Ear Protection for Safety
Safety precautions are an important part of preparing to tackle home improvement tasks or working with power tools. You may already have your safety glasses and gloves. Be sure to consider ear protection, too, when you’re gathering supplies. Hearing loss can occur over time if loud noise is a regular part of your life. It doesn’t require much effort to protect your hearing for years to come. Hearing protection is crucial, especially if you’re going to be working in an extremely loud environment, such as a construction site or production floor.
True noise-canceling features require power, so what many people might consider noise-canceling earplugs are simply earplugs that block sound. At Lowe’s, we offer an array of noise-canceling headphones/earmuffs that require power, as well as standard hearing protection that doesn’t require power. You can choose the type that’ll work best for your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What’s the best type of hearing protection?
A: To select the best hearing protection for yourself, consider your needs and preferences. Look for high noise reduction and a comfortable fit. Noise-canceling options that require power can be good choices. Standard earplugs are good for comfortable, long-term protection and might be the best choice if you must also wear a hard hat. Earmuffs are easy to use correctly and can provide consistent hearing protection.
Q: What are the four types of hearing protection?
A: One type of hearing protection — perhaps the most common — is earplugs. These fit into the ears. A second type is ear caps, which have a metal band that holds them tightly over the ears. Earbuds, which connect to audio devices, are a third type. And earmuffs are a fourth type. They fit over the ears and may function as headphones, connecting to audio devices. Some headphones have an electronic noise-canceling feature to further reduce external noise.
Q: How do I choose hearing protection?
A: As you choose the hearing protection that’ll work best for your needs, consider how much noise reduction you need, what you’ll be doing, what kind of environment you’ll be in while wearing the ear protection, and what’s most comfortable for you. Look for the noise reduction rating (NRR), measured in decibels (dB). A higher NRR indicates greater effectiveness at reducing sound levels.
Your needs and preferences may depend on the type of machinery or equipment you’re working around. For example, if you’re working in an environment where your hands get dirty, that can be a factor worth considering. It may be better to choose earmuff-style hearing protection so you don’t have to take earplugs out of your ears with dirty hands.
Check out our hearing protection buying guide for more tips.
