Government statistics show that three-quarters of Australians aged 71 years old and above have hearing loss. If you work in an industrial work environment, you’re more likely to be exposed to loud sounds that could cause damage to the inner ear and “auditory nerve.”
Besides age-related hearing loss, it’s also essential to use Earplugs to protect your ears from damaging noise. For example, construction is Australia’s third-largest industry and often requires labourers to work in environments with high noise levels. Here are some main reasons to consider this protective gear:
Small and Lightweight
One of the main benefits of an earplug is that it’s much lighter than headsets. It can provide better mobility, which is essential when working at industrial sites. You can complete your daily tasks without being bogged down by bulky headsets that can become uncomfortable over time.
Another related benefit of an earplug is that its small size makes it easier to transport and store versus headsets. This is especially important when you’re working in the field. In that situation, it’s critical for your protective gear to have as much mobility as possible to reduce hassles.
Effective Design
Earplugs have different designs, so it’s important to research whether or not they meet national standards for ear protection. Usually, the materials are foam or silicone. The wearer inserts the plug into the ear canal.
One caveat is it’s crucial to insert the plug correctly into the ear. This helps to make sure it works effectively to block loud sounds. If you purchase ear protection for your workers, it’s critical to train employees about how to use them properly, so they’ll work effectively.
Some earplug manufacturers provide training about how to use their products. This offers a high degree of customer service to ensure that your employees are getting the most functionality from ear protection.
Safety Standards Certified
It’s important for ear protection to meet national standards, such as Australian standards certified. This feature helps to make sure that you’re getting enough ear protection when working in an environment with loud sounds. Using gear that isn’t standards certified could increase the risk of ear damage due to low-quality gear.
These standards include details about the specifications required for hearing protectors. They’re technical issues yet critical to ensure your ears are protected sufficiently. It’s important to know key facts about personal protective equipment(PPE), including hearing protection.
Promote Worker Safety
Companies can provide ear protection devices as part of their general approach to worker protection. From 2017 to 2018, Australia spent about AUD7,500 per person on health goods and services. Companies can promote ear protection for workers through these basic guidelines:
Wear noise-cancelling headphones. When listening to music on iPods, for example, it’s important to block out background noise. These headsets can help to prevent the need to boost the media player’s volume to dangerous levels.
Avoid loud environments. Hearing loss can result in various loud environments besides live concerts. They include loud work environments when equipment like jackhammers is used. In fact, sometimes, construction workers are required to use hearing protection.
Avoid placing anything in the car canal. It’s important to avoid inserting noise protection devices too far into the ear canal since this could be dangerous. You should also avoid placing any items like cotton swabs into your ear canal to remove earwax.
When working in loud environments, it’s important to consider Earplugs. They can provide benefits related to protection, compactness, and certification.
