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Hearing protection

H

herb

Joined
Mar 4, 2007
Messages
56
Likes
8
Location
Lakewood, Colorado
Hi,

I'm very interested in protecting my somewhat compromised hearing while working in the shop. I have typically worn muffs. Just got a new face mask (Uvex) and the muffs don't fit well under the mask (too bulky) Any ideas on something smaller but also provides good hearing protection?

Herb
 
I use a Airstream and had the same problem with the muff style. I also cant stand anything down in my ear canal. I picked up a set of ZEM protectors from WC. they sit down in the ear, but not the canal. I can rotate them back so that the head band sits on my neck. They are fairly comfortable, and seem to work well.
 
I understand about compromised hearing and wanting to protect what is remaining. I have an airstream and earmuffs with a behind-the-neck band that cansists of a springy wire loop. It is very comfortable and fits perfectly with the Airstream helmet. This type of headband would also work perfectly with face shields. Another option for Airstream users is to get the 3M earmuffs that are specifically made for use with it. When these are used they become a part of the Airstream helmet assembly.
 
Herb,
I have the same problem as you.
I also have a tough time in getting my respirator( face mask) to fit as well.
I have no solutions but lots of sympathy.
Jeff
 
Herb-

I wear the Tron Air System and do not like the way the ear muffs work. Instead I wear ear plugs- EAR Ultrafit ear plugs made by Cabot Safety Corp. of Indianapolis, IN. They are easy to install and are washable and should be sold by any safety outlet. The noise rating reduction to 21 decibels. Have used these for years both when I worked in heavy industry and here at the house both doing yard and shop work. When I fire up any noisy machinery I put the plugs in especially when I run the vac system in the shop.

Gary:cool2:
 
I had some custom fit earplugs made a few years ago (mainly for use at the shooting range) and they work great in the shop. They attenuate better than the earmuff style, fit under any face protection, and don't feel bad for extended wear.

I was at the local Cabelas store yesterday and they have someone there who does free hearing tests and makes the custom molded plugs for you.
 
I have earplugs that have a rating of 33 NRR; they are the MAX made by Howard Leight. I bought a box of 100 and use them for just about anything that requires hearing protection. They are soft foam.
www.howardleight.com
 
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An audiologist came to our club meeting last year to talk about hearing protection. The custom ear molds are the most effective, as Billooms says. The audiologist surprised me by saying ear plugs, properly used, are more effective than muffs. With the foam plugs, you have to carefully smoosh them up into smooth, skinny cigars before you put them in, so they'll conform to your ear canal when they expand. Many people apparently just jam them into the opening of the canal and don't get effective protection.
I just checked out John's suggested site and they have a nice video showing how to use foam ear plugs. These LOOK very similar to the ones you find at WallyWorld and elsewhere.
http://www.howardleight.com/earplugs/max
 
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I know this thread has had lots of responses, but I thought I would add one as well. I am a musician (Baritone Saxophone---not an amplified guitar!!) and really value my hearing. When using a chainsaw I use earplugs AND earmuffs on top for additional sound dampening. I haven't tried them, but on my short list of products to acquire is Peltor's noise-cancelling headphones. http://www.amazon.com/3M-Peltor-Hearing-Protector-M2RX7A/dp/B0007KQUJS/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1349279217&sr=8-20&keywords=peltor+noise+cancelling+headphones

There are some others around, but this has an AM/FM tuner and mp3 input. I still haven't gotten it, too many other things draining the resources first. In the meantime, I use Moldex Pura-Fit earplugs. I've used Howard Leight, and others, but for some people, the Leight earplugs don't seat quite firmly enough. I get MUCH more noise blocking with the Pura-fit plugs, which are also rated at 33NRR. http://www.amazon.com/Moldex-Pura-Fit-Soft-Foam-Earplugs-Style/dp/B000BYAP7I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1349279552&sr=8-2&keywords=pura+fit+ear+plugs They have corded and uncorded versions. Mostly I just thought they worked so much better for me than any others I've tried, that I had to mention them.
 
Nate Hawkes said:
I know this thread has had lots of responses, but I thought I would add one as well. I am a musician (Baritone Saxophone---not an amplified guitar!!) and really value my hearing. When using a chainsaw I use earplugs AND earmuffs on top for additional sound dampening. I haven't tried them, but on my short list of products to acquire is Peltor's noise-cancelling headphones. http://www.amazon.com/3M-Peltor-Hea...0&keywords=peltor+noise+cancelling+headphones

There are some others around, but this has an AM/FM tuner and mp3 input. I still haven't gotten it, too many other things draining the resources first. In the meantime, I use Moldex Pura-Fit earplugs. I've used Howard Leight, and others, but for some people, the Leight earplugs don't seat quite firmly enough. I get MUCH more noise blocking with the Pura-fit plugs, which are also rated at 33NRR. http://www.amazon.com/Moldex-Pura-F...1349279552&sr=8-2&keywords=pura+fit+ear+plugs They have corded and uncorded versions. Mostly I just thought they worked so much better for me than any others I've tried, that I had to mention them.
Click to expand...

I think that using the combination of plugs plus muffs is the best solution. That is what was required when I had to conduct tests on jet engines. Even then there is a limitation because there is no way to attenuate sound that reaches the ear through bone and tissue conduction. I remember feeling my entire body throbbing when an engine was running with full afterburners. I would retreat to a soundproof booth so that I would not wind up like the guys who worked on the flight line and didn't seem to have the same concern for their hearing.

Many year ago when I was still flying the first active noise cancelling headsets from David Clark and Bose were introduced. I wasn't overly impressed. Over the years, I am sure that they have made a lot of improvements, but there is a problem of discriminating background noise from desired sounds like human speech. Also, thee is always going to be some phase shift that varies with frequency resulting in less than perfect cancellation and creating sometimes objectionable side effects such as sub-audible pulsing. If a headset is designed to mute all sounds including someone speaking to the wearer then the problem of sound cancelling is more manageable, but I do not what the current state of the art is regarding today's systems.
 
Nate Hawkes said:
I am a musician and really value my hearing. on my short list of products to acquire is Peltor's noise-cancelling headphones.
Click to expand...
Before you invest in noise-cancelling headphones, check with an audiology resource. I can't recall exactly what we were told by the audiologist at our meeting, but have a vague sense that they didn't protect as well as common sense would suggest. I'm also vaguely recalling that perhaps they use interfering waves to reduce the intensity of the 'noise' but because they add sound energy of their own, they don't necessarily reduce the negative effect on our hearing. Don't rely on my lousy memory, check it out from a reliable source.

You might want to go the custom ear mold route, since you are highly motivated and they aren't horribly expensive.
 
Dean is right and when you mix two sounds like this there are also two new sets of sounds created at the sum and difference frequencies. While they also do some filtering to reduce the amplitude of those frequencies, that also reduces the effectiveness of the headsets to cancel out noise. Some hearing aids try to do a similar type of background noise reduction and my experience with those hearing aids is that they are mostly useful as a sales gimmick.
 
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