If you need to provide hearing safety equipment to crews on your construction site, then you might not be sure whether to choose ear muffs or earplugs. While earmuffs have their advantages, earplugs might be a better all-around solution.
What are the benefits of using earplugs?
1. Better Hearing Protection
While safety earmuffs help reduce environmental noise to safe levels, they don't always work perfectly. Muffs sit over the ear, so they might not block out enough noise to make things safe for their wearers.
Plus, you have to rely on people wearing the muffs correctly. They might not site them in exactly the right position. Or, they might pull them off the ears if they get hot or uncomfortable.
Earplugs are an easier and more effective solution. Plugs sit inside the ear canal. So, they block out noise more effectively.
They are also easier to wear. Once they are in the ears, people usually forget that they are there. They give a more comfortable fit and won't put stress on the head or ears.
2. Fewer Clashes With Other Safety Equipment
Your workers have a range of safety needs on-site. You don't just have to look after their hearing when you're doing noisy work.
For example, they'll need to wear things like hard hats, goggles, safety glasses and dust masks depending on the jobs they do. Your people could have a lot of safety gear to deal with.
Earmuffs don't always work with regular safety gear. For example, it can be hard to wear muffs when you're wearing a hard hat. They can get in the way of dust mask straps and eyewear.
If your workers can't wear all their safety gear correctly and comfortably, then they aren't fully protected. However, earplugs won't get in the way of any other gear they have to wear.
3. Lower Costs
If you buy earmuffs for all your crews, then you'll have a significant outlay. Good-quality ear protectors can be pricey.
You also have to think about loss costs here. When people take off their muffs, they won't have anywhere obvious to store them.
So, they might put them down, forget about them and walk away. If they lose them, or they get damaged, then you'll have to provide replacement pairs.
Earplugs are a lot cheaper to buy. People also tend not to lose their plugs as easily.
You can slip the plugs into a pocket easily enough. Plus, if you buy plugs with a connecting cord, then they stay together. Even if someone loses a pair, your replacement costs will be lower.
To find out more, contact your safety equipment supplier.