When working with power tools, safety has to always be a primary consideration. Everyone wears safety goggles to protect their eyes, but fewer people wear ear muffs or plugs to protect their hearing.
Power tools make loud sounds, which will damage your hearing over time. This damage is not repairable. All of this can easily be avoided by wearing the best ear protection for using power tools. They are inexpensive and will last you for years!
This article will give you all the information that you need to help you choose the right pair of ear defenders for when working with power tools and making some brilliant suggestions.
If require the Best Hearing Protection for this item, and do not want to read the entire article, below are my recommended ear protection.
Last update on 2021-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
For Power Tools, the best ear plugs are 3M WorkTunes AM/FM Hearing Protector with Audio Assist Technology. However, this will depend on several things. If you use them a lot, for example, if it is your principal job, or perhaps just minor use. Also, if you want to use these ear plugs for other things, like listen to music, or Answer Your Phone.
There are earplug options available, for example: Convenient Fitting, Noise Reduction Rating (NRR), Long-Lasting, Flexibility, and if you want earplugs or headphones. As you can see, there is a lot in picking the best fit.
When you wear headphones and earplugs, they will block off some external sounds. But how do you know if they are blocking enough of these sounds, and how do you know if you actually need them at all?
Well, power tools are going to be loud. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of America recommend that hearing protection is worn when working in an environment of over 85dB. (See the infographic below for some idea of how loud every day’s sounds are). You can also get free sound meters for your smartphone. These will give you a reasonable idea of how loud noises are if you want to be a little more accurate.
As a rule of thumb, when talking to someone who is at a distance of arm’s length, you should not have to raise your voice. If you need to raise your voice, then you should wear ear protection. Almost all power tools are way over 85dB in volume. So get yourself some suitable ear protectors if you are going to be using power tools.
Earmuffs and plugs have an NNR rating (Noise Reduction Rating). This measurement tells you how much a sound is reduced when wearing the ear protection. One point of NNR equals 1 decibel (dB) reduction in sound.
So if you are wearing a set of 25NNR ear muffs in a very noisy environment of 100 decibels, your ears will pick up (100-25) 75dB of that sound, which is well within the safe limits.
Proper ear protection will be between 15-30 on the NNR scale.
When you are buying ear protection, the key criteria usually is how much sound they block out. But there are a lot of other nice to have features to consider. Some of them are listed below.
But again, the feature that is most important is the amount of sound that is blocked
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that hearing protection should be used if the volume is above 85dB for a period. Below are some power tools and their average volumes. As you can see, they are all above the safe limit for hearing. Having hearing protection with an NNR of 25+ would bring these to safe levels.
Your hearing ears are very delicate sense. Basically, it works by vibrations in the air hitting your eardrum. This vibrates tiny hairs in the inner ear, and the brain senses these vibrations and converts them into what you perceive as sound.
When you are a child, your hearing is excellent, everything is in good working order. But as we are exposed to loud noises (and some other external factors like blows to the head), some of these thousands of hairs can break off. Each one represents a tiny amount of damage that is done to your hearing.
Each individual breakage that you get will be unnoticeable to you, but as more and more damage is done, it becomes noticeable – and this damage is accumulative. That’s why your kids can hear the TV fine, but your older relatives have hearing problems. All the damage that has occurred to their ears through their life has built until they have trouble hearing.
Anyone exposed to loud noise more often will have worse hearing, for example, people who shoot, and of course people who use noisy power tools.
You notice that other than hearing aids, there is not much that can be done for people with damaged hearing. If you have it, it can also reduce your job opportunities. Some jobs do not allow the hard of hearing for safety reasons. Also, if you interview two job applicants who were very similar, but one of them was hard of hearing, which one would you hire?
Hearing need not be a problem, wearing ear protection when using power tools is easy and inexpensive, so save your hearing now!
My recommended choice for ear protection when using power tools is the 3M WorkTunes With Bluetooth Technology. These ear muffs cover just about everything mentioned and are a very reasonable price.
In conclusion, the “power” in power tools causes these devices to make a lot of noise. This noise WILL damage your hearing over time as you are exposed to more loud noises.
Your hearing is very delicate and cannot really be repaired once it has been damaged, so it is worth looking after. You do not want to be like me in a few years and be continually raising the TV volume because the talking is too quiet, and you can’t hear it, then lowering the volume again because the music is too loud.
Wearing ear protection when using power tools is easy! Anyone can do it. Also, ear protection is not expensive and will last you many years.
So what is your excuse for not using it? Get some ear protection for when you are using your power tools now!
So now you know a little more about ear protection and power tools. Below is my list of recommended ear and some eye protection that you should be using.
The choices should suit everyone’s budget, and the type of project you are working on. For most handheld power tools, simple earmuffs and eye goggles will suffice. However, sometimes when using powerful tools you may need ear protection with a hard hat and full faceguard.
If you choose one of the recommendation below, you will get a long-lasting piece of safety equipment
Please Note: Just because an ear defender is marked, for example, "Gunshot" - it will still cover other things, like "explosions"
The following are the best earplugs (They go from low price to high price.)
Last update on 2021-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Earplugs offer greater protection from sound than earmuffs, as they fit directly into the ear canal, blocking more noise. Earmuffs however block enough noise to still protect your hearing. They also are more comfortable over time and offer some protection to the ear from flying pieces of debris.
Most people find that when working with power tools, ear muffs are the better choice, but it is really down to each individual's preferences.
Earmuffs need to go over the whole ear and form an airtight seal around them. A headband connects the two earmuffs and holds them in place. If the earmuffs are too small, or the headband is not adjusted correctly, then the seal is not successfully made, so the amount of sound blocked is less than expected.
To give your ears the best level of protection from sound, the best solution is to wear a pair of in-ear plugs, with a suitable set of earmuffs over the top of them. This gives you two levels of protection from loud sounds.
The Noise reduction (NNR) is not the values of the two sets of ear protection combined, however. You just add 5-10db to the best pair.
For example, if you had earplugs rated 30 NNR and muffs rated 25 NNR, then the effective sound reduction is 35-40dB, not 55dB. Even though this is the case, it is still blocking a lot of the external sounds, giving excellent protection.
Peltor Sport's highest noise reducing earmuff at NRR of 30 dB.
Adjustable, vented headband design reduces heat build and improves comfort when worn with caps & hats.
Lightweight design for comfort and extended wear.
Comfortable foam ear cushions.
Last update on 2021-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
NRR of 24 dB (Noise Reduction Rating). Bluetooth technology lets you seamlessly stream entertainment from your mobile phone and any other Bluetooth enabled device.
High-fidelity speakers provide premium sound quality. Integrated microphone lets you make and take phone calls without removing the hearing protection.
Cord and antenna-free design lets you move easily on the job
Last update on 2021-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The TR Industrial TR88011 Hard Hat Forestry Safety Helmet & Ear Muffs is a 5 in 1 safety helmet comes with helmet, adjustable/removable earmuffs, plastic visor, and mesh visor, providing dynamic protection for any job.
Provides the protection you need when using chainsaws, brush cutters, and trimmers, ideal for forestry type work Secures firmly on head and convenient
Last update on 2021-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
If you work in construction, manufacturing, or any other industry that has you exposed to loud noises on the job, you need to have a pair of quality hearing protection earmuffs.
The Titus 2 Series - 34 NRR Slim-Line Hearing Protection Ear Muffs are the perfect option for you. They feature a slim-line design, so you don't have to worry about their size or weight.
Last update on 2021-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Provides tough protection against scratches with a hard coat lens Provides tough protection against fogging with an XtraClear anti-fog lens coating Conforms to face with soft, dual injected rubber to provide a high level protection from dust and debris Adjustable, elastic cloth head strap provides a comfortable fit
Last update on 2021-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Galeton 9200580 Ranger Safety Goggles meet ansi specifications.
The contoured shape of these goggles provides excellent peripheral vision and almost eliminates distortion when viewing at extreme angles.
These goggles have soft and flexible frames with venting and an adjustable strap.
Last update on 2021-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
If you require more information, please check these references
onlinelibrary.wiley.com , article, “Test of the health promotion model as a causal model of construction workers’ use of hearing protection”, retrieved on, Mon 02-December-2019
www.tandfonline.com , article, “Ear muff acceptance among sawmill workers”, retrieved on, Mon 02-December-2019
link.springer.com , article, “Hearing loss among operating engineers in American construction industry”, retrieved on, Mon 02-December-2019
Author: Nick
Hi, I am Nick, and I have suffered with ear problems my whole life, mainly tinnitus. I have tried a lot of products to help protect my ears over this period, and several devices to block out the constant ringing
“Are you having problems hearing? If so, those around you already know it. Hearing loss is no laughing matter, so don’t be a punchline.”
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