Critical ways to protect your ears

December 7, 2019

Once your hearing is damaged, it’s gone for good. That’s why we raise awareness about the prevalence of hearing loss, the importance of early diagnosis, and the options for taking action to find the best hearing solution for your needs. We are seeing an influx of wearers requesting using custom hearing protection over disposable – Click here to learn more. 

Don’t wait until it’s too late to start taking care of your ears! Here are nine easy ways to protect your ears and your hearing health.

 

1. Use hearing protection around loud, intense noises

Earplugs

Approximately 15% of Americans have noise-induced hearing loss because of loud work or leisure environments.

Clubs, concerts, lawnmowers, chainsaws, and any other noises that force you to shout so the person next to you can hear your voice all create dangerous levels of sound. Earplugs are convenient and easy to obtain. You can even have a pair custom fitted for your ears by your local hearing healthcare provider.

Musicians’ earplugs are custom earplugs with filters that allow a person to hear conversations and music but still reduce harmful sound levels while maintaining the quality of the original sound as closely as possible.

2. Turn the volume down

Headphones

According to the World Health Organization, 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults worldwide are at risk for noise-induced hearing loss from unsafe use of audio devices.

If you like to enjoy music through headphones or earbuds, you can protect your ears by following the 60/60 rule. The suggestion is to listen with headphones at no more than 60% volume for no more than 60 minutes a day.

Earbuds are especially dangerous, as they fit directly next to the eardrum. If possible, opt for over-the-ear headphones.

Don’t forget that any loud music, not just music played through headphones, presents a risk for noise-induced hearing loss. If you’re hosting a social event, keep the music at a volume which won’t force people to shout in order to hold a conversation

3. Give your ears time to recover

Relaxing

If you are exposed to loud noises for a prolonged period of time, like at a concert or a bar, your ears need time to recover. If you can, step outside for five minutes every so often in order to let them rest.

What’s more, researchers have found that your ears need an average of 16 hours of quiet to recover from one loud night out.

4. Stop using cotton swabs in your ears

Q-tips

It’s common for people to use cotton swabs to clean wax out of their ear canal, but this is definitely not advisable. A little bit of wax in your ears is not only normal, but it’s also important. The ears are self-cleaning organs, and wax stops dust and other harmful particles from entering the canal. Plus, inserting anything inside your ear canals risks damaging sensitive organs like your ear drum.

If you have excess wax, you can clean around the canal with a damp towel—gently. You could also use ear wax removal solution over the course of a few nights. This softens the wax so that it will eventually flow out on its own. The best solution is always to seek a professional opinion and care when possible.

5. Take medications only as directed

Doctor

Certain medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, can sometimes contribute to hearing loss. Discuss medications with your doctor if you’re concerned that they’ll impact your hearing ability and take them only as directed.

6. Keep your ears dry

Drying Off

Excess moisture can allow bacteria to enter and attack the ear canal. This can cause swimmer’s ear or other types of ear infections, which can be dangerous for your hearing ability. Be sure you gently towel-dry your ears after bathing or swimming. If you can feel water in the ear, tilt your head to the side and tug lightly on the ear lobe to coax the water out.

You can also ensure that your ears stay dry and healthy by using custom-fit swimmers’ earplugs, which block water from entering the ear canal. They’re great for adults and kids alike, and they work wonders in preventing swimmer’s ear. Make an appointment with your local hearing health professional to get fitted.

 

7. Get up and move

Fitness

Did you know that exercise is good for your ears? It’s true. Cardio exercises like walking, running, or cycling gets the blood pumping to all parts of your body, including the ears. This helps the ears’ internal parts stay healthy and working to their maximum potential.

Make sure to stay safe! When cycling, always wear a helmet. If you fall and hit your head, a concussion can harm your hearing.

8. Manage stress levels

Hammock

Stress and anxiety have been linked to both temporary and permanent tinnitus (a phantom ringing in the ears). High levels of stress cause your body to go into fight or flight mode, which is an instinctual reaction that fills your body with adrenaline to help you either fight or flee from danger. This process puts a lot of pressure on your nerves, blood flow, body heat, and more. It’s commonly thought that this pressure and stress can travel up into your inner ear and contribute to tinnitus symptoms.

9. Get regular checkups

Otoscope

Ask your primary care physician to incorporate hearing screenings into your regular checkups. Because hearing loss develops gradually, it’s also recommended that you have annual hearing consultations with a hearing healthcare professional. That way, you’ll be more likely to recognize signs of hearing loss and take action as soon as you do.

Taking action is important because untreated hearing loss, besides detracting from quality of life and the strength of relationships, has been linked to other health concerns like depression, dementia, and heart disease.

Do your ears a favor get customized or personal hearing protection. Learn more . 

Hearing Loss Tips for a Loud Thanksgiving

November 28, 2019

Thanksgiving is a time to gather together with the people we’re grateful for. It usually means a family dinner is on the way. A dinner  filled with music, laughter, and conversation, a lot of it – all at once – and typically in a small room. As you can probably imagine, it can be a very difficult sound environment for someone with hearing loss to make out what’s being said.

 

Holidays can present an intimidating challenge for the millions of people with hearing loss. We wanted to compile some tips and suggestions for making it through the holidays with hearing loss. First up, how to be mindful of our hard of hearing friends and loved ones at Thanksgiving.

 

Let Your Family Know

One of the first things that comes to mind around Thanksgiving is family. While everyone is completely entitled to handle  their hearing loss as privately as they would like, most hearing professionals will suggest letting your family know. When everyone is on the same page, it gives others the opportunity to be more mindful. Hearing loss is never something to hide or feel ashamed about, let it be known and hopefully it improves the level of communication.

Thanksgiving is a time when we get together to catch up and talk about the changes in our lives with people that love us. Take the opportunity to be open and honest about your hearing loss while everyone is together. As long as you feel comfortable, speaking to others you’re close to about your hearing loss can significantly improve your odds of hearing more clearly at any family event.

According to the Hearing Loss Association of America, nearly twenty percent of the U.S. population lives with some form of hearing loss. If your Thanksgiving group consists of 10 people, regardless of age, it’s possible that at least two of them may be having a slightly more difficult time hearing than you thought.

thanksgiving

The reality is that many people will go to their holiday festivities and essentially “fake their way” through conversations, rather than politely asking others to be mindful of their hearing loss. Often, a level of pride or even embarrassment can prevent them from revealing their hearing loss.

This might lead to attempts at reading lips, nodding, or agreeing to some part of what was said, without comprehending fully. With speech being one of the more difficult frequencies – it’s no easy task to make out individual voices clearly among the cacophony of other sounds around the table.

Conversation matters

The most difficult everyday circumstance for those with hearing loss is a conversation. Trouble understanding speech, in particular, has led to significant improvements in the speech-enhancement technology being developed in modern hearing aids.One of the most surefire ways to improve your ability to hear and converse with other is by wearing hearing aids. They are able to do more than just amplify the noise, but can also make it clear. Hearing aids channel sound through certain frequency ranges in order to make them more understandable.

If you have a friend or family member who is reluctant or hesitant about integrating hearing aids into their life – give them a helpful nudge in the right direction. Suggest a hearing a hearing test to determine the level of hearing loss and learn more about the types of hearing aids available from a professional.

Tips for Able-Hearing Family Members

There are other things you can do to ensure your friends or loved ones with hearing loss still feel part of the conversation. Cut the background music. Music can blend the sounds together from the start – so can loud TVs. You can also make it a point to sit closer together. Get comfortable, get close. You’ll hear and be heard better.

If everyone is making a unified effort to improve the level of communication in the room, there will be far less guessing of words or saying, “What?” At the same time, if someone does ask you to repeat yourself or asks, “what was that?” – don’t shrug it off with a “never mind” or “don’t worry about it.” This can come off as unintentionally dismissive, creating further detachment from the conversation.

This Thanksgiving, before you wonder what spices to marinate your turkey in, remember to think about how you can help those in your family with hearing loss overcome the “Thanksgiving dinner jitters.” After all, you may be saving the holidays for them entirely and relieve their nerves for Christmas dinner.

From all of us at Protect Ear – Happy thanksgiving!


SOURCE – https://bloomhearing.com/hearing-tips/hearing-loss-tips-for-a-loud-thanksgiving/

How the Cold or Flu Causes Hearing Loss

November 19, 2019

Winter and cold & flu season is coming

The cold and flu season is coming. Everyone is familiar with the dreaded symptoms of a cold or flu, but did you know that those symptoms can include hearing loss? The hearing loss associated with a cold or flu generally comes as a result of the congestion build up in the sinuses and ears. Like the other symptoms, the hearing loss is usually temporary but can add to the misery of being sick.

How the Cold or Flu Causes Hearing Loss

Hearing loss when you are sick is not uncommon. When you have a cold or the flu, congestion builds up in the middle ear which makes it hard for the sound waves to travel through the ear. In addition, the eustachian tubes in the back of the throat can become blocked and their function is to help regulate air pressure in the middle ear. Either of these issues can muffle sound and make it difficult to discern speech. Other related ear related symptoms during a cold or flu can include balance problems and/or tinnitus (ringing in the ears). The resulting conductive hearing loss usually dissipates along with all the other cold and flu symptoms.

In some very rare occasions, the flu virus can affect the nerves in the ear and cause permanent hearing damage. If you do experience hearing loss during a sickness, keep your doctor or audiologist in the loop, especially if the hearing loss isn’t getting better when other symptoms begin to go away.

Winter season

Does Cold Weather Cause Ear Infections?

When the weather turns cold, many people experience pain or discomfort in their ears, nose and throat. People often confuse symptoms caused by cold weather

Contrary to popular belief, cold weather does not cause ear infections. An ear infection is caused by bacteria in the upper respiratory system that travels up the Eustachian tube into the middle ear.

Even though cold weather doesn’t cause the issue, it can make symptoms more pronounced. If you or your child are experiencing symptoms, seek treatment. Studies show that recurring ear infections can cause hearing loss.

How do you prevent cold-induced ear pain?

While you can’t prevent an ear infection from developing, you can prevent ear pain that comes from decreased blood circulation in cold weather. Whenever you’re outside, be sure to cover your ears with a winter hat or ear muffs. This will provide warmth and protect you after coming back inside. Another solution to protecting your ears is also getting a custom hearing protection device to wear in the ear under the ear muffs. This will block out the cold as well as high intense noise. To learn more check out dB Blockers

 


SOURCE

https://www.hearingbalance.com/hearing-blog/how-to-protect-your-ears-during-the-cold-and-flu-season

10 Famous People with Hearing Loss

November 14, 2019

One of the most difficult aspects of hearing loss is the sense of alienation that comes with it.

Sometimes when we hear that celebrities are actually human and have the same and experiences and losses as us normal people feel adequate. However, when it comes to hearing loss – whether your a celebrity of not its still a difficult impairment to comprehend. We have seen many icons and celebrities that have lived with impairments such as Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles.

Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles are universally recognized as heroes for not letting their blindness stop them from producing some of the greatest music of the last century.

However, for those who are hard of hearing, role models can be a bit harder to find, despite the fact that a staggering 360 million people suffer from hearing loss around the world, with children making up nearly one-tenth of that number.

Perhaps this is because of the lingering stigma that surrounds hearing loss, which is invisible to others and often gradual. If you are struggling with a hearing problem but reluctant to make a change, it may prove somewhat comforting to know that you far from alone. In fact, some of the most successful people from the worlds of entertainment, music, sports, and history have been hard of hearing and many are now vocal advocates for hearing health awareness.

hearing loss celebrities

Here are just a few inspiring examples.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG, ACTOR/COMIC

A global star of the stage, silver screen, and most recently, co-host of The View on ABC, Whoopi Goldberg has openly discussed her hearing loss and the fact that she wears hearing aids in both ears. She believes that her hearing was damaged by listening to very loud music too close to her ears for many years. Today, she uses her story as a platform to keep children from abusing the volume function on their portable listening devices so they can keep enjoying their favorite tunes well into their adult years.

GERARD BUTLER, ACTOR

The Scottish star of 300 and many other film and stage productions, Gerard Butler had surgery as a child that left his right ear physically deformed. He suffers from lifelong tinnitus and hearing loss in that ear, which he says is responsible for his smile appearing crooked in photos. However, his condition did not prevent him from starring in the film version of the musical Phantom of the Opera and belting out the titular character’s bombastic rock-star anthems.

PETE TOWNSHEND, MUSICIAN

Lead guitarist and driving force behind the legendary rock band, The Who, Pete Townshend is completely deaf in one ear and only has partial hearing in the other – which is further troubled by tinnitus. He attributes his condition to using earphones in the recording studio while playing back music tracks (not to mention years of playing live on stage with one of the loudest acts in rock history). He has a hearing aid now and says its use and other assistive technology have helped him feel “reborn.”

HALLE BERRY, ACTRESS

One in three women have experienced domestic violence at the hands of a partner, and roughly 20 people are abused every minute in the United States. While the emotional trauma of abuse lasts a lifetime, the physical damage can be equally as permanent. In the case of Halle Berry, a toxic relationship cost her 80 percent of the hearing in one ear but couldn’t stop her from becoming one of the highest-grossing women in Hollywood. Halle Berry is also a dB Blocker wearer. During the filming of Xmen in Victoria BC – Halle picked up a pair of dB Blockers to block out loud on-set noises. Today, she is a regular spokeswoman for domestic abuse victims and uses her story to encourage others to stand up against violence, before it’s too late.

BRIAN WILSON, MUSICIAN

“Loud” might not be the first word that comes to mind when you think of the Beach Boys. Unlike his contemporaries who ruined their ears with cymbal crashes and guitar amplifiers, Brian Wilson, mastermind behind America’s favorite surf-rock boy band, has suffered from near-total deafness in his right ear since he was a young boy. An abusive father struck him on the side of the head for misbehaving, damaging the ear of one of the 20th century’s most cherished songwriters. Brian’s story, though tragic, is a perfect example of how hearing loss can affect anyone at any time. Fortunately, as Brian’s lifelong career has shown, it doesn’t have to be an impediment.

BARBRA STREISAND, MUSICIAN/ACTRESS

Despite international acclaim for her musical ability, Barbra Streisand has encountered setbacks on tour because of her lifelong struggle with tinnitus. For Streisand, the ringing in her ears worsens in stressful situations, and once was so intense it forced her to walk off stage in the middle of a performance. The singer and actress has gone on record saying that she used to feel ashamed of her tinnitus and wanted to keep it a secret from others. For a list of other artists who suffer from tinnitus, click here.

JANE LYNCH, ACTRESS

Though best known for her roles in comedies, Jane Lynch will be the first to tell you that hearing loss is no laughing matter. A virus stole the hearing from her right ear as an infant, but she was unaware of her condition for the first seven years of her life. In her 2011 memoir, she writes about the time her brother kept alternating listening to his radio between both ears, which marked the first time she realized that other people used both ears to hear.

HUEY LEWIS, MUSICIAN

Another rocker who played loudly and without hearing protection for years, Huey Lewis has extensive hearing loss and tinnitus. He wears hearing aids in both ears and contributes his story to campaigns to raise awareness among musicians and others of the risks that may lead to hearing loss.

CHRIS COLWILL, ATHLETE

Chris Colwill has competed on behalf of the United States in two Olympics as a member of the diving team. He was born with 60 percent hearing loss in both ears and wears hearing aids outside of the pool. Since he cannot dive with his hearing aids in, he relies on watching the scoreboard to keep track of when it is his turn to dive.

JIM RYUN, ATHLETE AND U.S. CONGRESSMAN (2ND DISTRICT, KS)

Inspirational Olympic silver medalist Jim Ryun was a member of the U.S. Track and Field team in the 1968 Mexico City games. He suffered 50 percent hearing loss as a young child after a bout with measles. Ryun later served as a Congressman from 1996-2007, a term distinguished by his introduction of the Hearing Aid Tax Credit Act. [1]

HISTORICAL FIGURES KNOWN TO HAVE HEARING LOSS

In addition to the folks mentioned above, many historical figures have accomplished great things, in spite and because of their deafness or hearing loss. The best known of these include the following:

  • Helen Keller, advocate, public speaker, author
  • Ludwig Van Beethoven, composer, musician
  • Thomas Edison, inventor, businessperson
  • Francisco Goya, master painter, printmaker

Noisey Workplace:  The Importance Of Hearing Protection

October 8, 2019

Hearing Protection In The Workplace

When does hearing loss, or hearing impairment, become the result of a work-related exposure?  After all, we live in a world where loud noises are common, like from heavy city traffic, or even the music so kindly being shared through the open windows of the car stopped next to you.  And there’s often that person who thinks headphones are speakers and has the music playing loud enough that it can be heard by everyone in the room.  So yes, loud noise is common.  And yes, loud noise can lead to hearing loss.

There is no denying that the tools that we use in our lines of work create loud noise, too, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that employees will lose their hearing.  With the proper workplace hearing protection controls in place to eliminate, reduce, and protect against potentially damaging noise exposures, we reduce the chances that our employees will experience occupational hearing loss.

productive workers

Understanding Hearing Damage 

How loud does the noise need to be to damage a person’s hearing?  Hearing loss can occur when exposed to 85 decibels of noise averaged over 8 hours.  Let’s put this in perspective.  Normal conversations typically occur at 60 decibels, well below the hearing loss threshold.  Remember those headphones used as speakers?  That music was probably playing at full volume, which can often register as 105 decibels.  Here’s the thing, though.  For every 3 decibel increase past 85 decibels, hearing loss can occur in half the amount of time.  So it only takes 4 hours of exposure to 88 decibels for hearing loss to occur, and 2 hours of exposure to 91 decibels.  Once noise levels exceed 100 decibels, a person can suffer hearing damage in as little as 15 minutes.  The louder the noise, the faster hearing loss occurs.

ISO 9001

Noise Levels In The Workplace

Where do the tools and environments where we work fit into this picture?

  • Air compressors from 3 feet away register 92 decibels, which would take less than 2 hours to cause hearing loss

  • Powered drills register 98 decibels, which would cause damage after 30 minutes

  • Typical factories often register at 100 decibels – that’s 15 minutes of exposure

  • Powered saws can reach 110 decibels from 3 feet away, which could cause permanent hearing loss in under 2 minuteshearing protection

In short, if workers are exposed to these noise levels without protection, then hearing loss is very likely.  The only way to know the exact noise levels that workers are exposed to is to conduct noise monitoring using specialized equipment, though this is only required when exposures are at or above 85 decibels.  Some indications that noise levels may be this high are if employees complain about the loudness of the noise, if there are signs suggesting that employees are losing their hearing, or if the noise levels make normal conversation difficult.  Also consider that these conditions may not occur across the entire work site, but may be limited to a specific task or piece of machinery.

How then, do we protect our employees and their hearing?

The Importance Of Hearing Protection In The Workplace

The best protection we can provide is to eliminate the hazard, by eliminating the need to work with the tools or in the environments that create these noise exposures.  Realistically, though, this isn’t always possible.  We can also work to reduce the noise levels that employees are exposed to.  Some tools and machines are available that are designed to operate at lower decibels, therefore reducing the risk of hearing loss. 

We can also implement administrative controls, such as placing a cap on the number of hours that an employee can work in a high decibel environment, or limit the hours working with specific tools and equipment.

Our final line of protection is our PPE that meets OSHA hearing protection requirements.  Ear plugs, Custom Hearing Protection and ear muffs can reduce the decibel exposures, providing protection against hearing loss.  Ear plugs provide the greatest amount of protection as long as they are inserted correctly.  Therefore, employees need to be trained to wear them correctly when they are used.  Ear muffs can also reduce the decibel exposures, though not to the extent that ear plugs can.  They are easier to wear correctly, though, which is why some workers prefer them.

Some high decibel exposures may be unavoidable to perform the tasks necessary for our operations, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t take steps to protect employees and their hearing while at work.  What they do in their free time, like attending a rock concert (which can peak at 130 decibels), becomes their choice.

Creating & Implementing A Plan For Workplace Hearing Protection

If you need to create or update your safety management plan to include OSHA hearing protection. 


SOURCE

https://www.optimumsafetymanagement.com/blog/noise-importance-hearing-protection-workplace/

SPREAD THE NEWS! October Is National Protect Your Hearing Month

October 3, 2019

During this year’s National Protect Your Hearing Month—observed each October—learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), and help Noisy Planet spread the word to others.hearing awareness

NIHL occurs when noise damages tiny hair cells within the cochlea—the small, snail-shaped organ for hearing in the inner ear. When hair cells are damaged, they can’t send information about sound to the brain. Since people can’t grow new hair cells to replace damaged ones, hearing loss from noise is permanent. (Watch Noisy Planet’s Journey of Sound video for a detailed explanation of how we hear.)

People of all ages can develop NIHL. A 2017 study shows that about 13 to 18 percent of teens (ages 12 to 19) have signs of possible NIHL. Hearing loss from noise may not be obvious at first, but symptoms can build over time. NIHL can make it difficult to communicate with others and to appreciate the sounds of everyday living, such as chirping birds or a crackling fire.

Luckily, NIHL is preventable. Noisy Planet strives to help children and teens make healthy hearing a habit early on, so that they can avoid NIHL for a lifetime. You can help prevent hearing loss from noise by following these simple lifestyle changes:

Turn down the volume.

  • Keep the volume low on smartphones, tablets, computers, and TVs, and set maximum volume levels on devices used by children and teens. Sounds below 70 A-weighted decibels (dBA) are generally considered safe. Sounds at or above 85 dBA are more likely to put you at risk for NIHL, especially if they last a long time or are repeated. You can measure the decibel levels of devices and environments with a free app from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Move away from the noise.

  • To reduce sound intensity and the impact of noise on your ears, increase the distance between you and the sound. Think of this simple step when you are near fireworks or concert speakers.

Wear hearing protectors, earplugs, custom ear plugs or earmuffs.

  • Sometimes you can’t easily escape the sound, whether you’re at a movie theater, a concert, a sporting event, or in a noisy work environment. Earplugs or protective earmuffs can help. If you’re a parent, carry hearing protectors for your little ones and be a hearing health role model by wearing them yourself. If you’re caught without hearing protectors, you can cover your ears with your hands.
custom-plugs-vs-disposables

Help spread the message about healthy hearing – Read more


Source – https://www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov/have-you-heard/october-national-protect-your-hearing-month

Hearing Protection Devices and Solutions

September 17, 2019

Steps can be taken to help protect workers’ hearing in a wide variety of industries.

Millions of workers are exposed to hearing hazards every year, and even though OSHA regulations and NIOSH recommendations in the U.S. specify hearing protection, occupational hearing loss is still the number one reported worker illness in manufacturing. Moreover, noise-induced hearing loss is permanent and irreversible, but avoidable with the help of proper hearing protection and other measures. Here we will explore some hearing protection devices (HPD) and other steps that can be taken to help protect workers’ hearing in a wide variety of industries.

Earplugs

When workers are exposed to loud noise, earplugs can offer low-cost, effective hearing protection. These are soft foam or elastic plugs worn inside the ear canal to help block out hazardous sounds. Earplugs come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes so there are many choices for workers. With the right fit and insertion techniques, earplugs can provide adequate protection for many types of noisy situations.

Disposable foam earplugs are the most widely used type of HPD. The soft foam is rolled into a tightly compressed cylinder then inserted into the ear so that it conforms to the unique shape of ear canal. They are relatively low price per pair and can result in a high noise reduction when worn correctly.

Push-to-Fit earplugs are soft foam tips with a flexible stem where there is no need to roll down the foam tips before inserting into the ears. This works well for employees who have difficulty rolling and inserting disposable foam earplugs and can even be inserted when hands are dirty or when wearing gloves.

Reusable or Custom earplugs are washable with flexible, elastic flanges attached to a stem and can be reused multiple times and therefore replaced less, potentially resulting in lower long-term cost. The elastic material doesn’t absorb moisture and works well in wet conditions or when employees perspire heavily. One of these personal HPD’s are called dB Blockers.  The dB Blockers™ are hearing protection products made to fit the individual’s ear exactly, this gives the worker a custom hearing protector (earplug) that they can wear all day long, while receiving “REAL WORLD” (what the wearer actually receives) attenuation.

dB Blockers has proprietary frequency tuned filters that allow for communication without removal. People can communicate in noise better while wearing their dB Blockers™ hearing protection than if they were to remove them. Your hearing loss prevention program will not interfere with productivity.

Learn more about custom earplugs.

custom-plugs-vs-disposables

Also, metal detectable earplugs have a stainless steel bead encased in the earplug. Popular in food manufacturing industries when contamination prevention is critical, this type of HPD is available in a variety of comfortable earplug styles to meet most wearer preferences and help address a variety of environmental noise hazards. 

Earmuffs

One of the easiest hearing protectors to wear, earmuffs can quickly be adjusted to provide a snug and reliable fit for a wide range of ear and head sizes. Since earmuffs can be less complicated to put on correctly, most users can intuitively learn to wear them. Additionally, earmuffs allow workers to easily put their hearing protection on and take it off throughout the day as needed.

Earmuffs can be reused time and again, and, if properly cleaned, maintained, and stored, can typically be worn up to two or three years. Also, given the size, they are harder to lose than other hearing protectors. This means you may not need to replace earmuffs as often as other types of hearing protectors. Additionally, the easier and more comfortable personal protection equipment is, the more likely employees may be to wear it. Moreover, because earmuffs are can be easier to see from a distance, it may also be easy to monitor that workers are wearing hearing protection.

Advanced Hearing Protection

Advanced Hearing Protection Solutions can help keep the workers’ hearing protected while enabling them to clearly communicate and hear their surroundings. There are two categories of Advanced HPDs: Protective Hearing Solutions and Protective Communication Solutions.

Protective Hearing Solutions allow you to hear normally when it’s quiet and provide protection when it’s loud. This type of HPD can be effective when:

  • There is intermittent, varying, and/or unpredictable noise
  • Workers are tempted to remove their hearing protection to communicate
  • Enhanced situational awareness is desired, e.g. moving vehicles are present, alarms need to be heard, for maintenance personnel
  • Workers move between loud and quiet areas Sometimes, workers may also need hearing protection that can allow them to clearly communicate in noise. These Protective Communication Solutions can help when:
  • People are wearing hearing protection and carrying two-way radios
  • People are trying to talk on their mobile phone in noise

Industrial Hearing loss
Hearing Conservation Program

Employers in the U.S. are required to provide a “continuing, effective hearing conservation program” for employees who are exposed to hazardous noise, according to OSHA. You can advance your hearing conservation program with a customized and comprehensive approach to providing hearing protection. Implementing a solution that really makes a difference begins with an understanding of the hazards, the regulations, and the factors that impact hearing protection. Your program should also consider the six elements of hearing conservation.

Measure.

Accurate measurement of employee exposure to hazardous noise is essential. Conducting noise surveys using appropriate detection instruments can help you identify who is at risk, determine who needs to be included in your program, and select the proper controls and protective equipment to help reduce the risks.

Control.

Certain operations and machinery create high noise levels. But do they have to? Equipment and processes can be designed or altered to be quieter, reducing the number of employees in your conservation program.

Protect.

Hearing protectors play an important role in hearing conservation. They must be comfortable, fit properly, and provide adequate protection for the environment. Compatibility with other PPE and the workers’ ability to communicate must also be considered. Including individual fit testing of earplugs and earmuffs in your program can help you educate your employees on the importance of hearing protection and validate the Personal Attenuation Rating (PAR) achieved by each worker.

Check.

Are your employees showing symptoms of noise-induced hearing loss? It’s important to routinely use standardized measurement procedures to check their hearing to detect and record changes, so you can take steps to prevent permanent hearing loss.

Train.

Because noise-induced hearing loss usually happens gradually and the symptoms are not always apparent, it is vital to educate employees on the effects of exposure to loud noise and train them to properly use hearing protection. You may be able to improve the success of your hearing loss prevention efforts by strengthening worker training and motivation programs.

Evaluate.

Make sure your hearing conservation program is working with regular program evaluations that include employee feedback, responsibility reviews, and cost analysis. This will help identify trends, highlight potential problem areas, and drive improvement.

Fit Testing

Fit testing can deliver an objective, quantitative measurement of each employee’s hearing protection, so you can help better protect your workforce while also helping employees understand the importance of proper fit. Fit testing can further help employers because it:

  • Is fast, quantitative, and objective
  • Helps measure the wearer’s personal attenuation rating (PAR) with particular hearing protectors
  • Allows for the opportunity for training to help promote effective fit and

Provides documentation for compliance reporting

A proper hearing conservation program is meant to help measure, control, protect, check, train, record, and evaluate.

Hearing Conservation Manager Digital Programs

It might be in a safety manager’s best interest to invest in a digital system, where hearing conservation managers can track for each worker the results of fit testing, the noise exposure levels experienced given a specific work environment and keep track of overall hearing health data over time. This data can help with selecting the appropriate hearing protection based on exposure in a particular work environment and keeping track of what hearing PPE inventory is needed for the work force.

Using a digital system to gather and store information on how PPE is used in the workplace can help promote regular maintenance for certain PPE assets, as well as help improve the hearing program, overall operations, and safety culture. This may lead to enhanced productivity, compliance, and confidence by workers who feel they are properly feel protected.

People like options. When their personal preferences are considered, employees may be more satisfied and more invested in their work. Employees may wear hearing protection more of the time when they are allowed to choose HPDs that are compatible with their work. Selecting the most comfortable HPD from several options may also increase the likelihood that employees will wear them correctly. Through a well-defined hearing conservation program, safety managers, employers, and hearing conservation managers can help ensure workers are wearing the hearing protection that meets their needs. 


Source:

https://ohsonline.com/articles/2019/09/01/hearing-protection-devices-and-solutions.aspx?admgarea=news

By Carly JohnstonSep 01, 2019


 

Mining, oil and gas workers at risk of hearing loss

September 11, 2019

Mining, oil and gas workers at risk of hearing loss Hearing loss is prevalent in workers in the mining and oil and gas extraction sectors, researchers have found. At least 25 percent of workers in many industries and as much as 30 percent of workers in others had hearing loss, according to a recently published report.

Approximately 61 percent of all workers in mining and oil and gas extraction have been exposed to hazardous noise levels on the job. Certain chemical exposures in the industries also pose hearing loss risks. “Prevalence of hearing loss among noise-exposed workers within the Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction sectors, 2006-2015” appears in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine.

Construction

New, specific findings In the mining sector, 24 percent of all noise-exposed workers had hearing loss. Workers in the construction sand and gravel mining industry had the highest prevalence of hearing loss at 36 percent, followed by:

  • 31 percent of noise-exposed workers in uranium-radium-vanadium ore mining;
  • 28 percent in bituminous coal and lignite surface mining;
  • 27 percent in iron ore mining; and
  • 24 percent in copper ore and nickel ore mining. Noise-exposed workers in coal mining support activities had double the risk of hearing loss compared with couriers and messengers, a low-prevalence comparison industry.

Noise-exposed workers in gold ore mining had a 71 percent higher risk of hearing loss than couriers and messengers. In the oil and gas extraction industry sector, researchers found that:

  • Overall, 14 percent of noise-exposed workers in the sector had hearing loss.
  • Within natural gas liquid extraction, 28 percent of noise-exposed workers had hearing loss and a 76 percent higher risk of hearing loss than couriers and messengers.

However, no data were available for two of the largest industries—crude petroleum and natural gas extraction and drilling oil and gas wells, indicating a need for more worker surveillance. The study is the first to examine hearing loss prevalence and risk by industry within the mining and oil and gas extraction sectors. Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Taft Laboratory in Cincinnati, Ohio, conducted the latest study.

Preventing occupational hearing loss Noise exposures not only can cause hearing loss, according to NIOSH, but also are associated with elevated cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. NIOSH’s recommended exposure limit for occupational noise exposure is 85 decibels. Noise levels are measured as an 8-hour, time-weighted average.

 

oil & gas

Steps employers can take to prevent occupational hearing loss include:

  • Removing or reducing noise at the source,
  • Implementing an effective hearing conservation program when noise cannot be reduced to safe levels,
  • Using engineering controls to reduce equipment noise,
  • Rotating workers out of loud areas and from noisy tasks to decrease their exposure time, and
  • Identifying and eliminating any barriers to the use of hearing protection devices.
  • Personal protective equipment for hearing protection includes ear canal caps; expandable foam ear plugs; premolded, reusable plugs; and earmuffs. Learn More about personal hearing protection. 

 


SOURCE

https://safety.blr.com/workplace-safety-topics/employee-safety/noise-hearing-protection/

Why We Don’t Turn Down The Volume When The Music Gets Louder

August 27, 2019

In the 1984 film “This Is Spinal Tap”, Nigel Tufnel (played by Christopher Guest) famously turns him amplifiers all the way up to eleven. His attitude to music is that the volume is a big part of the sound, and louder is better.

Unfortunately for Nigel, listening to loud music for a long time can cause irreparable hearing loss. The solution seems simple: Just turn the volume down a bit. In reality, it’s not so straightforward. Two recent studies show how different cultural and technical practices indirectly affect how loud the music is that we’re listening to.

Music is only getting louder?

First, music itself has been gradually getting louder. Researchers in Canada studied a large collection of songs from the past nine decades to see how much the sound intensity of the music itself has changed per decade. They found  that a track by one of today’s artists is intrinsically louder than eighties hits, regardless of whether you’ve turned up the volume to eleven.

This increase doesn’t have anything to do with a change in music style over the years, but with the way that the tracks are recorded and edited. According to the study, audio engineering has changed over time, and as a result there are now fewer “quiet spots” within tracks. That means that the overall sound intensity of current music is a bit higher than that of older music. So yes, music has gotten louder over the years.

But this alone does not mean that these tracks are more likely to cause hearing damage. That also depends on how the listener controls the volume on their end. Ideally, you should probably turn the sound down just a bit when you’re listening to a louder song. Whether you do that, though, again depends on a lot of factors, as another recent study showed.

An international group of researchers wondered how young adults from different countries thought about loud music. They surveyed people between the ages of 18 and 25 in cities in the USA, UK, Portugal, India and Iran and asked them what came to mind when they thought about the concepts of “music” or “loud music”.

There found a lot of similarities between the different countries. Most people had generally positive associations with music, and associated it with memories, friends or aspects of a good quality of life. But when it came to “loud music”, negative associations started to take over.

Hearing Problems association with Loud Music

Hearing problems was one of these negative connotations that people associated with loud music, but it came up more often in conversations with people from the UK, USA and Portugal than with the study participants in India or Iran. That doesn’t mean that people in those last two countries don’t know that loud music causes hearing loss – it just showed that it wasn’t the first thing on their mind when they thought about loud music.

Being aware of the link between loud music and hearing loss is in itself not enough to make the decision to protect your ears, but it’s a good start. An earlier study from researchers in Sweden and the USA found that young adults in Sweden were more likely to use ear plugs at a concert than Americans, even though both groups were aware of the dangers. They thought that in that case, the difference was that ear plugs had become more socially accepted in Sweden, thanks to a series of awareness campaigns. Not to mention that more and more musicians are seen wearing customized hearing protection (dB Blockers) to protect their hearing from loud piercing noises If everyone uses ear plugs, it’s less embarrassing to be wearing them.

music

So even if you already knew about the dangers of loud music, it’s worth repeating the message. And now that you also know that music is gradually getting inherently louder, maybe it’s time to turn the dial back down from eleven.


SOURCE

https://www.forbes.com/sites/evaamsen/2019/07/30/why-we-dont-turn-down-the-volume-when-the-music-gets-louder/#296d35e632e4

How to Find Calm in a Noisy World

July 30, 2019

Our world today involves constant noise and interruptions.

Whether it is traffic and sirens in the city, lawnmowers and overhead planes in the suburbs, the hum and noise of the refrigerator and dishwasher, or the ringing of our cell phones, it is all hard to escape.

 

We have become so accustomed to daily noise that without it we feel unproductive.  While we become used to these sounds and can often ignore them, unfortunately, they are affecting our health in both physical and mental ways.

lawnmower

Health Hazards of Noise

The American Speech Language Hearing Association estimates that 30 million Americans are exposed to dangerous noise levels on a regular basis and that number continues to rise yearly.  Constant exposure to traffic and overhead plane noise is causing injuries to the hair cells in our ears by “knocking them down.” These hair cells are how we transmit sound to our brains.  Hair cells can recover if we avoid noise and give them a chance to restore themselves back to normal.

Researchers have found that the stress of constant noise increases blood pressure, heart rate and the release of our stress hormones.  When we are startled by sounds, it can cause a surge of cortisol, adrenaline and other stress hormones that create that fight or flight reaction in our bodies.   There have even been links found between constant noise and diabetes, respiratory disorders and cancer.   Even though we adapt to screen out noises over time, they are still affecting our nervous systems, whether we are consciously bothered by them or not.  Our annoyance of the racket has been associated with depression and anxiety issues.  The noise disturbs our sleep, affects our ability to focus, can cause unhealthy food choices and ups our stress level; all things that can contribute to heart disease.

Planes

How to Combat All That Noise

Thankfully, there are strategies to help us deal with noise.

  • Taking time for a walk in nature is a great way to alleviate all that loudness.  The sounds we hear in nature like birds, rustling leaves and the sounds of the ocean waves have the opposite effect of the noises we hear on a daily basis.  They are calming and lower our stress levels, helping us to focus more clearly.
  • Meditation is another excellent way to calm the clanging.  Through meditation, we can learn to acknowledge the sound as just another sound and let us avoid being so riled up by the noise.
  • At night, the use of a sound machine, a humidifier or other form of white noise can help cancel out loud sounds, especially for those of us who live in the city where there can be constant traffic and noise late at night.

The use of ear plugs at night can also help block outside noise as well as the snoring of our spouses.  Some options of hearing protection include personal custom hearing protection like dB Life and dB Blockers. dB stands for decibel blockers and they do exactly that. dB Blockers™ offer “The Smartest Hearing Protection in the World” especially where interpersonal communication is required. dB Blockers™ are custom fit to each individual wearer for maximum comfort and are made from Skinsoft™ medical silicone. dB Blockers™ are particularly suited for industrial applications where communication between individuals is desired. These hearing protectors can be worn for a complete shift, without the need to remove them to talk on the phone, eat or relieve pressure. A must for all hearing conservation programs.

Only dB Blockers offer superior hearing protection while enabling individuals to communicate clearly with each other. Learn More. 

Another option is noise-cancelling headphones which help reduce outside noise so you we can listen to music or television at a quieter level.  Recapturing some peace and quiet will help improve our health and those jangled nerves.  It is okay to feel a sense of calm and stillness in our lives and we will probably find ourselves to be even more productive.

Either way – whatever option you choose, just choose something to find calm in a loud noisy world 


Source:

Tonia DeCosimo, Entrepreneur, Author, Columnist & Host