Hearing protectors

beenthere · Dec 21, 2001

FYI. I use foam ear plugs. I cut one in two and they then fit comfortably in the ear and don't hang out. They store nicely in a shirt pocket and tool box, and are readily available and easy to remove when not operating the equipment. I wear them when mowing and chain-saw use, as well as when I run my diesel compact for any long periods of time. I can't stand having my ears covered, even in the winter at below zero with howling winds. Although, I have considered getting a snowmobile helmet for plowing snow to keep the wind driven snow and wind off my face this year (if that ever happens!).

Anonymous Poster · Dec 21, 2001

You should not have to cut them in two if they are inserted in the ear canal properly.The Pura -fit brand are very soft and do not hurt like some of the other brands.

PitbullMidwest · Dec 21, 2001

ear muffs do not offer as much protection from noises as the soft type ear plugs

Not true. The listed dB reduction for any type hearing protection is based on NIOSH standards. 29 dB reduction plugs are the same as 29 dB reduction muffs. Like most PPE to be effective it must be properly fitted to the user.

Personally I use muffs because they can be put on or taken off while wearing gloves or when my hands are greasey or dirty. Also, no matter how clean I keep the plugs I seem to be suseptable (sic) to ear infections when I use them.

Boondox · Dec 21, 2001

Gotta disagree with the hearing police on this one. Having spent nine years of my life on warships with personal responsibility for compliance with OSHA regs, the vast majority of my sailors preferred the muffs over inserts for comfort and ease of use. The few who used inserts suffered from repeated otitis externa in temperate and tropical operating areas. I also discovered while surrounded by screaming turbines that it was quite easy to converse in normal tones when wearing muffs; with the inserts we generally had to yell over the sounds of machinery.

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

Anonymous Poster · Dec 21, 2001

Howard Leight MAX (NRR 33) pre-shaped foam earplugs feature:

Smooth outer skin for maximum user comfort
The NRR 33 rating makes MAX the highest rated earplug in the U.S.
The smooth, soil,resistant skin helps prevent foreign material from penetrating
the surface while rolling prior to insertion
Attenuation tested in accordance with ANSI S3.19-1974
Noise reduction rating NRR 33 dB, SNR 34 dB
Orange color, packed in poly bags
200 uncorded pair per box
100 corded pair per box
50 bags of 5 pair each per box or bulk packed for howard Leight Dispenser

Pittbully,I would say it is true unless you can find ear muffs that offer NRR 33 DB( I have not yet seen any,not to say there is not). A NRR 33 DB is superior over a 29 DB.

Anonymous Poster · Dec 21, 2001

repeated otitis externa in temperate and tropical operating areas

30 plus years and 500 + workers that has never been a problem here.

Bird · Dec 21, 2001

I just turn my hearing aids off

Gary, I used to occasionally do that, too, but don't know whether the fact that we don't "hear" the loud noise anymore actually prevents further damage to our ears or not. Now with the new hearing aids, I can't just turn them off with my finger (takes a tiny screwdriver to adjust the volume)./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif And I've never used the ear muff type protectors because they're usually so darned hot!

So I guess I've always just done the worst thing possible; nothing. Maybe that's a habit I need to try to change.

beenthere · Dec 21, 2001

You are right, I don't have to cut them in two. But, I cut them in two as they are twice as long as they need to be. They are the right diameter, just too long.

PitbullMidwest · Dec 21, 2001

Pittbully,I would say it is true unless you can find ear muffs that offer NRR 33 DB

Actually, it is true even if you can't find muffs with 33 dB reduction, if you could, the protection would be equal to the plugs. You did not say that you used the highest rated plug and therefore had more protection, you said:

ear muffs do not offer as much protection from noises as the soft type ear plugs

Didn't I talk to your brother "thoughtpolice" over on another thread?

Anonymous Poster · Dec 21, 2001

You did not say that you used the highest rated plug and therefore had more protection.

You think I am going to compare the lowest rated ear plug to the highest rated ear muff?
The 33 db is what I was meaning.......Geez