugs made with urethane or silicone such as Moldex, Heartech or Mack’s earplugs are more comfortable to wear as PVC may irritate some ear canals.

Whatever you choose, make sure you do protect your ears. Hearing damage can occur at decibel levels of 85 or higher. Even common noises such as traffic or yard equipment can reach much higher levels. Foam earplugs can also be used to help you sleep well at night or drown out stressful noises.

One key to a successful safety program is to appoint one or two employees to manage the system. Rather than having safety products a part of normal purchasing, have an employee take regular inventory on safety products and submit their order through purchasing in plenty of time to ensure supply doesn’t run low. Certain items such as foam earplugs can be kept in large bulk amounts.

Your employee in charge of safety inventory should also keep the safety supply area organized. First aid kits need regular straightening to ensure items can be found quickly. Jumbled clutter in a safety area makes it difficult for employees to grab what they need and return to the work floor. They might even opt to skip grabbing their earplugs or safety glasses if the items cannot be easily found. Foam earplug dispensers can be mounted on the wall and the earplugs are dispensed one at a time, eliminating waste.

Foam earplug dispensers are also highly visible, which is another key component to ensure safety compliance. Moldex earplugs come in bright colours, which makes it easy for your safety manager to check compliance. There are various protection levels as well, so no matter what your noise levels are, you can be sure your employees’ hearing will be protected.

Set up a reward system for compliance. Nominate one employee each month for “Safest Employee of the Month” and offer a bonus or dinner gift card. Reward is always the best way to encourage employees to perform at their very best.

Cheers!

Meghan

When you need earplugs for the workplace, the best way to buy them is in bulk. Earplugs, of course, last forever, so you don’t need to worry about over-buying. Whether you need a high level of hearing protection or a means to allow your employees hearing protection and still allow communication, Moldex offers a solution. You can even purchase colourful Moldex Spark Plug earplugs in a bulk dispenser, offering a fun and highly effective solution for hearing protection.

Simply purchase the earplug dispenser wall mount, attach it to the wall and place the dispenser on the mount. All of the Moldex bulk earplug dispensers are designed to fit on the wall mount, so if you change your earplug from Purafit earplugs to Spark Plug earplugs, you won’t have to purchase another wall mount.

The dispensers are designed to drop one pair at a time into the hands of your employees, so you won’t end up with bunches of unusable earplugs on a dirty floor. The dispenser has no tray that has to be dusted either! Any time I can avoid dusting, I do!

Not only that, but you can be sure that compliance will increase. Earplug Dispensers are highly visible, so your employees will see the earplugs and remember to grab a pair. They are also very convenient, which makes it easier for your employees to grab a pair rather than searching through the safety closet or safety supply box.

The bright green colour of Mack’s Purafit earplugs makes it easy to check compliance. The dispensers, whether Moldex Purafit earplugs or Moldex Mellows earplugs are very easy for safety inspectors to spot. This will save you from fines that may be incurred for non-compliance.

There are other useful bulk earplugs, but if you have a high volume of employees, the earplug dispensers might be your best solution!

When do you need to protect your ears with earplugs?  Noise at 85 decibels or higher can cause hearing damage, sometimes permanently. What sounds are you exposed to on a regular basis and for how long?

If you love music, chances are you go dancing or to concerts. Blaring music at either a club or a concert arena (especially if you get the good seats!) can cause hearing damage in less than 30 seconds at 115 decibels. You can purchase inexpensive earplugs or invest in custom earplugs if you are a professional or an avid concert/club attendee. Only the damaging sounds are filtered, so your hearing is protected, but the music still sounds fantastic!

You can damage your hearing in as little as 15 minutes after continuous exposure to 100 decibels. Your iPod set at volume level 5 can produce 100 decibels. If you listen to your tunes regularly, you might consider purchasing high-end earphones that protect your hearing while accentuating the music to recording studio quality.

How about the workplace? Do you work in a factory? How about an office? Though we tend to think of noisy machinery as being the only need for earplugs, even an office setting can produce moderate hearing damage, or at the very least, distraction from your work.

In an industrial setting, noise levels can reach more than 100 decibels. Employers are to provide earplugs for employees and make sure that they are compliant.

Even the low hum of busy city traffic that you might hear out your office or bedroom window can cause hearing damage when you are exposed to it for 8 hours a day. Background noises in an office can be distracting. For better concentration and a more peaceful workday, you can purchase inexpensive earplugs that are soft, safe and comfortable.

Think about all the things you do at home, work or at play that are noisy. Are they damaging? Remember that hearing damage can occur at 85 decibels.

Lawn mower = 95 decibels
Leaf blower = 115 decibels
Cinema = 94 decibels
Children’s Toys = (up to) 150 decibels (Check out these tot-sized ear muffs in pink or green)
Sporting event = 127 decibels
Health club = 120 decibels (And you thought only your wicked personal trainer was dangerous!)

Cheers!

Meghan