Everyday
people get damage to their hearing. Many people have no idea they have damage
because it will not show up until you get older. It is a good idea to wear ear
protection, once the noise reaches a certain level. Ear plugs and ear muffs are
made to reduce noise. They do not completely get rid of noise, but it will
hopefully bring the noise down to safe levels. Noise is measured using decibels.
Ear plugs are inserted into the ear canal. Workers sometimes have a hard time
inserting earplugs. If they are not inserted correctly they will not be
effective. Ear plugs are light and easy to transport/carry. Ear plugs will also
fit easily under a helmet or safety glasses. Since they fit right into the ear
canal they tend to be a better choice over ear muffs. Ear plugs also have some disadvantages.
Workers who choose earplugs will have to have good hygiene practices. Dirty ear
plugs could lead to ear infections. Since earplugs are so small they can be
easily displaced. OSHA calculates how effective
ear plugs or ear muffs are. When you buy, ear plugs or ear muffs it will have
an amount that it should reduce noise by. These are usually not correct. To get
a correct amount of noise it will take off you subtract the number by 7 and
then divide by 2.
A standard threshold shift is a
large amount of change in someone’s hearing. As we age our threshold seems to
get worse. Exposure of loud noises throughout the years damage our hearing. Aging
also changes our threshold. An employer is required to give a starting worker a
hearing test. Higher frequencies are the first to go for many people that
experience hearing loss. The 5 decibel exchange rate is a chart issued by OSHA.
This chart is in increments of 5. It has what exposure is safe for workers thought
the day. The longer hours they work the less noise they can get exposed to. 90
decibels is a safe amount to be exposed to for 8 hours. If you are only exposed
for a few hours the decibels will go up, for example you can listen to 105
decibels for half an hour without any hearing damage. I listen to music whenever
I drive my car. This is a loud noise environment. My phone app measured the
noise at 93. On long drives I might even turn up my music louder to help me stay
awake. I will also sometimes be driving for a few hours at a time. This could
really affect my hearing when I get older. If I continue this every time I get
into my car it will be very concerning later in my life and lead to hearing
damage/loss. In my dorm room I got a reading of 70. Noise levels will peak on
weekends, but during the week it stays quiet. This number is very safe and
should not lead to hearing damage. Many people are not concerned about their
hearing because nothing will show up until later in life. Many people do not
even realize they are destroying their hearing.
