The HTRC

The Homeowners & Trades Resource Center

Brought to you by:

You are here: Home / Safety Third? / Safety Sunday: Protect your hearing

Safety Sunday: Protect your hearing

Have you ever heard a slight ringing in your ears, maybe after mowing, shooting, or attending a concert? That is the first sign that you may have damaged your hearing, or are about to – hopefully it is just limited to the ringing sound, and is not permanent. Unfortunately for me, I fall into the latter category, which is one reason I do not like crowded or noisy places – it is nearly impossible for me to hear others with all the background noise.

How loud is too loud:


As you can see by the chart above, noise ranging from 85 to 88 dB (decibels – a measure to rate how “loud” something is) can start causing hearing issues after 8 hours. The catch is that for every 3 dB increase, the amount of time till you may experience is halved – thus @ 88 – 91 it now only takes 4 hours, 91 to 94 only takes 2 hours, etc… Oh and there is one other catch – it is cumulative, so going from a noisy factory, driving home through traffic, and then mowing the grass all adds up.

Some common dB levels around the house:

  • 10 dB Normal breathing
  • 10-20 dB Rustling leaves
  • 20-30 dB Whispering to one another
  • 30-40 dB Stream, Fountain, Babbling Brook
  • 50-65 dB Normal conversation
  • 70-80 dB Household appliances, hairdryers, etc… (Annoying but not theoretically damaging)
  • 85-105 dB Lawnmowers, leaf blowers, gas powered tools
  • 95-105 dB Farm tractor, Snowmobile, Jet Ski
  • 110+ dB Jackhammer, power saw, chain saw
  • 130-140 dB Shooting a Shotgun, Rifle, or Pistol

Protect your hearing:

While working with any power tools, nailing, or just mowing the grass you should wear hearing protection. The choices here are endless & range from disposable foam earplugs, to high-end Auto Noise Reducing earmuffs. Currently, I have been using the product shown above which complies with ANSI S3.19-1974. It has a NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) of 28 db, which reduces the 110 dB items down to a safe 82 dB level, and still allows me to hear someone trying to get my attention.

Proper Care & Maintenance:

  • Wipe earmuffs with a damp cloth after each use, store them in a safe place, and replace cushions when they lose their resilience.
  • Wash reusable earplugs every day, store them in a clean case, and replace if plugs are hard or discolored.
  • Wipe canal caps (headband plugs) with a damp cloth after each use, store them in a safe place so the headband will not be bent or twisted, and replace if the band is damaged and/or no longer fits comfortably.

Additional Info & Web Sites

Tool Box Talk by Specific Trade from University of Washington
OSHA Hearing Selector
OSHA Standards 29 CFR 1910.095
NIOSH / CDC Hearing Protection Guide & Resources

Related posts:

Smoke Detectors – A primer on Maintenance
Safety Sunday: The Ultimate Safety Tool
Safety Sunday: Fire Extinguisher Primer
Safety Sunday: Dig safely
Safety Sunday: To Toss or Keep the Food?
Safety Sunday: End of the Day Job Site Safety Checklist
Safety Sunday: Only You… Camping & Outdoor Fire Safety
Safety Sunday: Smart Phones
  •  Tweet
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

Filed Under: Safety Third? Tagged With: Safety Sunday October 10, 2010 By SLS 2 Comments

Featured Posts

January - Mid Winter Maintenance Checklist

Welcome to the start of a New Year, and the first full month of winter. This is the time of the year when many individuals try to wipe the slate ...

Read More

Preventing or fixing frozen water pipes

Updated: This article was originally posted in early 2010 after the Alabama Department of Health issued the following warning via press release: Prolonged period of cold weather ahead prompts warnings to ...

Read More

BS4D: Saving on Heating Related Energy Costs

For the bulk of the year, energy costs are not a big concern to many and instead most calls relate to comfort, safety or health issues. We are now starting ...

Read More

FAQ - Do I need storm doors or windows?

As the weather starts turning colder many start wondering - should I replace my windows, get a storm door, install storm windows, or??? Shoot I live in an area governed ...

Read More

Common Sense Building: Build Radon Out

Common Sense Building: Build Radon Out

As many of you probably already know, January is National Radon Month. Just like CO, it is an odorless & tasteless gas; however, unlike CO there are no warning signs ...

Read More

FAQ: Ceiling fan direction - summer & winter

One of the biggest questions out there is which direction should my fan be running and how can I tell. You look at the switch and realize it isn't any ...

Read More

FAQ on Duct Cleaning: All Hype or Worthy Expense?

It must be spring time... I got the following in the mail just the other day: 5 different ads all for duct cleaning. With allergy season starting along with my ...

Read More

Random Glossary term

  • OVE

    Have you ever heard a slight ringing in your ears, maybe after mowing, shooting, or attending a concert? That is the first sign that you may have damaged your hearing, or are about to – hopefully it is just limited to the ringing sound, and is not permanent. Unfortunately for me, I fall into the latter category, which is […]

The HTRC - Copyright © 2006–2021 by TheHTRC.com & SLS Construction & Building Solutions LLC http://SLS-Construction.com