How to protect your ears at work?

Life is filled with such beautiful sounds. Birds singing, melodies played on a piano or the enchanting silence of the forest. It would be a shame to lose all these beautiful sensations by simply neglecting your hearing at work. 
The body often sends you signs that an activity is harmful to your well-being. For example, you will have the reflex to quickly remove your hand from an oven surface that is too hot, move away from a nauseating smell, or close your eyes in front of a bright light. 

Although many sources of hearing hazards exist in everyday life, working in a noisy environment remains a major issue for your hearing in the short, medium and long term. 

What are some ways to protect your hearing at work? 

The number one rule for your hearing health is preventing prolonged exposure to excessive sound. Reducing the risk is always the best way to achieve your OHS goals and ensure a safe workplace. When the environment doesn't allow it, don't worry, there's 3M. 
Through its hearing protection equipment, 3M can support you when noise overwhelms and harms your health, even if you don't realize it. 
The two most essential pieces of equipment to protect your hearing are earmuffs and earplugs. 
What is the difference between the two? Check out below for more details on each selection. 

Earmuffs or earplugs: which one should I choose? 

First, you should know that every work environment is different, and so is your equipment. You must always choose your protection according to the risks related to your tasks and locations. 
You'll find all the products you need right here!

EARPLUGS 

Earplugs may seem insignificant but can save you from critical hearing damage after prolonged exposure. Fitting, however, is the one thing many people take lightly when it is the most crucial step. Just because it goes in your ear doesn't mean it's effective! 

👍 Transportation is extremely easy 
👍 Can be worn at the same time as other protective equipment 
👍 More comfortable to wear over the long term (especially in hot weather) 
👍 Easily concealable and ergonomic 
  
👎 Longer and more complex adjustment 
👎 Difficult to put on and take off repeatedly 
👎 Requires impeccable ear hygiene 
👎 Risk of installing them incorrectly 
👎 Hardly noticeable by colleagues 

NOISE-CANCELLING EARMUFFS 

For more adapted and standardized protection, earmuffs are the best solution. 
You can choose your earmuffs based on your other equipment to ensure compatibility and select the degree of protection required by your work environment. 
  
👍 Several types of earmuffs for several levels of protection 
👍 More ergonomic for the head 
👍 More straightforward monitoring for managers since they are easy to notice 
👍 Installation is more intuitive and efficient 
  
👎 More cumbersome during transport 
👎 Not compatible with all helmets 
👎 Less comfortable for long-term use in a hot environment 
👎 May interfere with the wearing of safety glasses, thus negatively impacting other risks 

Want to know more about the protection 3M can offer your ears? Don't wait any longer and get our free white paper on the subject!