Noise (Hearing Protection)

How Does the Ear Work?

The ear consists of three basic parts - the outer ear, the middle ear, and the
inner ear.

Each part of the ear serves a specific purpose in the task of detecting and
interpreting sound.
The outer ear collect and channel sound to the middle ear.
The middle ears transform the energy of a sound wave into the internal
vibrations of the bone structure of the middle ear and ultimately transform
these vibrations into a compressional wave in the inner ear.

The inner ears transform the energy of a compressional wave within the
inner ear fluid into nerve impulses which can be transmitted to the brain.
How is the damage done?
•Noise damages the nerve cells that respond to sound in the inner ear, or
cochlea.
•These cells work in a complex way, to give us the ability to distinguish
between sounds of different tone. So when they're damaged it doesn't just
mean that you can't hear quiet sounds –
•It has more subtle effects on the clearness of hearing.
•It is easy to understand that the vibration of extremely loud sounds causes
direct mechanical damage.
•It breaks the sub-microscopic finger- (nerve cells) that respond to sound.
•This clearness can't be restored by an electronic support.

Can I “Strengthen Up” My Ears?

No. If you think you have grown used to a loud noise, it probably has
damaged your ears. there is no treatment–no medicine, no surgery, not
even a hearingaid–that completely restores your hearing once it is damaged
by noise.
What is Decibels?
•Intensity of sound is measured in decibels (dB). The scale runs from the
faintest sound the human ear can detect, which is labeled 0 dB, to over 180
dB

What decibel levels are damaging to the ear?

•According to (OSHA) standards, You are risk for hearing damage if you
exceed 85 dBA over 16 hours. Every increase of 5 dB in level decreases the
exposure time by half. So for 90 dB, it's 8 hours; 95 db, 4 hours; 100 dB 2
hours, etc
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What Are Hearing Protectors? How Effective Are They?

•Hearing protection devices decrease the intensity of sound that reaches the
eardrum. They come in two forms: earplugs and earmuffs.

•Earplugs are small inserts that fit into the outer ear canal. They must be
snugly sealed so the entire circumference of the ear canal is blocked. An
improperly fitted, dirty or worn-out plug may not seal and can irritate the
ear canal.
•Earmuffs fit over the outer ear to form an air seal so the entire
circumference of the ear canal is blocked, and they are held in place by an
adjustable band. Earmuffs will not seal around long hair, and the adjustable
headband tension must be sufficient to hold earmuffs firmly around the
ear.

Who Should Wear Hearing Protectors?

If you must work in an excessively noisy environment, you should wear

protectors. You should also wear them when using power tools, noisy yard
equipment, a motorcycle, etc

Habitual exposure to noise above 85 dB will cause a gradual hearing loss in

a significant number of individuals, and louder noises will accelerate this
damages

How High Can the Decibels Go without Affecting My Hearing?

•Many experts agree that continual exposure to more than 85 decibels is
dangerous without protection. And also According to Federal (OSHA)
standards

•Does the Length of Time I Hear a Noise Have Anything to Do with the
Danger to My Hearing?

•It certainly does. The longer you are exposed to a loud noise, the more
damaging it may be. Also, the closer you are to the source of intense noise,
the more damaging it is.

Can Noise Affect More Than My Hearing?

•A ringing in the ears, called tinnitus, commonly occurs
after noise exposure, and it often becomes permanent. Some people react to
loud noise with anxiety and irritability, an increase in pulse rate and blood
pressure, or an increase in stomach acid. Very loud noise can reduce
efficiency in performing difficult tasks by diverting attention from the job.

All such equipment is capable of producing loud and high pitch noise,
which will eventually damage your hearing in the long run. To address this
health problem, below are some of the measures, which you can do to
protect yourhearing.

1. Noise is major health hazard. It may be defined as unwanted sound

that disturbs the mind and causes deafness.

2. There are number of processes in the workplace that produce

excessivenoise above the permissible level of 85 dB (A). For examples, the
air compressor, forklift, crane, and gouging work.

3. At such noise level, 2 persons, about 1 metre, away need to shout at

each other to be heard.
4. Excessive noise level (above 85 dB (A)) can cause deafness over a
period of time, usually over 5 years. This is called Noise Induced Deafness
(NID)and is irreversible, thus the importance of prevention should not be
overlooked.

5. There are two methods of preventing NID, one is to control it at

source, that is, at the point where noise is being generated; the other one is
to protect the worker when the first method cannot be achieved.

6. Controlling noise at source includes regular maintaining and

repairing machinery and equipment, use of anti-vibration mountings, use
of silencer etc.

7. Two ways of protecting the workers are:

 Use of earplugs: Reduce noises about 20 dB (A).

 Use of earmuff: Reduce noises about 40 dB (A).

The effectiveness of noise reduction of ear plugs and ear muffs is affected by
the proper use and regular maintenance.

Here are some of the simple Do’s and Don’ts that will help to
prevent NoiseInduced Deafness at work:

DO Clean re-usable ear plugs regularly after use and in the interests
of

hygiene, don’t share them with your workmates.

DO Report any damaged or defective ear plugs immediately to your

supervisor. Otherwise other people could pick up and use them.

DO make sure your ear plugs are comfortable as well as effective. If
they’re uncomfortable, you’ll only be tempted to put them to one side and
not use them.

DO throw away all disposable ear plugs immediately after use. If you
keep on using them, they won’t provide you with proper protection and if
dirty, may lead to ear infection.

DO read and obey all safety signs and around the workplace. So if a
sign tells you to wear ear protection devices in a certain area, make sure you
do it!

DON’T try to make your own earplugs by stuffing your ears with
materials like cotton wool. Use the proper ear protection provided.

DON’T be tempted to take off your ear defenders in working areas, even
for short periods. Just a few minutes of exposure to harmful noise levels
could damage your hearing permanently.

DON’T misuse or damage your ear plugs. Store them safely and only use
them for their proper purpose.

DON’T use dirty hands to insert or change ear plugs – always wash them
first.

DON’T try to bend ear muffs to make them more comfortable on your
head. It’ll only reduce the effectiveness of the seal and let harmful noise in.