Ear Protection Recommendations


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Old 10-15-19, 02:43 AM
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Ear Protection Recommendations

Morning everyone,

Was hoping for some advice from the forums with regards to hearing protection.

Seems like the years are catching up with me and I'm keen to invest in some earplugs to handle the noise generated by power tools when working indoors.

I think that a couple of sets of these tick a lot of the boxes for me, but just wanted to ask if I'm investing enough money -

https://www.arco.co.uk/products/2U0003?s=1

Thanks for any help you guys can pass on!

Chris
 
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Old 10-15-19, 03:09 AM
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Good morning, Chris,
The cost of the item is not as important as its effectiveness, in my view. There are a number of different styles of protection to choose from, and the one that works best for you may also be cheapest, who knows. At the link you sent there is a section at the bottom called "people also viewed" (or something like that) showing other styles available.

I have used and have in my "inventory" different styles but the one i use most is an earmuff style headset: easy and quick. I insist on eye and ear protection for the kids, and we can talk in a normal tone (if we stand very close!) and still be heard over the sound of engines, while still enjoying more than enough sound protection.

So, choosing the style that works best for you is most important.

Good on ya for thinking about PPE- think about eye protection too!

Dave O
 

Last edited by CycleZen; 10-15-19 at 03:42 AM.
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Old 10-15-19, 04:09 AM
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I prefer these. They are rubbery and fit in your ear canal better, blocking more noise.

https://www.arco.co.uk/products/2897...cefkdgkfdfih.0
 
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Old 10-15-19, 04:33 AM
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Hearing protection is always a good thing. But your comment about, (" Seems like the years are catching up with me "), are very telling. Once the damage is done, you can't fix it. Plus the aging factor kicks in after 40.
Young people just don't get it until it's too late.

I have found effectiveness of ear plugs seems to be a personal thing regardless of price or style. Those soft pugs that you insert are very irritating to me. I prefer a full ear head set style. Lawn cutting is a must for ear protection.
 
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Old 10-15-19, 04:37 AM
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I wear or carry some form of hearing protection all the time I'm at work. I usually wear this type. They are quick to put on and take off and when not in use easily ride around your neck. The pointed foam tip installs easier and seals better for me than the type you linked. These are good for when you actually have the hearing protection in for short periods. Over time the gentle squeezing pressure becomes painful so they are not good for all day wear.


For medium term wear I prefer this type. They are quick and easy to insert and remove and are comfortable for long term wear. For me the do open gaps and let sound in when I move my mouth to certain positions so they are not perfect for me.


If I'm going to be wearing hearing protection for hours I wear the foam ear plug style. They seal the best and are quite comfortable. My favorite are these tubular foam ones. They are slow to squeeze and insert but once in they work great. Not so good are the tapered and rounded shaped ones which can expand before you have time to get them in your ear, especially in hot weather.


Then when mowing I wear bluetooth ear muffs so I can listen to music while I work. They sometimes have a sealing problem around my glasses but can be made to work and are the most expensive. And... they don't work when I forget to charge the battery.
 
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Old 10-15-19, 05:51 AM
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It's corny to say but the best protection is what you'll actually use. Earplugs could be fine for most indoor tools. I use chainsaws, trimmers, and a powerful mower so I prefer earmuffs.

Keep in mind that ear protection has a decibel sound rating, generally up to 33 decibels and you should find protection rated to the sound level you need. It's easy to find decibel levels online. For example, a decibel may be 90 decibels while a hammer drill could be 115.
 
 

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