Hearing Protection

[Tig]

Ear muffs, always. Driving the tractor, weed whipping, cuting grass.

 

[charlz]

The Dept. of Labor figures seem high. I have had high frequency loss my whole life, almost could not go into the military because of it. Due to working around jets and already borderline hearing loss I had to get sound booth tested every three months. They told me exposure over 86db for 1/2 hour or more will cause permanent hearing loss. Perhaps things have been re-evaluated since then.

I can vouch that even double hearing protection will not protect you in all cases. Being right next to a turned up jet engine will make your ears ring, the vibration comes right through your bones.

 

[tallyho8]

Ear muffs, always. Driving the tractor, weed whipping, cuting grass.

I always use my ear muffs with my chainsaw, and most of the time with my weed wacker and on my riding lawnmower. I never use them on my Yanmar YM1802 tractor because it doesn't seem loud enough to bother my ears. Does this mean that my Yannie is quieter than most tractors or does this mean that 60 years of hard use on my ears has caused me to not notice how loud my tractor is?

 

[srjones]

This will sound cliche (since I am a Texan), but I have not considered muffs because I cannot wear them with my straw/felt cowboy hat. I have looked at the BOSE brand solid gold, platinium plated versions that slip over the ear and wrap behind the head, but I won't spend that many pesos. Any suggestions?

I've been looking for something too, since muffs don't work on all situations. A guy at work suggested "in-ear monitors". Most of the target market is for the music industry. I haven't really researched it that much, but if I'm gonna spend the spend the money, I'd to get something like this:

Sensaphonics / Products / E-Racer 500 earphones

Not sure about the Bose, but these probably aren't that cheap either.

 

[ragkar]

Caylor, you can wear muffs with a cowboy hat. All you do is put the headband on the back of your neck instead of the top of your head. I just tried my three muffs with a straw hat and it's workable.
The trouble with muffs is that they're hot. On a day like today I'll opt for ear plugs. Especially today as my favorite classical music station only plays operas on the weekend. I hate opera. Opera is described as two enormous people standing within inches of each other and yelling in a foreign language.
The Peltor work-tunes (you can get them at home depot) is great. Listening to music really does make the time fly.
I'm on my second pair since I dropped the first pair on the floor and broke it. Good ridance. That early design had multipurpose pushbuttons. You press this button and hold for three seconds, then press three times to get on FM etc.
As I demonstrated by measurements in an earlier post, it is not required that I have ear protection with my JD2320, mower, and other machines. But I hate having to listen to the roar of those engines so I wear ear protection - always.
Here's a tip for inserting foam ear plugs. Roll them into a cylinder then dip them in water. They go in much easier.

 

[mjncad]

I have the Leightning 33db NRR muffs that I prefer over plugs; but the muffs headband doesn't rotate like my cheapy Home Despot AO Safety 25db NRR muffs. I don't use the AO Safety much anymore because the cups rotate out of position and therefore don't protect like they should. Since the Leightning muffs headband doesn't fit under my SPF 1,000,000 head sunblock (a.k.a. hats, hardhat), I use them when running my vertical bandsaw, chop saw, table saw, and similar indoor equipment. Very convenient to put on and take off at a moment's notice.

When using the tractors and weed whacker, then I use 33db NRR disposable plugs. I've gotten use to sticking them in my ears, so it's no big deal anymore. I keep a few pair in the 4200's glove box.

I would prefer to use muffs for extra debris protection with the weed whacker because unlike my neighbors who think shorts, short sleeve shirts, a ball cap and sandals is appropriate attire; I wear long sleeve shirts, full length jeans, leather gloves, a hard hat with full face shield, and a dust mask if it's a real dusty day. I had a pair of hard hat mounted muffs rated at 28db NRR; but they never fit properly, made the hard hat even more top heavy, and when the Chinese plastic finally broke, they went in the trash. I've had tumbleweed debris hit my hard hat and it makes quite a thunk when they have matured to the woody state. I've even thought about a set of chaps because a couple of rocks have been flung into my legs a couple of times. That sure smarts for a couple of minutes. I'm glad I wear all the extra stuff because when I get done, I have so much vegetation debris on me from head to toe that I feel like I worked as a salad maker.

Regardless of your hearing protection preferences...just wear something!

 

[caylor]

Thanks, ragkar. I may run by the orange store this week and check them out.

 

[CATMAN]

caylor, I use "banded earplugs" at work and home. The band can be behind the neck, in front of the neck, or on top of your head. Here's what they look like:Howard Leight | Bilsom Hearing Portal

cost: $4.50​

 

[TwinWillows]

I wear muffs whenever on the tractor, mower, using the chainsaw & weedeater not to mention running my shop tools. I find the circular & miter saws are pretty loud & also wear them when cutting. I find my "T" post driver is very loud & also wear muffs when driving posts.

I just leave a pair on the tractor & another on the weedeater so I don't have to go looking for one. I probably have 6 others scattered around the shop/house/barn so there's no excuse not to put them on. Even being fairly careful I have some slight ringing in both ears. I hope it doesn't get any worse.

 

[EdC]

TwinWillows

Not trying to hijack the thread but I wear my hardhat/earplugs when using a manual "T" post driver. Two years ago I was driving posts, lifted the driver up too far, hooked it on the top of the post and when I brought it back down the weighted end just smacked right into my head. 23 stitches later my wife is telling me sure is a good thing that I have a hard head.