To the question of when hearing protection is mandatory, we can answer shortly: for loud noises. But do you know when you actually suffer hearing damage, how quickly this can happen and how you can prevent it? We will explain this for you.
When choosing hearing protection one should consider proper sound insulation and wearing comfort. When working in a noisy environment, whether for a few minutes or for several hours, hearing protection is always necessary. An employee who removes his hearing protection because he does not feel 100% comfortable with it is risking his health.
Hearing damage in the workplace is a common problem. This problem is also increasingly occurring outside the workplace, for example by listening to music and visiting concerts. Fortunately, there is more and more hearing protection available to combat this.
Occupational Health and Safety Act
Noise in the workplace has certainly not decreased in past decades. Since the 1980s, an Occupational Health and Safety Act has come into effect that requires companies to protect employees when they come into contact with loud noises. The standard used to be 85 dB but this was later adjusted to 80 dB. This noise intensity can be compared to, for example, a printing machine at a printing company.
What is dB(A)?
dB(a) is the unit for the loudness of sound adapted to the sensitivity of the human ear. The reason that the dB(A) is used instead of a normal decibel in noise measurements and noise calculations has to do with the sensitivity of the (human) ear, which is not the same for different frequencies of sound.
When is noise harmful? 
The limit value (legal standard) is 80 dB(A) with an exposure of 8 hours per day. At this level, the employer should provide hearing protection equipment. From 85 dB(A) the noise is "harmful" and the employer must take technical-organizational measures, such as making it clear at workplaces using pictograms that hearing protection is mandatory.
SNR
An SNR value is indicated with some hearing protection. SNR stands for Single Number Rating, which stands for the damping value. These are often ear muffs where the necessary techniques have been used to intensively protect the hearing against noise. Other ways of hearing protection are earplugs that you can put completely in your ear. Do you want double protection? That is possible, then use earplugs that you can put in your ear and ear muffs over them.
Our hearing protectors show how many dB the ear muffs protect you against. For example: SNR 25 dB. This means that a hearing protector reduces 100 dB by 25 dB.
But when you work with a drill (115 dB) all day, SNR 25 dB is not enough. You can then make this calculation: 115 dB – 25 dB = 90 dB. And at 90 dB you can only be exposed to the noise for 48 minutes without permanent hearing damage. So you need heavier hearing protection for this.
Length of time
It is also true that the amount of time influences the number of hours you can be exposed to a lot of noise. After 8 hours you would only really suffer hearing damage at 80 dB. However, this increases exponentially. When you are exposed to 83 dB you will suffer hearing damage after just 4 hours. And you can be exposed to 100 dB for a maximum of 5 minutes if you do not want to suffer permanent hearing damage. This is comparable to the sound of a compressor.
A decibel scale gives a good indication of the number of dB per activity. The duration is not included here. But be careful: the higher the decibel number the faster you will suffer hearing damage.
Our recommendations
Are you looking for suitable hearing protection but can you no longer see the wood for the trees? Then take a look at our recommendations below!
These ear muffs are ideal for very noisy environments with mainly low frequencies. The ear muffs have an average attenuation value of SNR 34 dB(A). The 3M Peltor Optime III optimally protect your ears to prevent hearing damage. Available as a headband and as a helmet attachment.
Do you work in environments with more noise than mentioned above? Then the 3M Peltor Optime II might be an option for you. These ear muffs are suitable for environments with significant industrial noise, such as construction machinery, airports and agricultural work. The ear muffs have an average attenuation value of SNR 31 dB(A). Specially developed for demanding, noisy environments. Do you prefer ear muffs that you can attach to your V-Gard helmet? Then choose the H520P3E.
The 3M Peltor Optime I is a very lightweight ear muff and is super comfortable to wear in moderate industrial noise. A good example of this are workshops, sheet metal processing and printing companies. But these ear muffs also come in handy outside, for example when mowing the lawn. The ear muffs have an average attenuation value of SNR27 dB(A). In addition to the headband, this ear muff is also available as a helmet attachment.