Individuals exposed to loud sound should be vigilant in protecting their hearing through the use of hearing protection mechanisms.
Sounds greater than 85dB may cause permanent damage to your hearing.
Damage is immediate only in some cases – in most cases the damage is very slight initially but gradually deteriorates. If you are exposed to loud sounds an annual hearing test is advised to monitor your hearing.
There is a correlation between the duration of exposure to loud sound and the intensity of sound:
| SOUND | INTENSITY | PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE TIME |
| City traffic (inside the car) | 85dB | 8 hours |
| Bulldozer | 88dB | 4 hours |
| Jazz concert | 91dB | 2 hours |
| Lawn Mower | 94dB | 1 hour |
| Night Club | 97dB | 30 minutes |
| Ambulance siren (inside driver with open window) | 100dB | 15 minutes |
| Rock concert or leaf blower | 115dB | 30 seconds |
| Gunfire (shooter) | 120dB + | Immediate damage |
Individuals in the following situations should take special care:
Hunters
Musicians / DJ’s / Sound Engineers
Sport shooters / fire arm operators
Law enforcement officers
Labourers of industries/mines
Motorcyclists
Hair Dressers
Dentists
Teachers
Truck drivers
Crane truck operators
Custom made hearing protection
Custom made hearing protectors are ear plugs manufactured exactly according to your ears unique shape. A variety of models are available for different needs.
Products available includes:
Mechanical plugs made from acrylic or silicone with fixed mechanical filters, adjustable filters or no filters
Electronic devices with compression and amplification systems are ideal for hunters and sport shooters.
Old fashioned earmuffs. These are often the industry standard but it has been proven that they are not effective as one would think.
