Hear This? Quick Ways to Prevent Hearing Loss in the Workplace

 

We’re glad you asked, we’re here to help, and please don’t pop just anything into your ears.

 

Your ears are your friends. They may not have eyes, but they look out for you ― here’s how to look out for them.

 

 

Lower or Control the Volume

 

Of all the happenings in the workplace, the most ongoing and persistent of all is noise. For noise that comes with volume control, the simple solution is to turn it down a notch. Sounds easy, right?

 

But for noise that is unable to be controlled, you’ll have to get a little more creative when it comes to changing your surroundings. If your space is indoors, for instance, noise control partition dividers and acoustic room dividers can help isolate the noise source. If you are outside, mobile partitions are helpful, but our next suggestion could help you out even more.

 

 

Add More Distance

 

Make sure the noise levels around you are within a safe range. Let’s say someone is drilling a board near your workspace. Although the person drilling is wearing ear plugs, you may not have any of your own to protect yourself. If you start thinking “It’s too loud, I should move” ― you are 100% right. Putting space between yourself and the noise is a great alternative to controlling loud or potentially harmful sounds.

 

This can be done in multiple ways. You can transform your current desk into a mobile workstation by adding a set of wheel casters ― or invest in a mobile shop desk ― to roll your work area to a quieter location. Alternatively, if an additional desk is too much space, you can use a heavy-duty cart to push only what you need. Do what is easier and safer to make the workplace work not just for you, but with you.

 

 

Cover Your Ears with Ear Protection Products

 

This is the go-to solution ― one that doesn’t require you to move or rearrange your workspace. Ear protection may not seem like an essential piece of equipment, but when your ears are no longer ringing after a long day of handling heavy and loud machinery, you’ll certainly think otherwise.

 

Whether you choose a small set of ear plugs or a soundproof headset, the ear canal has a stable barrier to prevent sound wave vibrations from reaching the eardrum. Of course, the amount of decibel (dB) resistance depends on the product. The average set of ear plugs provides a noise reduction rate of around 30dB, while ear muffs can provide greater protection for noise levels over 100dB. Either way, whether used to reduce the sound of a lawn mower or a jackhammer at a construction site, ear protection devices are crucial accessories to have in the workplace.

 

 

Know Your Noise Level

 

Now Ask Yourself This: Is My Workplace Too Loud?

 

If you answer “yes” to any of the questions below, you may have a noise problem.

 

  • Do you have to raise your voice at work?
  • Do you have ringing in your ears at the end of your shift?
  • Do you find that when you leave work, you have to increase the volume on your car radio more than when you left for work?

 

 

Put an Effective Hearing Conservation Program in Place

 

Hearing protection strategies and products play a large role in ensuring the health of your ears. Just as you would go for your annual checkup, a routine checkup on your hearing can help you understand the history of your hearing ability. This is what’s commonly known as a Hearing Conservation Program.

 

 

What a Hearing Conservation Program Entails

 

  • Workplace noise sampling such as personal noise monitoring.
  • Informing workers at risk from hazardous levels of noise exposure.
  • Maintaining a worker audiometric testing program (hearing tests) to evaluate the health effects of noise upon an individual worker’s hearing.
  • Proper selection of hearing protection based upon individual fit and the manufacturer’s quality testing.

 

Note: If there is a noise problem in the workplace, the first step should be to run a noise assessment or survey to determine the sources of noise, the amount of noise, who is exposed, and for how long.

 

 

Now That You Know, It’s a Good Time to Stock Up

 

Ear protection won’t do you or your team any good if you’re out of supply. To make sure your stock of ear plugs, headphones, and other sound reducing products are in good standing, you’ll need one thing ― a reliable supplier ― and we have good news about that.

 

At Global Industrial, we’re not only your one-stop shop for ear protection, we’ve provided health and safety products for more than 70 years. So before you ask, the answer is yes: We can supply that.®

 

For more information about our ear protection products, visit: https://www.globalindustrial.com/c/safety/ears

 

1. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), https://www.osha.gov/noise