Undoubtedly, noise is a threat to everyone who is exposed to it. Many people who work in a noisy environment say that they get used to it and in a way they are right, since when a loud sound enters the ear, the ear becomes "numb" and gets used to the acoustic environment.
This causes the noise to become unnoticeable over time, NOTHING ELSE! it is in that case, when a distressing and irreversible situation is reached, that we are talking about a permanent deafnessThe disease causes problems both to the person who suffers it and to those around him or her.
We must protect our hearing in the workplace
At first everything sounds too loud and over time you get used to it, but suddenly you find that everything sounds muffled and it starts to be difficult to follow a conversation.
If in your work environment or in any of your hobbies you are confronted with high noise levels, you should take into consideration the measures described in this article.
How much noise can human beings tolerate?
The tension of a sound is determined by the sound wave pressure and is expressed in decibels dB(a), which are corrected by the sensitivity of the ear. The lowest audible sound is 0 dB(a) and the lowest audible sound is 0 dB(a). The pain threshold is 120 dB(a).
The louder the sound, the greater the likelihood of permanent hearing damage. In most European countries, the law requires protection to be available at 85 dB(a) and above. Above 90 dB(a) it is absolutely essential.
Occupational hearing loss
The deafness caused by noise is one of the most common occupational diseases. Excessive noise kills hair cells in the inner earFor this reason, we must be especially careful in our work environment, since the hearing damage caused by this excessive noise is totally irreversible.
After a while, if you continue to be exposed to noise, you literally can't hear anything. In industry, thousands of people are exposed to loud noise and at the same time are in danger of losing their hearing.
Apart from industry, there are many professionals in other sectors who are often unaware of the danger to their hearing from noise: shooters, hunters, motorcyclists, aviation personnel, musicians.
Likewise, all those who listen to music at a high volume are also at risk of suffering from deafness. If you think you may have a hearing loss, it is advisable to contact an audiologist. hearing care professional as soon as possible.
Preventing noise in the workplace
According to the law on prevention in working environmentsWhen the continuous level exceeds 85 dB or there are peaks above 140 dB, the employer is obliged to find out the causes of the noise and to draw up and implement a prevention plan.
There are several possibilities to mitigate excessive noise in the working environment: changes in the structure and/or function of machines, automation of the work process or, for example, sound insulation.
Hearing protection in the work environment is essential
These methods are not always possible for technical and/or economic reasons, which is why the best solution for these cases are the customized hearing protectors.
Custom hearing protection
Just as we would not hesitate to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle or entering a construction site, it is equally important to wear hearing protection.
The hearing protectors combine a custom-made earmold with a filter specific to the noise level and frequency. The earmold can be made of hard acrylic or special elastic silicone. Thanks to the customized design, the perfect combination of comfort and ideal protection is always achieved, resulting in individualized noise attenuation.
The hearing protector is lightweight, easy to fit and very comfortable to wearThe earmold is equipped with a ventilation system to eliminate the sensation of occlusion (hollow sound). The earmold is equipped with a ventilation system to eliminate the sensation of occlusion (hollow sound).
Custom hearing protectors are lightweight, easy to fit and very comfortable to wear
There are many factors that influence the choice of model and material of the protector, such as frequency and intensity of noise, minimum audibility necessary for conversation, worker mobility, continuous use of the telephone or helmet, etc.
After the assessment of all the factors, an impression is taken of the ear canal of the future user, the earmold of the protector is made exactly to the user's size and a filter is installed.
The filters are different according to their attenuation qualities, so we can find a suitable filter for each situation. With specific filters an effective attenuation is achieved in the difficult low frequencies without the disappearance of the high frequencies.
Depending on the level and frequency of the noise, a filter appropriate to each worker's working circumstances is selected to reduce the level of hazardous noise without losing the ability to hear necessary sounds such as alarms or conversations.
Hearing protectors for safety at work and in leisure activities
Hearing protectors are used in many sectors. For example, police motorcyclists can combine hearing protectors with helmets and radio equipment, so that protection against harmful noise is highly effective.
Although the risks caused by noise are well known today, many professionals are still not aware of the risks caused by noise. do not have efficient protection for their hearing.
It is vital to have adequate protection for each environment.
Likewise, shooters, hunters and musicians should take good note and find a solution to protect their hearing with hearing protectors.
Consult your trusted hearing center and they will advise you on the best solutions available for the protection of your hearing.
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