Once hearing is damaged, that damage is permanent.
The extent of noise-related hearing loss depends on how loud the sound is, how long the exposure lasts and how often the exposure is repeated. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended limit (REL) is 85 A-weighted decibels (dBA) averaged over the duration of an eight-hour workday.
Think of it this way: Sounds at 85 dBA often require you to raise your voice to be heard by someone 3 feet away. Power tools, for instance, are commonly rated at between 85 and 90 dBA. At 95 dBA, you have to shout to that same person 3 feet away.
Noise is likely a problem on your jobsite or workplace if you:
- Hear ringing in your ears when you leave work
- Have to shout to be heard by a co-worker an arm’s length away
- Experience temporary hearing loss when leaving work
To protect your hearing, follow these steps from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- Know how much noise reduction you need. Most industrial noise exposures are less than 95 dBA, and since the NIOSH recommended exposure limit is 85 dBA, most workers will only have to use 10 dB of sound reduction. If you don’t know the noise levels at your jobsite, you can measure them with an app such as the NIOSH Sound Level Meter App. For sound exposure greater than 100 dBA, double your hearing protection, such as earmuffs over earplugs.
- Think about your worksite and job tasks. Think about how your hearing protection may interfere with other safety equipment or PPE you use at work — will earmuffs work correctly if they’re impacted by the arm of your safety glasses or your hardhat? Does your hearing protection need to be intermittently removed when you leave noisy environments, or will you wear them for most of the day? How often do you need to hear your supervisor or co-worker speaking to you?
- Decide what is most comfortable and convenient. Hearing protection only works if you wear it, and you’ll only wear it consistently if it’s comfortable. Decide what works best for you!