Hearing Protection

[rScotty]

Does anyone use hearing protection?
If so, what kind?
I tried the sponge rubber squishable ear plugs and they work a little bit. Nice and light and non-intrusive but not quite enough noise reduction.
Then I tried my shooting headset - A Swiss "Thunder 29" and it seemed to amplify the low frequency noises. So no-go on that idea.

This noise thing hasn't been a problem for me with older tractors, but recently we got a new TLB with a canopy and the exhuast right by the front wheel. That combo makes it sort of loud for the operator.
rScotty

 

[Big Bri]

I use the foam ones. I buy them by the box(100 pairs) and use them for everything from cutting grass, shooting, and even when my wife makes me vacuum. the foam earplugs have different db ratings. try some with a higher 30+ rating

 

[trook]

When on my jd4320, I wear the baffle kind that are attached with a string. They work well

 

[ragkar]

I use them all the time when operating a small engine. That's tractor, lawn mower, chain saw, motorcycle etc. I use the foam type, safety headset type and radio headset type.

Here's a post that I once made on this forum:

Saturday, July 21, 2007 I posted this on the forum
Your thread got me curious so I went looking for my sound pressure level meter and did a few measurements:
In the following listing, some readings are typical and are published and some are my measurements.
10db threshold of hearing
50db speech
64db I measured roadside traffic noise at 50 feet
70db vacuum cleaner at 10 feet
74db I measured my Miata convertible with the top up from the drivers seat at 50mph on asphalt road
74db I measured my JD2320 stationary and idling at 1500rpm from the drivers seat
80db heavy traffic
84db I measured my Miata convertible with the top down from the drivers seat at 50 mph on an asphalt road
85db tractors with soundproof cabs
85db I measured my JD2320 stationary idling at 3000rpm
90db I measured my 6hp/22 rotary push mower
99db I measured my weed whacker
100db tractors w/o soundproof cabs and farm machines
120db chainsaw and jackhammer
130db jet takeoff at 200 feet
140db threshold of pain
180db The volcano Krakatoa in Java (26Aug1883) at a distance of 100 miles-this explosion was the loudest sound ever heard by man
200db Instant death

And here's another listing on permissible sound level exposure from the U.S. Department of Labor
8 hours 90db
6 hours 92db
4 hours 95db
2 hours 100db
.25 hours or less 115db

So, looking at the above data leads one to the conclusion that it is not necessary to have ear protection on the JD2320 even operating at maximum rpm. Also I should not exceed 2 hours per day weed whacking without protection. As for the chain saw, protection is mandatory.

 

[FxdGrMind]

I use the Ear Covers that I got with the tractor. I've always used Covers rather than ear pluggs as I've never goten the plugs to fit well enough in my ears.... they keep falling out... guess I sweat in my ear and they just can't hang...

I use the ear covers for everything, Mowing the lawn, Cutting lumber, weed whacking, leaf blowing anything with a motor involved with the exception of the car and truck.

 

[Redneck in training]

I use them all the time when operating a small engine. That's tractor, lawn mower, chain saw, motorcycle etc. I use the foam type, safety headset type and radio headset type.

Here's a post that I once made on this forum:

Saturday, July 21, 2007 I posted this on the forum
Your thread got me curious so I went looking for my sound pressure level meter and did a few measurements:
In the following listing, some readings are typical and are published and some are my measurements.
10db threshold of hearing
50db speech
64db I measured roadside traffic noise at 50 feet
70db vacuum cleaner at 10 feet
74db I measured my Miata convertible with the top up from the drivers seat at 50mph on asphalt road
74db I measured my JD2320 stationary and idling at 1500rpm from the drivers seat
80db heavy traffic
84db I measured my Miata convertible with the top down from the drivers seat at 50 mph on an asphalt road
85db tractors with soundproof cabs
85db I measured my JD2320 stationary idling at 3000rpm
90db I measured my 6hp/22 rotary push mower
99db I measured my weed whacker
100db tractors w/o soundproof cabs and farm machines
120db chainsaw and jackhammer
130db jet takeoff at 200 feet
140db threshold of pain
180db The volcano Krakatoa in Java (26Aug1883) at a distance of 100 miles-this explosion was the loudest sound ever heard by man
200db Instant death

And here's another listing on permissible sound level exposure from the U.S. Department of Labor
8 hours 90db
6 hours 92db
4 hours 95db
2 hours 100db
.25 hours or less 115db

So, looking at the above data leads one to the conclusion that it is not necessary to have ear protection on the JD2320 even operating at maximum rpm. Also I should not exceed 2 hours per day weed whacking without protection. As for the chain saw, protection is mandatory.

The decibel scale is logarithmic so the sound pressure doubles or halfs with every 3 decibel change. The sound pressure at 200 dB is 1125899906842624 time greater than sound pressure at 50 dB. That is why it kills.

 

[scott_vt]

Does anyone use hearing protection?
If so, what kind?

rScotty

Good Afternoon rScotty,
I usually use my Bell & Howell work tune head set. They offer me both hearing protection and allow me to listen to my favorite country station ! Froggy 107.1

 

[studor]

Working in the bush I have the helmet, face shield, muffs combo -- I use it trimming, sawing etc. In the summer I just use the sponge ones due to the heat. The rest of the time I just use muffs -- I have sets of them all over the place cause they are cheap and I don't want to go looking for them or I forget about wearing them

 

[Duffster]

Does anyone use hearing protection?

WHAT?????????

 

[Wheatland KB]

The decibel scale is logarithmic so the sound pressure doubles or halfs with every 3 decibel change. The sound pressure at 200 dB is 1125899906842624 time greater than sound pressure at 50 dB. That is why it kills.

Good on you RIT. Not many people know this or even think about it.

I dont usually wear hearing protection while on the Kubota but when I do I use the foam plugs.
At work I wear the Peltor earmuff type and sometimes double up with foam plugs and muffs. I do acoustical evaluation for a living so at work I get into some awfully loud spots.

 

[greggh]

I wear the noise supression earmuffs with a radio that I purchased from Grainger. They seem to work fine.

 

[ragkar]

3 db is the smallest change that the ear can perceive.

 

[bigtiller]

If the sponge rubber or the foam ear plugs are not working for you then you are not inserting them properly. They have to be compressed by rolling between the finger and thumb. Smashing them usually doesn't work as well as rolling. And here is the tricky part, they have to be inserted by raising the top of the ear with the opposite hand and inserting until it tickles your throat. Then hold it in place until it expands. If it does not tickle you will not get the full benefit of them.

 

[NewToy]

Earplugs make me feel uncomfortable. I've been to too many concerts, AC/DC, Who, Nuge, Stones, ZZ, etc to worry about the tractor giving me any hearing problems. Besides this constant ringing pretty much blocks out all the external sounds.

John

 

[NewToy]

3 db is the smallest change that the ear can perceive.

I always wondered about tha 3db thing. Scenario: Jet engine running flat out and you decrease the sound pressure by 3db every 10 minutes or so. You would not be able to tell the sound pressure was decreasing until you went below the threshold of hearing, then it would just be like shutting it off all at once?

John

 

[RalphVa]

I wear ear muffs. They have a face shield, too. I wear them backwards while operating the tractor but put them on with the shield in front while putting stuff in my chipper/shredder.

I've had stapes replaced in both ears; so, I'm careful about my ears.

Chain saws make a horrible racket with my new stapes. Gotta wear the ear muffs.

Ralph

 

[WH401]

I wear the foam ear plugs when I use the tractor, which most of the time that's cutting grass. They work well, you don't notice that you have them on, and they don't interfere with my respirator or hat.

 

[srjones]

Earplugs make me feel uncomfortable. I've been to too many concerts, AC/DC, Who, Nuge, Stones, ZZ, etc to worry about the tractor giving me any hearing problems. Besides this constant ringing pretty much blocks out all the external sounds.

John

I assume you're joking, but if you're not..

Just because you have hearing damage, doesn't mean you're immune to further hearing damage through exposure.

I remember shooting guns with a guy with hearing aids. Instead of wearing hearing protection, he just turned off the hearing aids.

 

[kebo]

I have moderate hearing nerve damage and MUST wear hearing protection pretty much all the time I am around equipment. If you want to have decent hearing when you are older, take better care of it while you are younger. It's a slow and cumulative process that occurs gradually so you don't really notice the damage being done till it's happened. Once started, it never gets better only worse.

Oh yeah, very loud sharp sounds (like rifle fire or hammer blows) can actually be more damaging than continuous exposure to loud sound pressure levels that are constant.

 

[flusher]

Does anyone use hearing protection?
If so, what kind?
I tried the sponge rubber squishable ear plugs and they work a little bit. Nice and light and non-intrusive but not quite enough noise reduction.
Then I tried my shooting headset - A Swiss "Thunder 29" and it seemed to amplify the low frequency noises. So no-go on that idea.

This noise thing hasn't been a problem for me with older tractors, but recently we got a new TLB with a canopy and the exhuast right by the front wheel. That combo makes it sort of loud for the operator.
rScotty

Yep. My Mahindra 5525 really roars at pto speed (2060 engine rpm). So I use mouse ears from Home Depot for hearing protection.

Also, when the wind is in my face, I get a good dose of diesel fumes and have to put on a HEPA filter mask.