Monthly Archives: June 2018

Noise-related hearing loss: Video Collection

June 19, 2018

After a few months of collaboration and creativity, we would like to present you with our latest Video Collection about Custom Protect Ear and our Innovative products, dB Blockers™, dB Com™, dB Life™ and dB Cares™. Below you will find the following videos:

  1. Noise-related hearing loss: Overview of dB Blockers
  2. Hearing Protection You Can Hear Through: Communication

  3. dB Blockers: How We Make dB Blockers at Custom Protect Ear

  4. dB Blocker: How to Wear

Please share these video’s with the world and spread the news about Hearing Loss Prevention.


Noise-related hearing loss: Overview of dB Blockers

Overview Video of Custom Protect Ear’s Manufacturing process on custom hearing protection. Noise-related hearing loss is one of the most common occupational hazards affecting 25% of US workers. Custom Protect Ear’s Mission is to eliminate Noise-Induced Hearing Loss.

Our dB Blockers address all these issues to deliver three key benefits.

  1. dB Blockers are extremely comfortable – which means people are willing to wear them, for their entire shift.
  2. Second, people wearing dB Blockers hear each other better – which improves workplace safety, communication and productivity.
  3. And third, dB Blockers are more cost-effective than disposable hearing protectors, so you pay less for a better product.

Learn More about dB Blockers 

Hearing Protection You Can Hear Through: Communication

Good communication is critical in every workplace. But communicating can be challenging at a noisy job site, where it’s necessary to protect workers’ hearing. When properly inserted, disposable hearing protectors block most of the sound, rendering users functionally deaf. To have a conversation the earplugs must be removed, leaving workers exposed to harmful noise levels, which can damage their hearing.

At Custom Protect Ear, we address this problem. That’s why we developed our super-comfortable dB Blockers; re-usable, personalized custom-fit earplugs which protect AND connect, through our proprietary “frequency tuned”, or “FT” filters.

Learn More about dB Com.

dB Blockers: How We Make dB Blockers at Custom Protect Ear

Your ears are as unique as you are. So shouldn’t your hearing protectors be unique too? At Custom Protect Ear, we custom-fit every pair of dB Blockers… …because it’s the only way to provide complete hearing protection and all-day comfort.

The fitting process typically takes place at the job site. We’re the only maker of custom hearing protection that takes impressions using our own trained and certified employees allowing us to own the process from beginning to end.

Throughout the process, our top priority is ensuring a comfortable fit, optimum performance, and reliability. Because we know that if your earplugs don’t feel good, you won’t wear them – and that could put your hearing at risk. Custom Protect Ear manufacturing is ISO9001 certified.

Learn More about the Implementation Process.

 

dB Blockers: How to Wear

How to Wear your dB Blockers.
To get the best comfort, fit, and protection from your dB Blockers, it is important to make sure you are wearing them and using them properly. To start, let’s take a quick look at the instruction card that came with your earplugs. Follow Video along with the Instruction card.

Learn more about How to Wear dB Blockers™ 

Timber, Noise, and Hearing Loss: A Look into the Forestry and Logging Industry

June 13, 2018

Timber, Noise, and Hearing Loss: A Look into the Forestry and Logging Industry

We use our senses for many things. Take away or weaken one, such as hearing, and many things around us begin to change. Unexpectedly, the conversation across the room becomes more difficult to hear. Our favorite song on the radio doesn’t sound quite the same. This can become very frustrating for the person affected.

Hearing loss is common, especially among workers who are exposed to hazardous noise where they work. What exactly is “hazardous noise”? Noise is considered hazardous when it reaches 85 decibels (dBA) or more. In other words, when a person needs to raise his/her voice to speak with someone at arm’s length or about 3 feet away, a person is likely being exposed to noise that can potentially damage his/her hearing over time. This exposure to hazardous noise and/or chemicals that can damage hearing may lead to hearing loss linked to the workplace, also known as occupational hearing loss.

The risk of developing hearing loss varies by industry. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently looked at one particular industry sector in its paper: Prevalence of hearing loss among noise-exposed workers within the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting sector, 2003-2012. This study looked at the number of workers in this industry sector that had a material hearing impairment, which is hearing loss that interferes with understanding speech. We’ll call it hearing loss in this blog.

Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting is among the top industry sectors for worker exposure to hazardous noise that can contribute to hearing loss (37% exposed vs. 25% for all industries combined). Hearing loss within Forestry and Logging, an industry within this sector, is more pervasive. Noise-exposed workers in Forestry and Logging had a higher percentage of hearing loss (21%) than all noise-exposed industries combined (19%). To put this into perspective, a different study found that only 7% of non-noise-exposed workers reported hearing difficulty. Worker tasks in Forestry and Logging include:

  • managing forest nurseries
  • tending to timber tracts (plots of land selected for collecting timber)
  • gathering forest products
  • harvesting standing trees for timber

 

Timber-Logging

Activities associated with these tasks, such as unlatching cables used to hold and move logs (92 dBA) and the use of chainsaws (91-110 dBA), represent some of the highest noise exposures to this industry’s workers, and overall average exposures in some occupations have been shown to range from 97-102 dBA. These noise exposures, among others, contribute to the elevated prevalence of hearing loss seen in this industry.

Within Forestry and Logging, Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products had the highest prevalence of hearing loss (36%). This represents the highest prevalence within Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting.

Fortunately, there are effective methods for preventing worker hearing loss from noise. Reducing the noise, preferably at the source, is always the first and best step. To further reduce worker exposure to hazardous noise and minimize hearing loss within Forestry and Logging, this industry can:

  • Enclose engines and heavy equipment workstations to contain the noise
  • Install silencers and mufflers on equipment
  • Reduce exposure time for workers operating noisy equipment
  • Perform maintenance of hand tools and vehicle systems
  • Ensure that workers consistently wear properly-fitted hearing protection every time they are in noisy areas or using noisy equipment
  • Make sure that employees receive regular monitoring for changes in their hearing, so that additional measures to limit the progression of any detected hearing loss can be taken

There are also activities within Forestry and Logging that can expose workers to vibration, which may also contribute to the risk of hearing loss through suspected changes to the blood-flow within the inner ear. Vibration exposure can be reduced through routine maintenance of equipment and the use of anti-vibration chainsaws and gloves.

Visit our website for more information on occupational hearing loss surveillance and links to resources to protect worker hearing.

If you work in this industry, please share your experiences with reducing noise and improving worker safety and health.


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