What Is the Risk of Hearing Damage?

We make custom hearing protection that helps you prevent hearing damage.

Our earplugs feature special filters and can be made to suit any situation.

What are the risks of working without hearing protection?

In recent years, there has been growing awareness of how vulnerable our hearing really is. And that is a good thing, because hearing damage ranks in the top 3 of occupational illnesses. Damage to your hearing goes far beyond simple hearing loss. Many people with hearing damage constantly hear a humming tone, a ringing tone, or some other intrusive noise.

This can be so disruptive that mental health problems often develop as well, such as insomnia, fatigue, stress, and depression. Some employees are temporarily sidelined by burnout, while others can no longer do their job at all.

When is there a risk of hearing damage?

Hearing damage occurs when your ears are regularly exposed to excessive noise levels. Do people work every day in an environment where the noise level rises above 80 dB? Then there is already a risk of damage to their hearing. That damage does not happen instantly. And a noise level of around 80 dB does not hurt your ears, which is exactly what makes it so dangerous. It is tempting to go without hearing protection, even when it is genuinely needed.

Which sounds increase the risk of damage to your hearing?

The sounds that increase the risk of hearing damage vary from one industry to another. In construction and manufacturing, but also in print shops, workshops, and the food industry, machines generate most of the noise. In these settings, investing in quieter machines is one way to bring noise levels down.

In nightlife and security, it is the music and large crowds that create so much noise. Especially in discos, clubs, and during festivals and concerts, the music is often turned up very loud. For some time now, there has been debate about whether these noise levels should be reduced to protect the ears of both employees and visitors.

What hearing protection do you need at work?

If noise levels at work rise above 80 dB, you as an employer are required by the Dutch Working Conditions Act (Arbowet) to provide hearing protection. To make sure your staff actually wear their earplugs, opt for custom hearing protection. Custom-molded earplugs fit perfectly, which makes them extremely comfortable to wear.

At Audinc, we have earplugs suited to every industry and designed for long-term, daily use. The custom-molded earplugs feature a special filter that blocks out only the harmful noise, so that colleagues and ambient sounds remain audible. This makes them exceptionally well suited for use at work.

Audinc’s hearing protection service

At Audinc, we want everyone to be able to work safely. Our earplugs play an important role in that. To make wearing custom-molded earplugs at work as easy as possible, our service goes the extra mile.

For instance, we come to your location to fit your staff with earplugs. We also do this for information sessions, hearing tests, inspections, and maintenance. We can even carry out a noise measurement on the work floor to determine exactly how much protection is needed.

Would you like to have hearing protection fitted for your staff? Request a no-obligation quote, or schedule an appointment right away for an audiogram for your employees or a noise measurement on the work floor. We would be glad to help you eliminate the risk of hearing damage at work!