New law allowing motorcyclists to wear earplugs – Ohio

February 26, 2020

DeWine, Ohio signs law allowing motorcyclists to wear earplugs

motorcycle riders

Some riders didn’t know that it is currently illegal to use earplugs when they ride

This summer, motorcycle riders will legally be able to use earplugs when they ride in Ohio. The new law goes into effect in 90 days.

Gov. Mike DeWine signed the bill into law Friday that allows for the use of earplugs or earphones for hearing protection. Devices that provide entertainment will still be prohibited.​ Some riders didn’t know that it is currently illegal to use earplugs when they ride. They say they use earplugs to lower the decibel level assaulting their hearing as they ride.​

Noise impact on Motorcycle Riders

Several things contribute to the noise riders have to deal with, including the engine and exhaust systems of the bike. While they are traveling, the sound of the air passing by their ears creates noise as well.​ Those that use earplugs said wearing them helps them hear better than they would without using the devices. They claim to be able to hear low bass and high treble sounds easier.​

dB All Sport™ for Motorcycle Riders 

Protect Ear’s dB All Sport™ lets you hear the full range of your recording even at highway speeds.

This ear protector is built for the rider who wants to listen to their digital music player or radio, All Sport™ is the ideal way to take your tunes on the road. All Sport™ is a headset that connects to your digital music player and is specially designed to work in the harsh environment bikers endure. Wind noise, bike rumble, and traffic sounds compound to make listening to radio or music a challenge while riding.

The All Sport™ uses dB Blocker® Technology giving you extremely comfortable isolation from wind noise, bike growl and the quality music sounds of specially tuned dual stereo transducers. The sound reaches the protector through sound tubes that pass over the ear. This over-the-ear design allows for use with either full face or 1/2 shell helmets. It also allows for your All Sport™ to be easily repaired if you damage them. Learn more about the All Sport.

motorcycle riders

Riders who’ve been using earplugs for years say this bill is long overdue and is appreciated.​ When DeWine was asked if he was interested in pursuing a helmet law next, he told reporters he was not going to talk about that at the current time.​

 


Source

Holiday Safe Listening: Noisy Technology, Toys and Places

December 17, 2019

Holiday Safe Listening: Noisy Technology, Toys and Places

Between new technology gifts (used with earbuds or headphones), noisy toys, and loud holiday parties and concerts, the holiday season brings welcome revelry but also a lot of noise.

Read on for more information—and download and share these resources with your family, friends, and clients/patients to help encourage the public to protect their hearing.


Safe Listening Tips: Holiday Gifts and Hearing Protection

Buying a tech gift for your child this holiday season? More than 1 billion young people worldwide are at risk of developing hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices from noisy technology and leisure settings. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association offers three easy tips to teach safe listening and help kids protect their hearing.

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/

Listen Up about Workplace Noise Monitoring

November 7, 2019

Listen Up about Workplace Noise Monitoring – Kicking it up a notch

According to OSHA, each year 22 million employees are exposed to hazardous noises at work, making hearing loss the most common work-related injury. It’s time to understand, and consider, the role technology can play in workplace noise monitoring.

According to OSHA, each year 22 million employees are exposed to hazardous noises at work, making hearing loss the most common work-related injury. It’s time to understand, and consider, the role technology can play in workplace noise monitoring.
Setting Standards in Place

 

noise

The goal of all employers should be for their employees to leave work in the same condition as they began—healthy and safe. When an organization displays its dedication to employee safety through responsible practices and initiatives, it results in increased productivity and employee morale, as well as decreased insurance costs.

In 2018, ISO 45001 was established as the new standard for occupational health and safety (OHS) to reduce the burden of regulation and prevent workplace injuries and fatalities, providing a framework to improve employee safety and create safer working conditions. It is an international standard that specifies requirements for an OHS management system, with guidance for its use and to enable an organization to proactively improve its OHS performance in preventing injury and ill health. ISO 45001 is intended to be applicable to any organization regardless of its size, type, or nature, and all of its requirements are intended to be easily integrated into an organization’s own management processes.

Hazards and risks in the workplace need to be identified and, more importantly, eliminated or reduced to appropriate levels.

ISO 45001 highlights both noise and dust exposure issues, as well as the value of workplace monitoring. Research shows that stronger occupational regulation of noise leads to safer sound levels, which results in safer employees.

Impacts of Occupational Hearing Loss

NIOSH recommends that workers are not exposed to noise at a level that amounts to more than 85 decibels (dBA) over eight continuous hours. An estimated 24 percent of hearing loss in the United States has been attributed to workplace exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Although noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common occupational illnesses, it is often ignored because there are no visible effects. It usually develops over a long period of time and, except in very rare cases, there is no pain. What does occur is a progressive loss of communication, socialization, and responsiveness to the environment. In its early stages, it affects the ability to understand or differentiate speech. As it progresses to the lower frequencies, it begins to affect the ability to hear sounds in general.

The primary effects of workplace noise exposure include noise-induced temporary threshold shift, noise-induced permanent threshold shift, acoustic trauma, and tinnitus. A noise-induced temporary threshold shift is a short-term decrease in hearing sensitivity that returns to the pre-exposed level in a matter of hours or days, assuming there is not continued exposure to excessive noise.

If noise exposure continues, the shift can become a noise-induced permanent threshold shift, which is a decrease in hearing sensitivity that is not expected to improve over time. If workers experience standard threshold shifts, employers are required to fit or refit the workers with hearing protectors, train them in the use of the hearing protectors, and require the workers to use them.

 

noiseThe effects of excessive noise exposure are made worse when workers have extended shifts (longer than eight hours). With extended shifts, the duration of the noise exposure is longer and the amount of time between shifts is shorter. This means that the ears have less time to recover between noisy shifts and damage can more quickly become permanent.

Tinnitus, or “ringing in the ears,” can occur after long-term exposure to high sound levels, or sometimes from short-term exposure to very high sound levels. Regardless of the cause, this condition is a disturbance produced by the inner ear and interpreted by the brain as sound. Individuals with tinnitus describe it as a hum, buzz, roar, ring, or whistle, which can be short term or permanent.

Hazardous levels of noise exposure should be a priority for employers to monitor to avoid implications for both themselves and their employees.
Measuring noise levels and noise exposure is the most important part of a workplace hearing conservation and noise control program. It helps identify locations where there are noise problems, employees who may be affected, and where additional noise measurements need to be made.

Changing the Workplace with Technology

To assess the risk of workplace noise, a variety of monitoring solutions may be installed and utilized. Noise dosimeters are ideal for personal exposure monitoring and a mobile workforce, while sound level meters can be used to check areas or an individual’s exposure for a stationary task. Plus, we are also seeing in an increase of customized hearing protection such as molded hearing like dB Blockers. Customized hearing solutions are costly up front but they last 5 years and are custom fit to the ear leaving little margin of noise error.

Noise exposures are monitored using established technology and are the responsibility of occupational hygienists, a health and safety manager, or another trained expert. Data collection provides concrete information highlighting key paths for change and can help the organization to achieve compliance with government standards and protect its workforce effectively. Some of the devices that companies are using are Fit Check Testing devices where they will measure any earplug from any source. Some examples of these are Custom Protect Ear’s FitCheck Solo.

To increase the success of workplace noise monitoring, workers must understand its importance and the long-term, negative health effects that could result. If noise monitoring technology is used, quantitative data can be captured and any risks or potential areas of concern can be identified.


SOURCE
By Justin StewartSep 01, 2019 – https://ohsonline.com/Articles/2019/09/01/Listen-Up-Kicking-Workplace-Noise-Monitoring-Up-a-Notch.aspx?Page=3

What is National Audiology Awareness Month

October 17, 2019

October Is National Audiology Awareness Month
& National Protect Your Hearing Month

Over 36 million American adults have some degree of hearing loss. The statistics are shocking and even more so knowing that over half of those 36 million Americans are younger than age 65 . Hearing loss is an increasing health concern in this nation that is often preventable. Taking time to see an audiologist for regular hearing screenings and knowing the signs of hearing loss can protect your hearing.

Audiologists

The American Academy of Audiology is dedicated to increasing public awareness of audiology and the importance of hearing protection. We have created a variety of educational activity worksheets for parents, teachers, and kids to use in support of this month’s celebration.

Click here to “Find an Audiologist” in your area and make an appointment this October during National Audiology Awareness Month and National Protect Your Hearing Month to get your hearing tested.

Fact Sheets

The Academy has prepared these fact sheets as tools for you to use. Simply download, print, and go. Leave them in the waiting room at your school, the local grocery store, and the community center.

What Is an Audiologist
Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss and Infant Hearing Screening
Hearing Loss in Children
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Hearing Health Quick Test
Noise in the Work Place

Protect Your Hearing

ProtectEar USA,  has been providing custom industrial hearing protectors (earplugs) to Americans for over 36 years. The custom dB Blocker hearing protectors (earplugs) are more effective for the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss than disposable earplugs.

We deliver a defect-free custom hearing protection product to our customers on time, every time. Guaranteed. PLUS not only do dB Blockers provide superior hearing protection from hearing loss than foam plugs, but they are also more cost effective as well.

ProtectEar USA, exclusively distributes products developed by North America’s largest personalized industrial hearing protector manufacturer, Custom Protect Ear. Custom Protect Ear manufactures the following products:

dB Blockers™ | dB Blockers™ offer “The Smartest Hearing Protection in the World”, especially where interpersonal communication is required.

dB Com™ | dB Com™ provides custom industrial hearing protection that allows for two-way communication which fits the individual to their work environment, reducing the harmful frequencies they’re exposed to.

dB Life™ | Personal dB BlockersWith dB Life™, conversations become clearer and more engaging; music reveals background sounds and layering, and a good night’s sleep goes uninterrupted.

FitCheck Solo™ FitCheck Solo is ProtectEar’s newest product and is the only Field Attenuation Estimating System (FAES). FitCheck Solo is the latest and most accurate tool in the fight against noise-induced hearing loss.

Metal-Detectible-nonvented

For More information about National Audiology Awareness Month click here


SOURCE

https://www.howsyourhearing.org/awareness.html

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

Protecting workers with hearing loss

August 15, 2019

A growing number of workers wear hearing aids, such as behind-the-ear or in-canal models, that can’t be used with foam earplugs. What does OSHA allow, and what actually works to mask most noise but allow conversations with earplug-wearing co-workers?

Workers with hearing loss may have difficulty communicating over background noise, especially when they also must wear hearing protection. There are no specific regulations for this population, but these workers are subject to the same OSHA requirements as workers with normal hearing. OSHA does offer some guidance, suggesting that workers with hearing loss may benefit from hearing protection that is enhanced for better communication.

Several hearing protectors can enhance audibility without compromising safety. Some of these enhanced options include passive uniform-attenuation hearing protectors, active level-dependent hearing protectors and the combination of passive earmuffs worn over hearing aids.

Hearing Loss

Passive uniform-attenuation

Uniform-attenuation (also called “flat” attenuation) hearing protectors are designed to provide relatively uniform attenuation of sound at all frequencies. Conventional hearing protectors attenuate more high-frequency energy, where important speech information resides. Hearing protectors with a uniform response can make speech sound more clear and natural. Workers, including those with hearing loss, may find communication easier with these types of products.

Active level-dependent

Active hearing protectors (also known as electronic earmuffs with sound amplification/high noise suppression) require a power source. Most are level-dependent, meaning they amplify low-level sounds while limiting high-level sounds so they don’t exceed a specified level (usually 82 dBA). These products have been shown to improve speech communication for individuals with hearing loss.1 Some active hearing protectors also incorporate communication features and can connect to other devices. This type of connection can benefit someone with hearing loss because the attenuation properties of the hearing protector will still limit the noise while transmitting only the wanted communication.

Hearing aids, earmuffs

The use of hearings aids in noisy work settings should be approached with caution. Hearing aids should never be worn in noisy environments without the addition of a protective earmuff. Research shows that wearing a passive earmuff over a hearing aid can improve communication for workers with hearing loss, while maintaining safe noise exposure levels.2 Wearing a passive uniform-attenuation earmuff over hearing aids may offer even more improvement by transmitting more of those high-frequency speech sounds. Workers with hearing aids should see their audiologist to optimize the use of their hearing aids with an appropriate hearing protector.

 

Workers with hearing loss have unique communication needs, and their hearing protection should be tailored to their job demands, noise environment, hearing loss and individual preferences. Finding the right solution can help maintain communication, safety and satisfaction at work, while protecting the worker’s hearing.


Sources 

  1. Giguère, C., Laroche, C., & Vaillancourt, V. (2015). The interaction of hearing loss and level-dependent hearing protection on speech recognition in noise. International Journal of Audiology, 54 (sup1), S9-S18.
  2. Verbsky, B. L. (2002). Effects of conventional passive earmuffs, uniformly attenuating passive earmuffs, and hearing aids on speech intelligibility in noise. PhD Dissertation. Columbus, OH: Ohio State University.

Motorcycle Riding: Protect your hearing

June 27, 2019

As the temperatures rise and the days are longer activities and outings change. These changes related to summer often mean BBQs, gatherings, Motorcycling and July 1 and 4th festivities with friends and family. And what also does occur is more noise; noise when riding, noisy music, noisy fireworks and even noisier traffic such as motorcycle riding.

Motorcycle Riding: Protect your hearing; the effort is worth it

Whether you wear a full-face helmet, a three-quarter or a shorty, earplugs are a must. Hearing damage is cumulative and permanent. It takes a little effort to find an earplug that will work for you, but it will be worth it. It’s much less cost and effort than hearing aids, I can assure you.
Wear Your Protection:

When your ears are exposed to constant wind noise, several things happen: the cilia inside your ears get tired (no, seriously) and collapse. Your brain gets tired from filtering out all that extraneous noise, and that causes unnecessary fatigue. The nerve connections between your ears and your brain can sustain damage.

All of that combined means hearing loss. If you’ve ever found your ears ringing after a stint on the highway, that means, without question, you are damaging your hearing. A 60mph wind will cause hearing damage within 15 minutes. You have 7 minutes at 75mph, and 3 minutes at 85mph with no hearing protection. Yes, if you’re not wearing earplugs you are definitely slowly going deaf.Motorcyles

Windshields and full-face helmets can damp the wind noise some, but they often just change the windflow without quieting the noise. Earplugs are a great low-cost way to protect your hearing. The frequency of wind is excellent at damaging humans’ hearing. Earplugs will filter out those frequencies but they absolutely do still allow you to hear sirens, horns, and other traffic warnings. If you find the earplugs you’ve used block too much sound, try different ones.

There are a bunch of different earplugs on the market, and they can be divided into two simple categories: disposable and reusable. Disposable earplugs are made of foam, and the general rule is, they work well three times: if you wear them all day three days in a row, or if you take them out and reinsert them three times in one day, they’re done, the foam wears out, and they don’t hold a good seal anymore. They must be inserted in a specific way into your ear, and you can see that process on the CDC website here.

Hearing Protection – Earplug Options

There are also Reusable or custom hearing protection which is a little more expensive, but they will last you about 5 years and the fit your ear exactly. Custom Protect Ear’s dB Life All Sport Earpiece and Headset is the rider who wants to listen to their digital music player or radio, All Sport™ is the ideal way to take your tunes on the road. All Sport™ is a headset that connects to your digital music player and is specially designed to work in the harsh environment bikers endure. Wind noise, bike rumble, and traffic sound compound to make listening to radio or music a challenge while riding. Learn More about the All Sport. 

Whatever option you choose – it is imperative you choose at least one. If you are unsure then we recommend you ask your friends what earplugs they use, and if you can try a pair of theirs: that’s the easiest, cheapest way to go about finding a good, comfortable pair of earplugs. If you want a longer term solution then check out Custom Protect Ears website to find a hearing solution for you and your lifestyle need.

Good luck everybody, and happy hearing!


SOURCE

https://www.rideapart.com/articles/355870/ear-plugs-protect-your-hearing/

Being Safe on Canada Day & Independence Day

June 18, 2019

The Fourth of July and fireworks are traditional in the US, and go together like hamburgers and hot dogs. Just like the Canada Day celebration on July 1 is also filled with fireworks and festivities. And, as thrilling as it is to watch fireworks, care should be exercised because the sound pressures generated by fireworks can lead to hearing damage if proper precautions are not employed.

firework celebration

Short History

Ancient China introduced fireworks, but they have a special place in American history as well.  In 1776, just after the Declaration of Independence was approved by Congress, John Adams, the second US President, wrote to his wife Abigail that America’s independence ought to be solemnized “with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”  By illuminations, he was referring to fireworks.

Fireworks and Your Hearing

Public fireworks, though not typically heard up close, are still explosions and can be very loud.

Fireworks can reach maximum sound output levels in the 130 to 150 dB SPL range, certainly, way beyond peak sound pressure levels recommended for children 120 dB, or 140 dB SPL for adults as recommended by the World Health Organization.  In the United States, OHSA noise regulations are used to determine the allowable noise exposure.

Keep in mind that the sound level of fireworks tends to be related to how/where they are used, with the levels increasing from category 1 through 4:

  1. Indoor fireworks
  2. Garden fireworks
  3. Display fireworks for open areas such as fields
  4. Professional fireworks for large open spaces

In recent years the number of “quieter” fireworks have increased for consumer fireworks, with 120 dB noise limit on all consumer fireworks, and the amount of flash powder (a chemical that produces the loud bangs) reduced (European Union).  Looking at the list of fireworks sold as quieter items, these have whistles or crackles instead of bangs. However, for large fireworks displays, if one is looking for something spectacular – quiet and spectacular do not mix.  The reason is because “spectacular” is achieved by large bursting effects that create a lot of noise.

Firework Noise Prevention 

Of course, the level to which one may be exposed to high noise levels depends on the location of the observer from the fireworks, and the type of fireworks.  An open environment is better than an environment surrounded by large buildings, especially if they are close to the point of explosion.  In this case, the sound can bounce from one building to the next, sometimes enforcing the sound.  Sound in an open environment is dissipated more readily.

Helpful Hints

To Decrease Noise Exposure – Increase Distance

The further one is from the fireworks, the lower is the overall sound level, making it less likely that the levels will affect hearing.  But, how far away should one be for protection?

Have a little fireworks fun using some basic math

1.  Estimate distance.  Upon seeing the “flash” of the fireworks, count the number of seconds until you hear the “boom” associated with it.  Sound in air travels at approximately 1100 ft/sec.  In the example below, if the time between seeing the flash until you hear the blast is 3 seconds, you can expect the distance from the fireworks sound source is 0.6 miles.

Distance

 

2.  Estimate sound level.  Assume this is a large public fireworks display and that the fireworks at 10 feet is a sound level of 150 dB SPL.   This is a “guesstimate” level based on a number of current published measurements.  Keep also in mind that more recent fireworks makers have been working at “softer” fireworks levels.  If you were a half mile away, the sound level would be 102 dB SPL.  If the measured sound level is less than 150 dB, each successive halving of the distance lowers the overall sound level 6 dB.

Level With Distance

A good rule of thumb is to avoid noises that are “too loud,” “too close,” or that last “too long.”

 

Noise Levels Large DisplaysTo the right is a sample of non scientific measurements made at a major fireworks show, with 9 measurements made during this large audience display.  The range of measurement duration was between 52 seconds and 19 minutes, with some measurements of an entire display (#5) and some much shorter with just a single rocket (#9).  Distance from the sound source was not specified.  A summary of the overall data follows{{1}}[[1]]Tingay, J. Noise levels from fireworks – a very unscientific measurement, Noise News, November 2011[[1]]:

 

Hearing Protection

Brie dB BlockersWear earplugs or headphones/earmuffs to protect hearing, especially that of children.  For children, ear protection can have an additional advantage – the child will be less frightened by the loud sounds.  Multiple styles of hearing protection are readily available at any sport shop or from a hearing professional, but for children, headphones may be the best choice because they are more likely to remain in place.

The packaging of any hearing protection should indicate the NRR (noise reduction rating).  The higher the number, the better the protection.  It is unlikely that you will find hearing protection with NRR ratings above about 30 dB, meaning that they are stated to reduce the noise level by 30 dB.  It is important that earplugs fit into the ear canal properly to provide the maximum protection promoted on the package. Because fit does matter – we are seeing more individuals are purchasing custom hearing protection like dB Blockers.


SOURCE

Noise Sensitivity Exists, Even in The Smallest of Ears

June 11, 2019

Custom Protect Ear (CPE) has been creating personalized hearing protection for over 40 years. Although CPE has been servicing the industrial sector, it’s technology and innovation has been able to reach and help children with sensitivity to noise. Recently, a concerned mother reached out to our Head Office in Surrey BC, Canada asking for the possibility of helping her four-year-old son, Gabe, with noise sensitivity.

Gabe has Potocki-Lupski syndrome (PTLS) which mimics autism traits including hearing sensitivity.

The noise sensitivity has stopped Gabe from engaging with his peers and he has become overwhelmed in high traffic areas such as a play center or shopping mall where the noise is enhanced. The team at Custom Protect Ear was so inspired by Gabe’s journey, they decided to get him fitted for a pair of dB Blockers and send them to him in Australia.

Laura, Canadian Director of Sales, took this project under her wing. Laura liaised with the family and walked them through the impression and manufacturing process and provided them with a pair of custom dB Blockers. The one thing that Gabe was tasked with was to pick the color – he chose orange because of his favorite monster truck! After that, Laura advised the family that the Vented Convertible style would be best suited to Gabe’s needs.

When the dB Blockers arrived, Gabe’s dad called his mom 5 times to let her know that they arrived.

After wearing the dB Blockers, Gabe’s mother stated, “this product has had a profound impact on Gabe’s social experiences and has enabled him to participate in activities in a way we have never seen before or dare hoped to see.

dBBlocker - vented convertible

 


Gabe’s Mother had sent Laura an email explaining the impact:

“Hi Laura,

I would like to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Gabe is sensitive to overstimulation of the senses including hearing, usually resulting in anxiety, stimming, hair pulling or biting or running away (and boy is he fast). Tasks like shopping trips were tough, but this also impacted on his ability to participate in social settings such as a playground or party. On day two of wearing his dB Blockers, we tried the mall.  We were surprised by the sudden change in our son’s behavior.

Usually, within 5 minutes, Gabe would become overstimulated and hyperactive or anxious. Instead, he held my hand, walked beside me and pointed at things of interest. For the 40 minutes we were there, he showed no signs of distress. We even ran into a friend who has a child (which usually results in Gabe hiding behind my leg). Gabe walked straight up to him and said hi.

On day 7 of wearing his dB Blockers, Gabe attended a birthday party with more than 30 Guests. Having seen how the dB Blockers had been helping him, we thought it was an ideal test for a social environment. Not only did he stay at the party for more than 10 minutes, but two hours later he was standing among a group of kids collecting lollies. My husband and I watched, trying to hold in tears as we saw our son actively interact with a group of children, he was not familiar with for the first time.

dBBlocker - vented convertible

 

To list all the benefits for Gabe would be too long of an email, however, we want to mention that in the last few weeks, we have watched Gabe’s confidence grow and his social skills flourish. His teachers have commented daily on his eagerness to play with other children, where in the past he played independently on the outskirts.

We have also seen an improvement in the clarity of his speech (he has a significant speech delay) and a newfound determination to try new sounds. Because of your support to acquire dB Blockers for Gabe, his life is changed. Custom Protect Ear has provided Gabe with a tool which allows him greater opportunities to interact with society and express his capabilities. Thank you,” 

Kind regards,

~ ‘Mom, Dad’ and Gabe.


Custom Protect Ear is sincerely committed to making a difference in lives’ that are so adversely affected by noise. Thank you, ‘Mom, Dad’ and Gabe, for letting us be a part of your journey and inspiring us with your strength and courage.

~ The Custom Protect Ear Team.

dBCares