What Ear Protection is Right for You?

So, you know you need to protect your hearing in a loud environment, that’s excellent, but what ear protection should you choose? There are several options on the market; these include affordable foam earplugs, eco-conscious reusable earplugs and highly effective custom-made earplugs. Find out more about ear protection and what products are the best choice for your hearing.

Foam Plugs

Custom-made earplugs work by taking a mold of your ear canal and creating an earplug that fits snuggly in your ear; this doesn’t leave any air gaps and offers the best protection from environmental noise. An excellent alternative is foam plugs. Foam plugs are made with expandable foam. Rub the ear protection between two fingers, then place it in your ear canal; the foam expands to fit the contours of your ear like a custom plug.

Reusable Plugs

If you need ear protection, but you want to join the circular economy and reduce waste, then choose reusable earplugs. Reusable earplugs are made with hard plastic that can be washed and used repeatedly. Choose the right size earplugs, and you don’t have any waste.

But how effective are they in comparison to other options? Reusable plugs block out noise as effectively as foam earplugs; the downside is they come in fixed sizes, and you might need to buy different sizes of plugs for each ear. The upside is they are reusable and inexpensive.

Canal Caps

Canal caps are ear protection that caps the ear canal with a metal or plastic shield. These caps come in different forms; some of them fit into the ear canal and can be removed with a piece of string; other types have a headband allowing someone to put on and take off conveniently.

Canal caps are perfect for people working in construction or factories, especially the type with the headbands. These ear protectors can be taken out and hung around the neck when the space is quiet; they can then be put back in when the noise starts reducing the impact of noise.

Earmuffs

As with canal caps, earmuffs are worn on the head and on the outside of the ears; they are as effective at reducing decibels as any other ear protection; the difference is in the comfort and convenience of wearing a headset rather than an earplug. Earmuffs are used in construction.

If you operate machines in a noisy environment, earmuffs are probably best; they are usually provided by companies for health and safety reasons. Earmuffs are also suitable for people using equipment in their gardens, such as lawnmowers, trimmers and noisy chainsaws.

Custom Made Plugs

If you understand the dangers of a loud environment and you are serious about protecting your hearing, invest in custom-made plugs. These ear protection devices are molded to fit the precise contours of your ear canal, so there is complete protection from the noise, and you can rely on a consistent decibel reduction.