4 Useful Types of Ear Protectors to Consider Owning

Some of the types of ear protectors are earmuffs, earplugs, canal caps and electronic ear protectors.

It is important that you protect your ears because without your hearing, you will be significantly impaired and many activities and career options that require hearing will be difficult or simply impossible for you. Ear protection is crucial when you are exposed to sound levels that go beyond 85 decibels. Environments that have a high risk of causing ear damage include constructions sites, shooting ranges, concerts and race car arenas. It is important that you know the different types of ear protectors that you can wear at these places or during activities which you think will expose you to high levels of noise, including:

Earmuffs

Earmuffs are designed to give full coverage to the outer part of the wearer’s ears. These items have acoustic foam capable of blocking around 15 to 30 decibels. In order for earmuffs to fully serve their purpose, it is crucial to make sure that they are worn tightly and securely in place. People who wear glasses or have beards might find earmuffs inconvenient and difficult to keep in place. In cold environments, earmuffs serve a second function of keeping the ears warm. However, they could be impractical and uncomfortable when used in hot environmental conditions.

Earplugs

Unlike earmuffs, earplugs are not easily noticeable as they are designed to be worn inside the ear canal. Standard earplugs can decrease noise by up to 15 to 30 decibels. These items are available in several sizes and shapes and can be specifically molded to fit into the wearer’s own ear. They come in a variety of materials. Earplugs made of foam are called expansion plugs and can mold into different ear sizes. These porous plugs offer the best protection from noise and regulate the air pressure in and out of the ear. Another variety is the pre-molded earplugs which come in rubber, silicone or plastic and are made in different sizes. Button plugs will not fully block the sounds and noise around you but instead subdue volume.

Canal caps

Canal caps resemble earplugs but, unlike earplugs, they are not fitted into the ear’s interior but are capped over the canal opening. They should only be worn in environments where the noise levels are not very dangerous. Canal caps are connected to a band made of either metal or plastic, the band gives an added convenience to the wearer who can easily take off the canal caps or hang them when no longer needed.

Electronic ear protector

Electronic ear protectors have the capability of regulating different noise levels. These devices are effective in environments where noise is unpredictable and sudden. An electronic ear protector looks somewhat like earmuffs and can decrease noise levels by 19 to 31 decibels. Some electronic hearing protectors are equipped with the function of automatically shutting off all forms of noise from your ears when it detects that these noises are unsafe. At the same time, they can revert to its previous hearing setting when the sound levels in the environment have become safe again.

Because you cannot always avoid situations with dangerous noise levels, always exert personal effort to protect your ears.