Ear Plugs - Hearing Protection
Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Ear plugs and hearing protection devices such as earplugs and ear muffs decrease the intensity of sound that reaches the eardrum as well as keeps away dust or particulates. They vary in NRR db and come from different manufacturers such as 3M ear plugs E.A.R. Ultrafit, Moldex Jazz Band, Howard Leight Max-Lite, Bilsom Viking and North. Personal protective equipment ppe products like are part of an overall safety OSHA program for any workplace. The effectiveness of hearing protection ear plugs is reduced greatly if the hearing protectors do not fit properly. Manufacturers generally provide information about the noise-reducing capability of hearing protection as an NRR (noise reduction rating) number in their box of ear plugs. The higher the NRR number the better the attenuation and noise reductions. There are three types of earplugs for hearing protection. Foam or memory foam is the widely used by industrial workers. Earplugs made of memory foam like Max-Lite corded earplugs are compressed and placed in the ear canal where the earplug expands and conforms to the ear canal opening. The other type of ear plugs is made from silicone. These are pre-molded ear plugs and may come is a small size for users with smaller ear canals.