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Safety precautions when around loud sounds are imperative to preserving your hearing. Most will agree that extremely loud situations, such as the operation of heavy machinery, require hearing protection but the reality is that prolonged exposure to tolerable levels of sound can also cause damage. Hearing, unlike sight or smell, is a purely mechanical response in the human ear. Damage to parts of the ear caused by high decibels of sound cannot be reversed. It is important to understand what decibels of sound require hearing protection.

First, the Occupational Safety Health Administration has determined that continual exposure to sound levels above 85 decibels will result in irreversible hearing loss. To give you perspective on what this translates to, consider that a hospital maintains a regular level of 45 maximum decibels during normal operational hours. Exposure to 85 decibels for a period greater than eight consecutive hours will cause hearing loss. You should wear single hearing protection if you are going to be around anything that creates 85 decibels of sound.

Single hearing protection typically comes in two basic forms: ear muff protection and ear plugs. Ear muffs are cup-like foam filled covers that are placed over the entire ear for protection against high decibels. Ear plugs are smaller and designed to fit into the ear canal to block sound vibrations. Fitted ear plugs can be made from plastic or rubber, but are frequently made from expandable foam. Stuffing other substances such as cotton in your ears may reduce sound but can also damage your ear canal or ear drum, so they should be avoided.

Environments that have more intense sound levels pose a greater danger and require the use of double hearing protection. This is accomplished by placing an ear plug in the canal then donning additional ear muff protection.