HexArmor Product Catalogue

It’s about time – and decibels The key to adequate hearing protection is compliance. If you take out your hearing protection for just five minutes in an industrial noise zone during an eight-hour workday, you lose 40% of your daily protection. If you remove your hearing protection for an accumulated 30 minutes over the eight-hour timetable, your actual hearing protection on a 30 dB plug is just 12 dB. This equates to an astounding 60% reduction in hearing protection in exchange for just one-half hour of exposure time, even if you remain compliant during the other 7.5 hours of industrial noise exposure.

8 hour shift with full compliance for the duration

8 hour shift 5 minutes of non-compliance within the duration

8 hour shift 30 minutes of non-compliance within the duration

95 dB industrial noise level

30 dB actual dB protection

19 dB actual dB protection (40% hearing protection loss)

12 dB actual dB protection (60% hearing protection loss)

Choose the right level – the dangers of overprotection When choosing your hearing protection, it’s important to first understand the noise levels in your workplace. How much protection do you really need? Industrial noise pollution has gone down considerably since foam earplugs first arrived about 50 years ago. Though more modern hearing protection options are available, many people are still using too-high, static-rated protection – and more isn’t always better. While you want to protect your hearing, you don’t want to overprotect it. If you can’t hear anything, that means you’re also unable to hear a coworker trying to caution you of a hazard nearby or the sound of danger coming your way. Additionally, if you're unable to hear anything, you're more likely to remove your hearing protection, compromising your compliance and putting yourself at risk of hearing injury. Understanding proper fit – both in earplug style and decibel level – and proper wear time can help combat overprotection. Compliance matters — You must wear your hearing protection for the full duration of your exposure to hazardous noise levels in order to trust the NRR rating on the product. Day after day, this type of non-compliant, accumulated hearing damage leads to devastating hearing loss later in life.

Silent danger of overprotection

Industrial Noise Decibel Level

Hearing Protection Technology

INDUSTRIAL NOISE

HEARING PROTECTION

INDUSTRIAL NOISE

HEARING PROTECTION

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HexArmor ® hearing protection I Page 119