People should wear a hearing protector if the noise or sound level at the workplace exceeds 85 decibels. There are 3 types of hearing protectors you can get:

Ear plugs are inserted to block the ear canal. They may be preformed or can be molded (foam ear plugs). Ear plugs are sold as disposable products or reusable plugs. Custom molded ear plugs are also available.

Semi-insert ear plugs which consist of two ear plugs held over the ends of the ear canal by a rigid headband.

Ear muffs consist of sound-attenuating material and soft ear cushions that fit around the ear and hard outer cups. They are held together by a head band.

Hearing Loss Prevention is the prevention and reduction of occupational noise-induced hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss is the most prevalent occupational disease. More than 4 millions of workers are exposed everyday in North America to workplace noise sufficient to cause occupational hearing loss.

The choice of hearing protectors is a very personal one and depends on a number of factors including level of noise, comfort, and the suitability of the hearing protector for his environment. If the noise exposure is intermittent, ear muffs are more desirable, since it may be inconvenient to remove and reinsert earplugs.

Manufacturers generally provide information about the noise reducing capability of a hearing protection as an NRR (noise reduction rating) number. The NRR ratings are based on the maximum noise reduction obtained in laboratory conditions. In order to allow for a safety margin, some organizations use one-half of the NRR as the actual noise reduction factor in the workplace conditions.