Safety Moment – Ear Protection

It is estimated that as many as 30 million Americans are exposed to potentially harmful sounds at work.

Even outside of work, many people participate in recreational activities that can produce harmful noise (musical concerts, use of power tools, etc.).

Sixty million Americans own firearms, and many people do not use appropriate hearing protection devices.

Of the roughly 40 million Americans suffering from hearing loss, 10 million can be attributed to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).

NIHL can be caused by a one-time exposure to loud sound as well as by repeated exposure to sounds at various loudness levels over an extended period of time.

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Decibels and Noise Exposure Limits

90-95 db – sustained exposure may result in hearing loss

115 db – OSHA Daily permissible noise level exposure is 15 mins or less

125 db – pain begins

140 db – even short term exposure can cause permanent damage – loudest recommend exposure WITH hearing protection

180 db – Death of hearing tissue

Noise Decibels Exposure

Office noise 50 dB

Aircraft cabin 80 dB*

Snoring 87 dB

Lawnmower 90 dB* 8 hrs.

Headphones 94 dB 4 hrs.

Motorcycle 100 dB* 2 hrs.

Rock Concert 110 dB* 30 min

Shotgun 160 dB

Airbag 170 dB

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* A difference of 10 db feels twice as loud

Ear Protection - Precautions

Choose outdoor concert venues when possible – it’s not just decibel level but distance to the source that effects how long one can be exposed to noise without damage

Wear disposable foam earplugs rated at least 20 dB (30 is better!) – this is a noise reduction level, so 110 minus 20 equals 90 dB which buys you 8 hours of exposure

Noise damage is cumulative – daily exposure (say from headphones at 5/10 volume for more than 4 hours a day) should be avoided

Music in headphones is NOT noise protection – see the first bullet point on this slide – headphones are very close to the source!

Invest in noise cancellation headphones so you can listen to music at a lower volume while challenging competing office noise – remember that at just 60 dB (conversation level), your music will feel twice as loud as the office noise around you

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