Hearing Protection
If you work or play in a noisy environment, hearing protection is a must in order to protect your hearing. Hearing loss from that results from being exposed to harmful noise (noise that is too loud or loud sounds that last a long time) is known as noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Harmful noise causes damage to the sensitive structures in our ears, called hair cells, which are small sensory cells that convert sound energy into electrical signals that travel to the brain. Once these hair cells are damaged, they cannot grow back.
NIHL can be caused by a one-time explosion or by continually loud sounds over a long period of time, such as working with a jackhammer. To understand how loud is loud you must first know that sound is measured in decibles. The higher the decibels the louder the sound. Below are a few charts to help you better understand what sounds are not safe and what sounds are safe.
Painful/Causes Hearing Loss – Not recommended for any length of time.
Very Loud/Causes Hearing Loss – Sounds this loud are not recommended for long periods of time or repeated exposure.
Safe levels of listening.
Unfortunately, most people do not understand that protecting their hearing is crucial to preventing this type of hearing loss. Today, there are many different hearing protection devices. Even iPod headphones can be custom made for a comfortable fit. There are also “ear plugs” that can be worn at concerts, letting you hear the music but just at a safe level.
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