National Hearing Conservation Association 2014

March 24, 2014

NCHA Conference: Stop Gambling with your Hearing.

recap by Jeffery Goldberg

The 2014 conference of the National Hearing Conservation Association just concluded.

This year the conference was in Las Vegas which was, for a conference normally situated in smaller locations like St. Petersburg and Tuscon, different. Because Las Vegas is home to massive conventions with hundreds of thousands of attendees, having a conference with 300 attendees not get trampled in the confusion is quite a feat (actually the conference was located in Summerlin, a retirement community northwest of Las Vegas).

This year’s conference was focused on many aspects of the hearing conservation program but chief among the podium presentations was a focus on making and using hearing protection. Unlike previous years, there was much made of custom hearing protection as though this sometimes forgotten form of hearing protection had been recently rediscovered by researchers. Tracks for Musicians, the Military, and Audiologists also allowed those with special interests to delve into research in those fields. This conference was most illuminating shining a light on many areas of new hearing research.

NEW! at the NHCA 2014 Conference

As well, not on the podium but present was an exhibition accompanying the conference. Unlike some years past, there was new and exciting information this year.

Dr. Kevin Michael of Michael & Associate, introduced a new device for verifying the fit of ear muffs and showed updates to his popular FitCheck Solo Fit Testing Program (by way of full disclosure Custom Protect Ear (in Canada) and ProtectEar USA sell and train users for FitCheck Solo). There was much interest in FitCheck for Earmuffs as people have long looked for a way to determine if an earmuff was protective enough.

Also New at this years conference, was an introduction for digital scanning on the ear. Lantos Technologies showed their digital ear scanning device (one of 3 companies with such a device currently in development). Lantos has tapped Brian Fligor formerly of Boston Children’s Hospital as their Chief Audiology Officer. Brian has a long history are a preeminent research on matter of hearing conservation. His joining Lantos augers for an exciting introduction for this new technology.

3M and Howard Leight division of Honeywell we present with new types of hearing protection and Fit Testing systems on display. If you’re reading this blog, and have an interest in hearing preservation, you should think about becoming a member of the association. Check out their website at Hearingconservation.org .

Now you know that Disneyland is sometimes called the happiest place on earth. Well, the Rampart Casino in Summerlin, attached to the Marriott housing the conference, is its opposite – the unhappiest place on earth. No this is not sour grapes because I lost some money. In fact, I didn’t even play. This is my observation of the folks sitting in the casino, any time of the day or night, looking like they had or were about to loose their best friend. No matter when I walked through the casino (and in Las Vegas, architects have mastered designing the hotel so that everywhere you want to go is on the other side of the casino) I never saw a smile. Just folks sitting at slot machines and gaming tables wishing they were somewhere else but not having the ability to go there.

Next year, the NHCA conference is in New Orleans in February. If you have any interest, think about coming to check it out. You don’t have to join the Association to come to the conference (it is just cheaper if you do). Until next time…

Jeffrey Goldberg | President
Custom Protect Ear Inc.

I’m Thinking. Please. Be Quiet.

January 20, 2014

The Peace in “Quiet.”

It was a cold rainy Sunday as I was browsing through the web seeing if I could find anything interesting to read. I often like looking at the New York Times to get a sense of what the masses are thinking. And to my surprise I stumbled over this article. This article hit close to home, as I am in the business of hearing loss prevention. Our company Custom Protect Ear makes personal hearing protection that’s fights against noise and noise pollution in both everyday and work environments. Hearing Loss Prevention is our business.

“And nothing disrupts thought the way noise does, Schopenhauer declared, adding that even people who are not philosophers lose whatever ideas their brains can carry in consequence of brutish jolts of sound”.

So, I share this article with all of my friends, colleagues, subscribers, contacts and customers. This article does an excellent job in depicting the raw affects of everyday noises and it impacts our thought process. Our world has become so filled with noise pollution that we as humans may have forgotten what “quiet” is.

I’m Thinking. Please. Be Quiet

The findings were clear: even when people stayed asleep, the noise of planes taking off and landing caused blood pressure spikes, increased pulse rates and set off vasoconstriction and the release of stress hormones. Worse, these harmful cardiovascular responses continued to affect individuals for many hours after they had awakened and gone on with their days.

As Dr. Wolfgang Babisch, a lead researcher in the field, observed, there is no physiological habituation to noise. The stress of audible assault affects us psychologically even when we don’t consciously register noise.

Loud Sounds can be Debilitating

In American culture, we tend to regard sensitivity to noise as a sign of weakness or killjoy prudery. To those who complain about sound levels on the streets, inside their homes and across a swath of public spaces like stadiums, beaches and parks, we say: “Suck it up. Relax and have a good time.” But the scientific evidence shows that loud sound is physically debilitating. A recent World Health Organization report on the burden of disease from environmental noise conservatively estimates that Western Europeans lose more than one million healthy life years annually as a consequence of noise-related disability and disease. Among environmental hazards, only air pollution causes more damage.

A while back, I was interviewed on a call-in radio station serving remote parts of Newfoundland. One caller lived in a village with just a few houses and almost no vehicular traffic. Her family had been sitting in the living room one evening when the power suddenly cut off. They simultaneously exhaled a sigh of relief. All at once, the many electronic devices around them (including the refrigerator, computers, generator, lamps and home entertainment systems and the unnatural ambient hum they generated and to which the family had become oblivious) went silent. The family members didn’t realize until the sound went off how loud it had become. Without knowing it, each family member’s mental energy was constantly diverted by and responsive to the threat posed by that sound.

Where does this leave those of us facing less restrained barrages? Could a critical mass of sound one day be reached that would make sustained thinking impossible?

Is quiet a precondition of democracy? The Supreme Court justice Felix Frankfurter suggested it might just be. “The men whose labors brought forth the Constitution of the United States had the street outside Independence Hall covered with earth so that their deliberations might not be disturbed by passing traffic,” he once wrote. “Our democracy presupposes the deliberative process as a condition of thought and of responsible choice by the electorate.”

The quiet in Independence Hall was not the silence of a monastic retreat, but one that encouraged listening to others and collaborative statesmanship; it was a silence that made them more receptive to the sound of the world around them.

Most likely Schopenhauer had in mind a similar sense of quiet when he chose to live in a big city rather than retiring from society: apparently he, too, believed it important to observe as much of life as possible. And when he moved to Frankfurt, he didn’t bring earplugs. He brought along a poodle known to bark on occasion, and the flute he loved to play after writing. Most people who are seeking more serenity from the acoustical environment aren’t asking for the silence of the tomb. We just believe we should be able to hear ourselves think. Read Full Article:

My Thoughts..

This article clearly illustrates that “the scientific evidence shows that loud sound is physically debilitating”. This is not common knowledge to most people. Sound and noise affects everyone who is exposed. Depending on the length of time and pitch of the noise – exposure can cause damage. Unless we intend on living away from civilization– silence is something that is very hard to achieve. However, if we are aware of the surrounding noises that affect and shift our mental state then we like Schopenhauer can enjoy our time and environment with tools that allow us to drown out the unnecessary debilitating noises.

I encourage all of you to share this article with your circles.

Warm Regards,

Jeffrey Goldberg | President

Custom Protect Ear Inc.

Holiday hours

December 19, 2013

Custom Protect Ear passes another year

As we come to an end of another year 2013, we would like to extend our gratitude and thank all of our partners, vendors and customers in supporting our vision in obtaining a safe working environment through Hearing Loss Prevention Programs.

Our Hours of Operation during the holiday season are as follows:

December 23, 2013 – 830am – 12pm (Pacific Standard Time)

December 24, 2013 – 830am – 12pm

December 25 – 27th – CLOSED

December 31, 2014 – 830am – 12pm

January 1, 2014 – CLOSED

This year has been another rewarding year. We had the opportunity to launch our USA website site: www.protectear.com/us, PLUS we also launched our newest and latest product, FitCheck Solo. FitCheck Solo allows wearers to check the attenuation of specific earplugs to ensure maximum protection against noise.

At Custom Protect Ear, we are continuing our pursuit in providing a safe and healthy work environment with our Hearing Loss Prevention products and programs.

From our home to yours…. we wish you a safe and happy

Holiday Season.

Warm Regards,

Jeffrey Goldberg | President
Custom Protect Ear

National Safety Council Congress & Expo

September 23, 2013

The 2013 National Safety Council Congress & Expo in Chicago

The NSC Congress & Expo is the world’s largest annual “must attend” event for safety, health and environmental professionals. For more than 100 years, professionals have turned to this event for industry-leading technology, education, networking opportunities and the tried and true products and services needed to stay at the forefront and remain competitive within the industry.The Congress is designed to build awareness of the tools available to you and your organization as you continue down the path to safety excellence.

The NSC Congress & Expo experience offers:

Educational Opportunities

Attendees don’t have to hunt through blogs for perspectives on trends and best practices – they can choose from a host of carefully selected opportunities led by verified safety experts. And because safety challenges come in all shapes and sizes, presenters make time for Q&A at the end.

Keynotes

Hear nationally recognized leaders and motivational s from both the public and private sectors speak about current and future issues affecting the industry.

Technical Sessions

Participate in more than 130 technical sessions, selected by a team that has hands-on knowledge of the latest industry trends providing the most comprehensive information needed to face today’s challenges.

Professional Development Seminars

Participate in more than 30 seminars providing in-depth, hands-on opportunities to focus on continued professional growth. Explore the Expo floor offering 190,000+ net square feet of more than 900 companies showcasing the latest innovative products and services. You’ll also find the New Product Showcase area, the Solution Center, OSHA’s Top 10 most cited safety violations and solutions from the International Safety Equipment Association.

Who attends and why?

The NSC Congress & Expo attracts decision makers, end users and distributors from a wide variety of industries including: manufacturing, construction, petrochemical and utilities. Coming from the United States, Canada and more than 60 other countries, these individuals range in experience from entry level to seasoned safety professionals representing companies such as Boeing, Schneider Electric, BP, Industrial Scientific, Kimberly Clark, URS, RockTenn Norcross, Fruit of the Loom and more.

Who exhibits?

Hundreds of industry-leading companies from around the world exhibit offering products and services in the following categories: general safety products, personal protective equipment, hazard controls and fall protection. Additionally, vendors specializing in facility maintenance and operation, environmental protection, ergonomics and risk management are in attendance to showcase their latest safety solutions.

Come See ProtectEar USA at BOOTH 534 September28th – October 4th, 2013

dB Cares™ about Breast Cancer

September 22, 2013

Together Change is Possible…

dB Cares™ is a Custom Protect Ear initiative created to address the impact our doing business has on the environment and to help support the people and communities where we live and work. CPE donates a portion of what we make to charity each year. One of our community initiatives is a program that partners with our customers to support breast cancer research. By matching the $5.00 added to the purchase of each pair of pink Blockers, CPE donates $10.00 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

dB Cares™ contribution to Breast Cancer Water Obstacle

This is a subject that is close to many of our hearts, and we are excited to report that through the diligent efforts of our reps and valued customers, through our dB Cares Program we have raised $18,519.00 in donations to breast cancer research. We presented this cheque to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation in August 2013 (pictured below).

dB Cares™ For The Community

Your support of our products allows CPE to donate a portion of what we make to charity each year, and facilitate ways in which to raise additional money for causes that touch our stakeholders personally. Some of the ways we commit ourselves to the community are:

– Fund raising for community initiatives.See what we’re doing for Breast Cancer Research.
– Giving support to local food banks.
– Supporting community centers that offer programs for the economically disadvantaged.
– Encouraging our stakeholders to become more actively involved in their local communities.

Learn how you can be apart of dB Cares.

Oil Sands Conference 2013

September 12, 2013

Oil Sands Conference 2013: Custom Protect Ear was there

The rapidly changing face of the Canadian oil sands and its unprecedented growth in the past decade has resulted in extraordinary opportunities for commercial organizations across the supply chain. Additionally, with the low cost of Canadian oil compared to the rest of North America, it is vital that the transport and infrastructure challenge is met head on in order to enter new markets and attract new buyers .

Oil Sands Conference examined the critical issues such as stakeholder engagement sumo wrestling suits for sale
, implementing innovative technology to meet the environmental challenges and accessing new markets for bitumen in order to safeguard the economic development and energy resource availability within Canada.

Delegates attended this industry leading event to keep-up-to-date on the very latest developments, and to increase your business opportunities in the Canadian oil sands. This years conference circled around Current Research & Development for the Alberta Oil Sands Sector. The Oil Sands COnference was held September 10 – 11 in Fort McMurray BC. Click Here to learn more.

Upcoming Tradeshows in Canada

Custom Protect Ear will be in Montreal at the CSSE 2013 show.

All Canadian Society of Safety Engineering members will get 25 % discount for dB Blockers purchased and Fit at CSSE 2013. Come see us at Booth 85 & 86 at CSSE Montreal – September 15-18, 2013. Call to get your facility fit or find out more today! Call 1800-520-0220 ext. 321

PLUS! Ask out the latest product: FitCheck Solo™

FitCheck Solo™ helps take the guess work out of matching the correct hearing protection with known noise exposure. Learn More

Solving the Problem: Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)

June 24, 2013

Can you get the right answer if you ask the wrong question?

Common sense would dictate that asking how to get to the beach would seldom get you directions to the mountains. Likewise, trying to solve the problem of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) by fixing how people choose and put in their hearing protection might be only part of the answer.

Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is still a concern.

Jeffrey Goldberg | President
Custom Protect Ear

Attenuation in Earplugs

April 2, 2013

Consistency of Attenuation across Multiple Fittings of Custom and Non-custom Earplugs

Hearing protection devices (HPDs) play a significant role in protecting workers from occupational noise-induced hearing loss. Individual HPD fit-testing estimates the amount of protection, or attenuation, that an individual achieves from a given hearing protection device as it is worn. Results from a single fit-test may not be representative of real-world hearing protection device performance over time, however, due to inconsistency in how the individual fits the hearing protection device from time to time. Jennifer B Tufts, Kelly N Jahn, and John P Byram conducted a study, the effects of hearing protection device type and user training on the consistency of attenuation achieved across multiple fittings were evaluated in a within-subjects design. To learn more or buy the study CLICK HERE.

In this study the subjects were initially naive to proper earplug insertion techniques and later received one-on-one training for the second half of the attenuation measurements. Consistency, or reliability, of fit was assessed using:

(i) the standard deviation of the ‘distance to ear mean attenuation’, a measure of fitting uncertainty, and

(ii) the standard deviation of the attenuation values across multiple fit-tests for each subject.

The custom earplug provided statistically significantly better consistency of attenuation than the non-custom earplug at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz. Training effects were statistically significant at 250, 500, and 1000 Hz and at the Personal Attenuation Rating. No interactions were statistically significant. These results indicate that, in general, subjects obtained more consistent attenuation with the custom earplugs than with the non-custom earplugs and that consistency improved with training for both earplug types. CLICK HERE to buy article. REAT reliability training © The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

What is Attenuation

Attenuation measurements using a real-ear attenuation at threshold procedure were obtained on 30 participants wearing custom-molded and non-custom earplugs.

According to OSHA, for employees who have experienced a significant threshold shift, hearing protector attenuation must be sufficient to reduce employee exposure to a TWA of 85 dB. Employers must select one of the following methods by which to estimate the adequacy of hearing protector attenuation. The most convenient method is the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to EPA regulation, the NRR must be shown on the hearing protector package. The NRR is then related to an individual worker’s noise environment in order to assess the adequacy of the attenuation of a given hearing protector. This appendix describes four methods of using the NRR to determine whether a particular hearing protector provides adequate protection within a given exposure environment. Selection among the four procedures is dependent upon the employer’s noise measuring instruments.

Instead of using the NRR, employers may evaluate the adequacy of hearing protector attenuation by using one of the three methods developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which are described in the “List of Personal Hearing Protectors and Attenuation Data,” HEW Publication No. 76-120, 1975, pages 21-37. These methods are known as NIOSH methods No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3. The NRR described below is a simplification of NIOSH method No. 2. The most complex method is NIOSH method No. 1, which is probably the most accurate method since it uses the largest amount of spectral information from the individual employee’s noise environment. As in the case of the NRR method described below, if one of the NIOSH methods is used, the selected method must be applied to an individual’s noise environment to assess the adequacy of the attenuation. Employers should be careful to take a sufficient number of measurements in order to achieve a representative sample for each time segment.

NOTE: The employer must remember that calculated attenuation values reflect realistic values only to the extent that the protectors are properly fitted and worn.

Read more articles on Hearing Attenuation:

THE NAKED TRUTH ABOUT NRR’S

HEARING PROTECTION ATTENUATION IS REALLY MORE BETTER

Personal Hearing Conservation Noise Reduction Measures

Every human has their own limit of acceptance – according to their attitude to their own life and health, their family and their colleaques. This limit of acceptance varies a lot from human to human, but even if the limit is exceeded one will back away from the risk. The limit is rather vague and is related to workers’ traditions, possibilities of finding other less unhealthy jobs and the degree of influence at the workplace. The individual limit of acceptance thus might be either above or beneath what is considered healthy or legally justifiable.

Employees can make their own noise reduction measures by:

* Avoiding unnecessary noise at transport and handling – “don’t throw the things”.

* Stopping machines and equipment that is not in use at the moment

* Securing loose machine parts that rattle.

* Reducing occupation and staying in high noise areas to an absolutely minimum

* Using appropriate technical equipment, for example encapsulation and noise shields.

* Making their own routines for maintenance, adjusting and oiling machinery and equipment.

* Taking part in development and evaluation of new noise efforts.

* If anything else is impossible, and hearing protectors like dB Blockers must be used: Use them all the time!

* By taking any incipient hearing damage seriously, involve health personnel and have all damages properly investigated.

Learn more about Personal Hearing Conservation.

Hearing Loss Prevention NHCA conference

March 14, 2013

Hearing Loss Insights by Jeffery Goldberg

Hello from the world of hearing loss prevention. Some updates on recent happenings for the “ear geeks” who really care abouthearing loss.

The “big show” with regarding to hearing loss prevention is the annual NHCA Conference . Annually it brings together researchers who have spent the past 12 months or more looking at some aspect of preventing people from loosing their hearing. Their research findings forms the content for papers delivered at the conference (PowerPoint on steroids).

Some of the most interesting research about Hearing Loss (to me) was:

Dr. John Casali hearing protector research

Dr. John Casali has researched the characteristics of hearing protectors and determined that a measure of ones ability to localized sound sources with certain protectors should be developed. Dr. Casali suggest that like the measure of attenuation (NRR), a measure of the capability of the wearer to localize sounds sources would direct certain users to a safer protector if they are in areas where moving dangers exist (like a distribution warehouse with forklifts)

Hearing Protection for Musicians

In a session on hearing protection for musicians, Meed Killion and Kris Chesky looked at issues with regard protecting the hearing of musicians. While both of these presenters have different viewpoints, they confirmed there is still much more to do.

Otoprotectants (Protect Against Noise)

There is a class of compounds known as Otoprotectants. These are substances that it is hoped, when ingested, enhance the ability of the ear to process noise. One of these compounds is currently starting Class 3 clinical trials which might be complete by 2015. For organizations like the US Military, that sometimes can predict when their personnel will be exposed to noise, the development something that will protect against noise is certainly welcome. Imagine if you are going to Bruce Springsteen concert tomorrow and it’s going to be loud. You take you otoprotectant tonight so the sound won’t hurt your hearing tomorrow.

As I said, this is the stuff ear geeks enjoy. An additional piece of information came out of the conference. There’s some
research that has indicated that having anything in your ears can prevent hearing damage. Although it is too soon to draw conclusions, early reports show that the problem of hearing loss from noise might be related more to unprotected exposures than we ever imagined. Stay tunes for further developments.

If you have any topic that you’d like to direct us to, please send it along to me, Jeff Goldberg at hear@protectear.com . We’d love to hear from you.

Custom Molded Earplugs

February 4, 2013

Custom Protect Ear has been providing custom hearing devices for over 25 years. The custom molded ear products sometimes called Personalized Hearing Protection, are just as, if not more, effective for the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss as are disposable earplugs.

What is a custom-moulded earplug?

A custom-moulded earplug is a laboratory-made earplug made from moulds taken by trained experienced impression takers. In North America the experienced impression takers may be audiologists, licensed hearing aid dispensers, or impression takers well trained by the manufacture. Most often, these are made of acrylic or soft silicone that can fit the ear and the ear canal tightly. The advantage of the softer earplugs is they change shape slightly as the wearer’s ear canal changes shape when talking or chewing, thereby continuing to seal during those activities.This deems to have great benefits when working in high activity – noise induced environments.

The custom-moulded earplugs are typically delivered in a protective storage/carrying pouch and will be accompanied with a tube of lubricant (most often petroleum jelly).

The lubricant is applied to the earplugs during their initial use/break in period. The lubricant makes the earplugs easier to insert and also softens the interface of the earplug and ear improving comfort.

After about ten or so uses with the lubricant applications can stop as the silicon should have absorbed enough material to be easily inserted for the life of the earplug.

What is a disposable earplug?

So-called “foam” and pre-moulded earplugs are designed to be used for one time or in some cases, a few times. Exceptions to this restriction are those very expensive earplugs such as the Hi-Fi or military earplug that can be cleaned for repeated use.

Until the 1970’s the most common earplug was the V51-R made from soft silicone, a single-flange earplug developed for the military that came in five sizes. Because it didn’t work well, it required precise fitting. Eventually it was discontinued due to repeated pressures from the scientists and practitioners in the hearing health community. Later other earplugs were developed with multiple flanges.

When is a “custom-moulded” earplug NOT “custom”, but really a long-term use disposable earplug?

Simply put: Earplugs directly made from the impression materials, which can be considered as fitter-formed or mould-in-place, are not custom-moulded earplugs (Lake, 2012). This is true for a variety of reasons.

First and foremost is the impression material. Impression materials now used for laboratory-made custom-moulded earplugs are designed for the purpose of taking the impression and holding shape whist in transit to and whilst being processed to make moulds by the laboratory. Fitter-formed impression material is intended to become the final product and so it “cures” while setting during the impression process. In order for this to work, the fitter-formed impression material is more viscous than impression materials used for laboratory-made custom-moulded earplugs. As such, the likelihood of an impression free from flaws and with a faithful rendering of the shape of the concha and helix as well as the pinna and ear canal is small.

The impression for the laboratory-made custom-moulded earplug is also usually a silicone product made from mixing a base putty with a liquid or gel activator. Some laboratories use two-part silicone materials that combine catalyst and silicone in 50/50 proportion. The result is far less viscous material than used for the fitter-formed products; its viscosity is such that it may be put into a syringe for injecting into the ear canal and concha and helix of the pinna.

Second is the impression process. Fitter-formed products use putty created from combining a base putty with a liquid activator and then folding them until blended. That putty begins to cure immediately but has less-than a three-minute time window when it will be malleable. The putty is rolled into a cylinder and the pushed down the ear canal and padded into the concha and helix of the pinna. Once it seems to have cured, it is removed from the ear and trimmed. Handles or the ends of cords may have been attached after the insertion but before the impression cured.

For a custom-moulded laboratory-made earplug, following otoscopy, a cotton or foam dam is placed into the ear canal with its placement confirmed by otoscopy so that there is no chance for the impression material to travel deeply enough to make contact with the eardrum. As well, if the ear canal has excessive cerumin, the ear canal may be cleaned by the audiologist taking the impression or the person may be referred to his or her own physician to have the ear canals evaluated and cleaned – the exact procedure depends on locality and regulatory requirements.

Then, the impression material is injected to fill the entire ear canal between the dam and the opening of the canal behind the tragus and finally the bowl of the concha and the helix are filled. There is a debate over whether the mouth should be closed, opened, or slightly opened during the time it takes for the impression material to set. The mouth slightly open (relaxed or with a bite block of 20 mm or so that) has been shown to provide better bass than mouth closed when the earplug is modified to be used with insert earphones. There have been no published studies of the differences in noise reduction between laboratory-made custom-moulded earplugs made from mouth-relaxed versus mouth-closed impressions.

Once the impression material has set, it is carefully removed from the ear, inspected to make sure there are no creases, ridges, or other malformations, and put into a package to be sent to the laboratory. There is no trimming done by the impression taker.

The experience and training of the impression taker is also very important. Depending upon locality and professional licensing regulations, the impression taker may have been trained by the laboratory making the custom-moulded earplugs, or have academic or clinical training in impression taking. In any case, once the impression reaches the laboratory, its staff can determine the quality of the impression and may ask for a second impression if the first has flaws that the laboratory can’t adjust.

Already in the hands of some audiologists are laser scanners that can make a digital image of the impression, and the image goes to the laboratory for further processing to make the mould from which the earplug is made. As the image is stored digitally, so long as the file is not corrupted, it is possible to make as many earplugs from one impression as necessary for as long as is necessary. Soon to come will be digital imaging of the ear canal and pinna, so that there will be no use of impression material, as the image of the ear will be sent to the laboratory to be process into an earplug. Either of these techniques should remove impression making from the hands of amateurs and DIY’ers.

Learn more about the advantages of Custom Molded Earplugs “Download the Whitepaper”.

What dB Blocker wearers are saying.

“I would like to say thanks I have had my db blocker vented convertible ear plugs for the past 7 years I would like to say that you guys make the best ear plugs I have come across I am a welder I have bin in the industry for the past 10 years. That are worth every penny great quality. Thanks you so much I will be going to my boss’s at my work (national steel car) to get all my brothers a pair of Db blockers.”

~ Babb Matt – National Steel Car.