Ideal Contracting Announces New Company Promotions
August 21, 2017
Safety, Safety, Safety
August 31, 2017
You never know what you have until it’s gone!?
ALKS This is especially true of hearing loss!
Failure to wear hearing protection can cause irreparable damage to your hearing. This loss is so gradual you won’t even notice it until it’s too late. Loud noises can severely damage the inner ear.
- The longer the exposure and the louder the sound, the greater the damage.
For this reason, it is important to use earplugs correctly. Roll the plugs between your fingers, pull back the ear and insert them all the way into the ear canal.
- Hearing protection (like earplugs) should be worn when the level of noise is at or exceeds 85dB (decibels).
- 85 Decibels is the Time Weighted Average for an 8 hour day
The following examples will give you an idea of decibel rating:
40-50 = quiet to normal office sounds
50-60 = normal conversation
70-90 = heavy machinery, garbage disposal, and electric motors
85 db+= typically have to shout to communicate to co-workers an arms length away
If you think you working area might be too loud, it never hurts to wear hearing protection; but you can contact safety or supervision to take readings and find out!
