The Importance of High Quality Ear Protection in Noisy Work Environments
Working in a noisy environment is not always easy but sometimes unavoidable. Not only does the work require the focus of any job, it also requires taking measures to protect the ears from potential damage. High quality ear protection is a vital when working in noisy locations because the elevated sounds can cause serious damage to the inner ears.
Understanding How Ears Work
A key part of understanding the importance of high quality ear protection is knowledge about the basics of how the ears work.
The ears are considered as three main parts: the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The outer ear is that portion that is seen outside the body and funnels sound into the ears. The middle ear includes the eardrum and the small bones that transfer the sounds into the inner ear. The inner ear comprises the nerves that send signals to the brain to translate the sounds into electrical impulses.
Sound wave vibrations are received by the ears. When the sound is too loud, the vibrations are vigorous on the ears and can cause damage to the nerve endings in the inner ear.
When nerve endings are damaged, Tinnitus can occur. This is a condition that gives the perception of sound within the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound – often described as ringing in the ears. Loud sounds are a primary cause of damage to the nerve endings. If enough nerves are damaged, then hearing loss occurs.
Determining When Damage Occurs
It is not possible to toughen the ears to loud sounds. The ability to withstand louder noises results from the subsequent loss of hearing that occurs gradually. Understanding when damage may begin to occur will make it easier to identify when your work environment requires the need for ear protection.
As a general rule, the need to shout over sounds, a lasting ringing in the ears after the sounds stop or pain in the ears are indications that damage has occurred.
Anytime the ears feel pain from a sound or the ears continue to ring after a noise has stopped, it is best to wear ear protection the next time the sounds are likely to occur. The damage to the nerves is not reversible, so protection is a necessity.
Quality Ear Protection
Investing in quality ear protection is a vital part of keeping the ears safe from harm. Quality protection helps block out most of the sounds so that the ears do not face any form of damage while getting tasks accomplished in a noisy work environment.
If the protection is not strong enough, then the ears will still suffer from some damage. Quality options are the key to ensuring that enough sound is blocked during work hours to avoid damage to the inner ear and ensure that the hearing remains intact. The best protection cancels out noises so that the sounds at work are muffled and only the bare minimum of sound comes through the protection.
High quality ear protection is a vital part of keeping damage to the ears to a minimum. Loud noise can cause serious hearing loss due to the damage to the nerve endings in the inner ear. A noisy work environment requires quality protection to avoid facing hearing loss or eventual deafness due to lack of proper protection.
Written By Lisa Smith – Lisa has many years’ experience as a freelance writer, she is currently representing APL Clothing an established UK supplier of high quality workwear and personal protection equipment.
