Tag Archives: Foam Earplugs

Disposable or reusable ear plugs

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With the amount of earplugs to choose form it can be quite off putting which ones are the best, you are bombarded with lots of questions. Are disposable or reusable earplugs better for me? Do I need custom fit earplugs or mouldable or pre-mouldable? Well your questions are answered.

Are disposable or reusable earplugs better for me?

It all depends on your preferences are. If you want to have one pair of earplugs that you have to clean for hygiene reasons then reusable earplugs are the best choice for you. However, if you are a bit clumsy and tend to lose things or you don’t like the fuss of having to constantly clean your earplugs then disposable is the right choice for you.  A great time and money saver when it comes to disposable earplugs is to bulk buy them. This way you will be not have to be constantly buying them to protect your ears at all times.

What is the difference between disposable and reusable?

Apart from stating the obvious, but I’m going to anyway; disposable earplugs are designed to be thrown away after a single use and reusable earplugs are designed to be use time and time again, the main difference is the material they are manufactured in. Disposable earplugs are generally manufactured using foam, whereas reusable earplugs are normally made from silicone. Most reusable earplugs use a non-allergenic soft medical grade silicone, with a majority of them being waterproof, suitable for swimming and water sports.

Do I need custom fit earplugs or mouldable or pre-mouldable?

Custom fit earplugs are designed to fit every shape of ear and generate an extraordinary level of protection. There are the more expensive type of earplug, but tend to last longer than traditional earplugs making them cost effective. Mouldable earplugs are designed to mould to the shape of your ear whereas pre-mould earplugs are already moulded to a certain shape and size, which can be ideally suitable for children. These earplugs tend to last around 4 years.

What should I be looking for in earplugs?

What you look for in an earplug depends on what uses you going to get out of it. What do you need the earplugs for? Is it for a gig/concert or for swimming? However the main factor you should look for in earplugs is the NRR (noise reduction rating).  Depending on the level of noise you want to block or reduce, depends on the NRR level you need.

Holiday Gift Ideas for Pampering and Hearing Protection

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The silly season is right around the corner. Have you started your shopping or perhaps you enjoy the thrill of shopping on Christmas Eve and scooping up on the big sales. I can’t believe there was a time in my life where I waited until Christmas Eve to shop for everyone on my list. In one evening, I’d have all the shopping done in 3 hours and then spend the next few hours with a bottle of wine and rolls of wrapping paper.

Not anymore! With children, you have to plan quite some time in advance, and my days of a relaxing Christmas Eve shopping and wrapping presents are long done. The one salvation of Christmas shopping these days when you have children is the internet! No more paying a sitter so you can shop or asking your spouse to “baby sit” and then hear all the grumbling when you arrive home. Don’t you just love hearing those disparaging remarks after you’ve just spent 5 hours searching every store for the most popular toy of the season? “Why did it take you so long? Did you make the toys yourself?” Ugh! Continue reading →

How Will Hearing Loss Affect Your Relationships?

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I mentioned this a few blogs ago: Earplugs now or hearing aids later! I’ll add to that: Earplugs now or divorce later? Studies show that marriages are negatively affected by hearing loss. Though there may be times you wish you couldn’t hear your spouse, consider how important communication truly is in a marriage.

Many marital problems have everything to do with a lack of communication between spouses. Feelings of resentment might build when emotions are held back. Frustration may build when one spouse feels the other is ignoring requests. So, when communication is thwarted with an actual physical inability to hear the other person, you can imagine how much this augments the situation. Continue reading →

How Can Golfing Damage Your Hearing?

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Crikey! Golfing can damage hearing? How can that be when golfing is a sport known for “sideline” whispers and dainty golf claps to avoid distracting the golfers? Well, apparently, the risk lies with the new-fangled titanium golf clubs.

The noise the titanium clubs make when they whack the ball down the course (and hopefully not in the grove of trees to the right… slice!), has been said to create a sonic boom. While this may be an exaggeration, the fact remains that the noise could cause damage over repeated exposure. One 55-year-old claims his hearing has been partially damaged after using the titanium clubs 3 times a week over the last 18 months. Continue reading →

Trouble with Hearing Safety Compliance?

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Keeping up with safety measures and ensuring your employees comply can be tricky. You need to make sure you have plenty of safety products such as eye protection, first aid kits and work earplugs. You also have to figure out how you can encourage your employees to comply and have a system in place to check. Without these ingredients to a successful safety program, you may find yourself in a bad spot if an employee is injured or an inspector should happen to stop by.

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. Continue reading →

What Else Does Noise Affect?

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American speaker manufacturer, Bose Corporation, outlined a number of factors affected by noisy environments other than potential hearing loss or damage. We are in noisy environments constantly, whether you’re waiting for the tube on the platform or trying to think clearly in the office amidst other conversations and the rustling of papers. Though hearing loss may not occur from noisy offices, it may be affecting quite a few other things. Let’s see what Bose found out. Continue reading →

The Noise of Summer

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Well, we’re a month into summer vacation, and with each passing day, the decibel levels in my home are getting louder. I’ve begun to wonder if wearing earplugs to drown out the noise of bickering kids would be considered irresponsible parenting. Is it okay if my iPod and earphones become a permanent fixture?

At first, summer was flying by. My two kids were happy to be home taking a break from the daily routine of going to school. Yes, my house was still noisy with the sounds of my kids and their friends from the neighbourhood playing a lively game of Wii sports or running in the sprinkler in the front yard. But those were “happy” sounds; laughter, giggles and screams of delight as they blasted each other with super-soakers and water balloons. Sounds that parents relish, not choose to block with earplugs. Continue reading →

The Many Uses of Foam Earplugs

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Potentially THE most comfortable earplugs, foam earplugs are highly versatile and are an important addition to your home safety kit or workplace safety standard closet. Beyond protecting your hearing, foam earplugs just seem to make life a bit more comfortable.

I can’t think of a place where comfort is more imperative than in the bedroom. And, sleep is SOOO important to your health. Obviously, sleep deprivation can cause fatigue, sluggishness, weakness and fuzzy thinking, but in addition, it has long-term affects such as premature aging! Yikes! Sleeping earplugs can block those annoying nighttime noises whether that’s a partner snoring or grinding their teeth or the neighbour’s yappy poodle they forgot to let in for the night. Continue reading →

Forget About the Barking Dog and Worry About the Squealing Pig

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And you were worried about the new neighbour with the yapping pup! Be happy he didn’t bring a potbelly pig to the neighbourhood. According to a recent press release, pig owners beware! The noise from the little piggies during feeding can reach levels of 100 decibels which is enough to damage hearing in as little as 15 minutes of exposure per day. Continue reading →