What Are the Risks of Working Without Earplugs?

These days there is ever more attention being paid to the harmful effects of excessively loud noise. At festivals, in bars, and in professional settings too, it is becoming increasingly clear just how serious the damage from too much noise can be. A loud bar can usually still be avoided, but at your workplace there is sometimes simply no way around it. Fortunately, Audinc provides the best work earplugs, custom-made.

Noise standards

It is not only deafness, but also the mental consequences of too much noise that should not be underestimated. Under the regulations, employers are required to take appropriate measures whenever the maximum noise limits are exceeded.

In this article, we look specifically at loud noise in work situations and the consequences it has for hearing and health. We also cover some practical tips for preventing and limiting hearing damage at work, including the use of custom-made work earplugs.

Hearing damage: an occupational disease

In certain professions, loud noise is unavoidable. Because proper measures are often lacking, this unfortunately frequently leads to hearing damage, which places hearing damage among the top three occupational diseases.

Certain occupational groups are at greater risk of hearing damage because their work regularly exposes them to loud noise. Think of construction workers, farmers, woodworkers, and people in the metal industry, but also police officers, military personnel, teachers, and DJs or performers. Machine work, loud music, and the noise of equipment can therefore all cause hearing damage. It is estimated that as many as one million people in the Netherlands are at risk of hearing damage at work, and that is despite the fact that the consequences of hearing damage affect far more than just hearing itself.

What are the risks of exposure to loud noise?

In the long term, working in a loud environment can lead to hearing damage. Hearing damage can take the form of deafness (a reduced ability to hear sounds or certain tones), but also tinnitus. With tinnitus, ringing in the ears develops, which can present as a high-pitched whistle, a humming tone, or another distracting sound that is constantly present in the ear. These physical complaints can lead to many mental problems, such as insomnia, stress, fatigue, and even depression.

When am I at risk of hearing damage?

The [Dutch Working Conditions Act (ARBO-wet)](https://www.arboportaal.nl/onderwerpen/fysische-factoren/geluid#:~:text=Werkgevers%20zijn%20(volgens%20de%20wet,de%20werkgever%20gehoorbeschermers%20beschikbaar%20stellen.) stipulates that noise from 80 dB upwards is the threshold: above this level, the employer must make hearing protection available. From 85 dB, employees are also required to actually wear this protection. Incidentally, the intention is that before hearing protection has to be worn, the employer should make every effort to remove or reduce the source of the noise. If that is not possible, then hearing protection must be worn.

At 80 decibels, it becomes difficult to make yourself understood to someone a meter away without raising your voice. If you are regularly exposed to sounds of 80 dB, there is a risk of hearing damage. The louder the sound, the greater the chance that your hearing will be damaged immediately.

Work earplugs: the solution against hearing damage

Hearing protection is essential to prevent long-term hearing damage. This can be achieved by wearing earmuffs, which are placed over the ear, work earplugs that are placed inside the ear, or custom earmolds. A custom earmold is an earplug that is specially made to measure, so that it fits the ear canal perfectly. By wearing a custom earmold, your hearing is protected optimally. The advantage of custom earmolds is that they can be fitted with special filters, depending on how the earmolds are used. This way it is still possible to follow conversations, while harmful loud noise is filtered out by these earplugs.

Custom earmolds are more expensive to buy than earmuffs or ordinary earplugs, but they also last a long time. To make sure your hearing really stays well protected, it is important to have the earplugs checked from time to time and adjusted if necessary. Once every five years, it is wise to have the custom earmolds tested for fit.

Are there any more tips to prevent hearing damage?

The most important step to take is to ensure appropriate hearing protection. In addition, there are a number of other things that can reduce the risk of hearing damage. These tips mainly apply to employers:

• Using quieter machines. Now that the electrification of machine fleets is becoming increasingly attractive from a sustainability perspective, this is a good moment to invest in it from a well-being perspective as well. Electric or hybrid machines are considerably quieter than ordinary machines. Of course, this is an action point that is mainly within the employer’s power.

• Maintaining equipment properly: a well-lubricated machine makes less noise than old, poorly maintained ones. So take the time to maintain machines, lubricate them, and replace old parts where needed.

• Limiting time in loud environments: where possible, it is good to ensure that as little time as possible is spent around loud machines or in noisy spaces. Provide variety in tasks or make procedures more efficient, so that less time is spent near loud machines.

As an employee, it is recommended to talk to your employer about the measures above and to point out the employer’s obligations as set out in the Dutch Working Conditions Act (ARBO-wet).