# Huh, what did you say?...protect your hearing



## MesquiteMan (Sep 25, 2013)

I am 46 years old and have started having problems understanding folks in a noisy environment.  I finally broke down and went to have a hearing test yesterday.  Sadly, I have moderate hearing loss and will need hearing aids in the near future most likely.

This is for everyone but especially the younger guys...please be sure to wear hearing protection when running anything louder than a cordless drill!  This includes the lathe, tablesaw, bandsaw, sanders, dust collectors, etc.

I religiously wear hearing protection now days and have for the last few years but wish I would have started sooner.  Being only 46 and not being able to hear folks and constantly having to ask people to repeat themselves SUCKS and is embarrassing!  There were just too many times when I was younger where I ran jackhammers, etc without any hearing protection.  

I buy Peltor Scull Screw earplugs by the case and have a box by the door when you first come into the shop.  The first thing I do in the morning is put on my dust collector remote and hang a pair of earplugs around my kneck.  The Scull Screws are GREAT, comfortable in ear ear plugs that do not have to be rolled up to insert.  Just a twist and push and they are in.

This is what they look like and here is a good source for them.





Peltor Hearing Protection - Peltor NEXT Skull Screws Foam Ear Plugs Corded Box of 120 Pair - Only $59.50

They are not the cheapest earplugs but they are by far my favorite and have a really good dB rating.

Take care of your hearing now before you don't have as much hearing to take care of! You will be sorry you didn't!


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## flyitfast (Sep 25, 2013)

Curtis, thanks for posting.  You have shared them when I visited your shop and I appreciated it.  Forgot the name, so this helps.  They definitely are comfortable.
gordon


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## maxwell_smart007 (Sep 25, 2013)

I already have hearing loss - but mine's genetic....it's really annoying!


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## OZturner (Sep 26, 2013)

Thanks for the thread, and timely reminder to all, in particular the younger (Bullet Proof) Turners.
I have just had one hearing aid fitted, and I am in the process of getting used to it.
It is that comfortable that I have gone to bed on three occassions, with it still in my ear.
My hearing loss is a result of "Too Many Birthdays," plus years of damage from starting Swimming Races, with a 22 or 38 calibre pistol without ear covers or plugs. 
It wasn't fashionable or macho, at that time to wear those things. 
So now I pay the price, and will have to wear Ear Covers, in my workshop, as well as with my hearing aid,  so that I can still hear "She Who Must be Obeyed" when she summons me.
It is a "bummer" this getting old, but the alternate isn't all that attractive either.


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## Akula (Sep 26, 2013)

Good advise, I have hearing problems and the non stop ringing (to the point I can not be in a quiet room and must always have some type of background noise or I can not sleep)

Mine is from the Army.


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## SteveG (Sep 26, 2013)

It is a great misfortune that so often warnings of this type come from someone AFTER the damage has been done. So I join with Curtis and encourage all to take heed. I have been on the hearing aids for about 16 years starting when I was about 46 or 47. It can and will creep up on you. You do not just need protection for the very loud tasks.  Hearing loss can occur with exposure to only moderately loud sounds in a cumulative way over long periods. That is just what we have in our shops. Protect it or loose it.
Steve


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## MesquiteMan (Sep 26, 2013)

Yep,  I have the ringing (tinnitus) in my ears pretty bad too!  My ENT Dr. said that too much caffeine can exacerbate the tinnitus and I drink way too many Diet Cokes per day.  Gonna have to cut back on that as well as some other things!


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## edstreet (Sep 26, 2013)

I use work tunes.  it's good for the shop and gives you AM/FM+ipod/mp3.


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## Displaced Canadian (Sep 26, 2013)

You would be amazed at how many areas of your life bad hearing does affect. My in-laws have noticed that my wife talks louder than she used to, I've been called rude by coworkers because they said hello and apparently I ignored them, I try whisper something to my wife and the whole room hears what I say, if the restaraunt doesn't have carpet on the floor and there is kind of an echo I'll see your lips move I'll hear the sound of your voice, I won't be able to understand a word you say. If I'm in a pump room with several pumps running I have to put a hand on each one to tell if it is working. As was mentioned before moderate noises over long periods of time are just as bad as the loud ones. It is never too early to think about protecting your hearing and just because it is starting to go isn't an excuse to not worry about it.


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## terryf (Sep 26, 2013)

I feel for you Curtis, its not nice at all although I have gotten used to it as has my wife. I have Beltone 9 hearing aids and cannot get used to the plasticky sounds so I dont wear them that often.

The tinnitus is affected by various factors not necessarily caffeine - you will need to find your triggers and avoid them. Not sure if you have TAB cooldrink there but if you do its caffeine free. (if memory serves)

In the workshop I use Peltor electronic hearing protection - a bit more expensive than the disposables but it acts as a hearing aid until the noise gets to loud and then it cuts off everything. I also use ballistic goggles in the workshop to protect the eyes - they seal so I dont get dust in my eyes.

You can't have too much protection only too little!


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## MrsPTownSubbie (Sep 26, 2013)

Curtis, I already have hearing aids, it's not the end of the world, and better than having to guess at what people are saying, or having your husband get mad at your "for not listening" LOL!!


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## ve3bax (Sep 26, 2013)

Dont forget to think outside the shop too! im always surprised how many folks around my neck of the woods will cut their lawns with no hearing protection! both my lawn tractor and zero turn are far too loud to have a conversation without yelling, and you basically sit right over the noise for extended periods of time.  even the little push mower is pretty loud and as it has already been noted it doesnt take much! 

im with Edstreet on the worktunes... they are great! listening to a baseball game while cutting the lawn on a saturday afternoon sure helps pass the time 

--Dave


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## alphageek (Sep 26, 2013)

Good reminder.   I've been wearing the "ear muff" style for years now.. Not only when in the shop, but also when mowing the lawn.   I do notice tinnitus at times so I try to be really good about what I do, but good to know about the caffeine.  Wouldn't have guessed that one.


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## edstreet (Sep 26, 2013)

I get weird looks by many when they see me mowing the lawn with my work tunes and safety glasses on.


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## walshjp17 (Sep 26, 2013)

In a crowded, noisy room or restaurant, I have problems understanding what people are saying right across from me.  Tinnitus is part of the problem, but it is also living one deck below the flight deck on six aircraft carriers that helped.



MesquiteMan said:


> I drink way too many Diet Cokes per day.  Gonna have to cut back on that as well as some other things!



Same for me. Coke has come out with a caffeine-free Coke Zero.  Pretty much the only soft drink we drink now -- other than Fanta Zero for that occasional orange soda craving.:wink:


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## Waluy (Sep 26, 2013)

At 29 I already have minor hearing loss due to my previous job. I worked for Detroit Diesel disassembling engines and originally they told us the db were not high enough to need hearing protection. After 6 months of working there they moved us to a new building and didn't run the db test until almost 2 years later when they discovered the acoustics of the new building increase the db to dangerous levels. By that point none of us could hear what was going on with ear plugs in and you had to be able to communicate with your team mate (2 man teams working on disassembling).


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## JohnGreco (Sep 26, 2013)

I'm 39 and am also having some hearing issues. I use earplugs regularly but am sure my younger days spent playing drums in a band didn't help matters. Most notable times for me are also crowded areas, or at the sink doing dishes...the white noise from the running water makes it very hard for me to hear beyond that. Slight ringing, but also an avid coffee drinker.

One night I was doing dishes and asked my kids (both were in the next room) what they wanted for dessert. Neither answered. I asked again, still no reply. I finally said "OK, if you don't want to answer me I guess you don't want dessert." My wife was sitting with them and told me they had both answered me each time  It has now gotten to where I will tell friends of mine before we walk into a restaurant that I may have trouble hearing them inside.


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## TellicoTurning (Sep 26, 2013)

MesquiteMan said:


> I am 46 years old and have started having problems understanding folks in a noisy environment.  I finally broke down and went to have a hearing test yesterday.  Sadly, I have moderate hearing loss and will need hearing aids in the near future most likely.
> 
> This is for everyone but especially the younger guys...please be sure to wear hearing protection when running anything louder than a cordless drill!  This includes the lathe, tablesaw, bandsaw, sanders, dust collectors, etc.
> 
> ...



Curtis,
I know about the hearing loss... I worked for a major airlines back in the mid '60's through the '70's... I've got about a 20% loss at the upper and lower ranges of sound, but okay in the middle range... biggest problem I have is for the last 30-40 years I've had a high pitch ringing in both ears and from all accounts, there's nothing to be done for that.  

The airlines issued me the ear plug similar to what you have, but I couldn't wear them because I have small ear channels and they wouldn't fit well and if I forced them in place, they were terribly uncomfortable... so I got a set of shooter ear muffs and wore those most of the time.... but even with muffs, when you walk the fuselange of an aircraft with the inboard engines running, it's incredibly loud.  Also because I was a ramp supervisor, I had to have a radio on me at all times, and had a speaker mounted inside one of the muffs. 

I don't worry too much about noise in the shop, my lathe isn't all that noisy, the compressor is pretty quiet and the dust collector is outside the shop and just piped through the walls, so it's mostly a low pitched hum.  The only other tool that's noisy is the table saw, which is more of a catch all for me instead of a tool I use much. 

I still have the shooter muffs in the shop and use them when I use the saw and planer.


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## TellicoTurning (Sep 26, 2013)

MesquiteMan said:


> Yep,  I have the ringing (tinnitus) in my ears pretty bad too!  My ENT Dr. said that too much caffeine can exacerbate the tinnitus and I drink way too many Diet Cokes per day.  Gonna have to cut back on that as well as some other things!



I had not heard about the caffeine and tennitus... fortunately,  my caffeine intake now is limited to one cup of coffee first thing in the morning.... otherwise I don't drink much caffeine... no caffeinated sodas at all ... although I do like a glass of iced tea pretty regularly... will have to give that some thought... and like the OZTurner, a lot of my hearing may have to do with age... just rolled over to 72 last week and I'm thinking the 70's are a crappy age, between hearing loss, shortness of breath when I do things I used to do easily, bursitis in the shoulders, arthritis in both hands and here lately a strained muscle in the lower back... getting old ain't for sissies.


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## PTsideshow (Sep 27, 2013)

I know the feeling about the looks when using outdoor equipment, mowing the lawn. Or working with the chop saw and grinders. Having parents that had and have 4 hearing aids between them. I can attest to the fact that you want to do everything in your power to prolong as much hearing as you possibly can. 

And then when you need them make use you explore all of the possibilities, whether they are in or out of the ear.  And make sure they fit well, since the Dr said that the ears are the first part of the body that loses weight, loose aids can cause more problems not to mention loosing the hearing aids. Spend the money for the insurance, it might pay for it self!
:clown:


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## robutacion (Sep 27, 2013)

MesquiteMan said:


> I am 46 years old and have started having problems understanding folks in a noisy environment.  I finally broke down and went to have a hearing test yesterday.  Sadly, I have moderate hearing loss and will need hearing aids in the near future most likely.
> 
> This is for everyone but especially the younger guys...please be sure to wear hearing protection when running anything louder than a cordless drill!  This includes the lathe, tablesaw, bandsaw, sanders, dust collectors, etc.
> 
> ...



I feel your pain Curtis, I went through all that about 8 years ago, the ringing was what made me see the specialist, I left with hearing aid on both ears and nearly $1,000 out of pocket...!

I tried my best to adapt to them but, after a couple of months, I had enough, I could hear better with them on but only in a few and very limited situations, the rest of the time I was getting sounds that I didn't know existed and the ringing got worse so, to be bin they went.  I had a hard time with those things, believe me, I have some loss of hearing, about 20% getting worse as the years go by.

I couldn't point out all the things I've done that have created the problem, 2 that I know are the main culprits are the use of high power firearms and the chainsaw.  At present time, is the large/powerful dust collector, disc sander and bandsaw that I'm most exposed to time wise, the chainsaw is the second most used tool, still...!

The day that scare me the most, was the day I saw the specialist when he put me through all the tests and then gave me the results, that was a big shock, after that, I got used to the facts...!

Good luck,
Cheers
George


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## dbledsoe (Sep 27, 2013)

I used to have eyeglasses at multiple places around the house, so I could find some when I needed them. Now I have TV Ears at every tv. I guess my wife has super sensitive hearing because she is always telling me to turn down the tv.
Seriously, we waste so many words because everything we say has to be said twice.
mumble, mumble, mumble - what??? - I said you've been in the shop long enough. Come on in.
I agree. Getting old is not to be taken lightly.


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## TomW (Sep 27, 2013)

Curtis, 
I'm pretty much in the same place as you regarding hearing (used to work in a natural gas processing plant that had 34,000 horsepower worth of gas compressors).

I'm older (57) so Bigger Fonts helps too....

Tom


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## triw51 (Sep 27, 2013)

Sorry can you say that again Curtis not sure I heard you.....
Did a lot of .22 shooting in my younger with out hearing protection (used protection on larger bore but did not thing you needed it with the "little" stuff) and now I to have hearing loss with some ringing in my ears.  I second what Curtis says.
HEARING LOSS SUCKS


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## Joe S. (Sep 29, 2013)

Just got those huge earmuff things, turning pens is very peaceful when it's that quiet! Thanks for the warning.


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## monark88 (Sep 29, 2013)

Surprised to hear, kinda, to see so many people here have  Tinnitus. I'm 71 and have had it for about 40 years now. Just passed out one day from vertigo episode and the ringing started soon after. Have just learned to live with it. Hear everything just have a hard time discerning what I hear.

Yep, earplugs are an essential tool.


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## ossaguy (Sep 29, 2013)

I have Tinnitus pretty bad,so I always have to wear my chainsaw earmuffs when I have the DC going.

About 10 years,I had a Bultaco Frontera motorcycle that I made street legal & rode it a lot.Then I wanted more power,and put on a racing expansion chamber on it.That really woke it up & made it a thrill to ride....but sure was loud!

One day back in 2006,I went for an hour long canyon ride.When I got back,I could hardly hear for the loud ringing in my ears.I still have it,but not as much.It comes and goes.So I had to retire from bikes,because even the vibes from the bikes aggravated the Tinnitus.

Needing a new hobby then,is how I ended up here.Sure miss my bikes...

I sure wish I would have taken hearing protection seriously before back then,I could still be riding today.


Click below to see them,if anyone wants to see some cool old Spanish bikes....


Steve


http://www.seitz.us/rec/steve_johnson.html


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## Smitty37 (Sep 29, 2013)

Make sure you use hearing protection when you go to concerts.  And, if you have kids make them turn down the volume on their music.  I suspect listening to loud music has damaged far more hearing than workshop noise.:biggrin:

I'm sympathetic though having been plagued with poor hearing all my life - when I first began having my hearing tested in the Navy my hearing response fell off very quickly at both high and low frequencies.  That was a gift from my Mother who was deaf in one ear and needed a hearing aid for the other from when she was about 50 -- hearing aid technology advanced just about at the right speed to keep up with her loss so she could hear in that one ear until she died.  I don't have a deaf ear but I have two that don't hear real good - I tried hearing aids and they drove me nuts.  In a crowded noisy room I can't understand much of anything being said.


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## MesquiteMan (Sep 30, 2013)

For the folks using or considering over ear muffs...

Due to this thread, I have been researching them and have found that the dB rating is not that great.  The Work Tunes mentioned above has a NRR (noise reduction rating) of 22 dB.  If you are running a DeWalt planer with standard knives, they put out 110 dB according to my decibel meter.  With the NRR of 22 dB, you are still exposed to 88 dB.  From the research I have done, prolonged exposure to dB of 85 or higher is considered dangerous to your hearing.  Granted, prolonged is likely 24 hours a day but it is still a concern to me.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) daily permissible noise level exposure limits are as follows:

Hours per day-Sound level 
                                                                      8-85dBA                                                                       
6-86dBA                                                                       
4-88dBA                                                                       
3-89dBA                                                                       
2-90dBA                                                                       
1.5-92dBA                                                                       
1-94dBA                                                                       
.5-97dBA                                                                       
.25 or less-100dBA

I think I will stick with my Scull Screws!  They are more comfortable to me for the most part.  I have a hard time with ear muffs due to the head squeeze and hot spots.  When I was still flying planes, I had an expensive $300 headset with all the bells and whistles including gel pads, etc, and still got significant fatigue when flying for long periods.  The in ear plugs are not perfect either.  The tend to irritate my ear canals a little but other than that, I hardly know they are in.  They provide a NRR of 30 dB.

Just for grins, here is the dB level of some common tools in a shop (source: CDC - Powertools Database - NIOSH)

Electric hand drill-87-93 dB
Hammer Drill-89-104
Belt Sander-87-97
Circular Saw-95-107
Jigsaw-92-100
Miter Saw-100-113
Random Orbital Sander-74-91
Reciprocating Saw-96-105

Below were sourced from Noise Levels in the Shop
Router-103-106
Tablesaw-104
Circular Saw-110

Below sourced from S&W Report - Safety in the Woodlot - Chainsaw Hearing Protection
Chainsaw-104-106
Lawn Mower-90


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## The Penguin (Sep 30, 2013)

you must be wearing hearing protection and can't hear the phone ring.

:biggrin:


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## MesquiteMan (Sep 30, 2013)

The Penguin said:


> you must be wearing hearing protection and can't hear the phone ring.
> 
> :biggrin:



Sorry.  My wife had surgery Thursday.  It was supposed to be outpatient but she had some complications with the anesthesia and more bleeding that the Dr. wanted.  He is a close personal friend of the family so to be safe, he kept her overnight.  Got here home Friday afternoon and then have spent most of the weekend tending to her.


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## maxwell_smart007 (Sep 30, 2013)

I don't like things in my ear - so I found a good set of earphones with a 30 nrr rating...


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## Smitty37 (Sep 30, 2013)

Interesting numbers, but what is the rating of rock concerts?  I know I can hear them from a lot farther away than I can hear a chainsaw.


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## Joe S. (Sep 30, 2013)

I bet one of the "next innovation in woodturning!" things will be a really quiet lathe. I would proably get one of those.


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## Joe S. (Sep 30, 2013)

Smitty37 said:


> Interesting numbers, but what is the rating of rock concerts?  I know I can hear them from a lot farther away than I can hear a chainsaw.



We live near a lake where they do big parties. When they crank up the music it can be a little loud, but I can imagine what it is next to the speakers! But it is nice to have the big fireworks right there!


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## philb (Sep 30, 2013)

Does no one else listen to music whilst working?

Small in ear headphones, with music on pretty low. Blocks outside noise but also allows you the radio to listen to.
Obviously on louder machines like the router, planer/thicknesser then proper plugs needed. But on the lathe and a just a dust extractor running, shouldn't be overly loud that a good set of in-ear headphones and low music are reasonable.
Especially if you have to have some form of ear-plugs in for 8 hours a day!?

Phil


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## Joe S. (Sep 30, 2013)

I put the headphones under the earmuffs.


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## Leatherman1998 (Sep 30, 2013)

philb said:


> Does no one else listen to music whilst working?
> 
> Small in ear headphones, with music on pretty low. Blocks outside noise but also allows you the radio to listen to.
> Obviously on louder machines like the router, planer/thicknesser then proper plugs needed. But on the lathe and a just a dust extractor running, shouldn't be overly loud that a good set of in-ear headphones and low music are reasonable.
> ...



I listen to OTR (tales of the texas rangers, lum and abner, lone ranger) over a bluetooth wireless speaker but when I run my table saw (old and LOUD) I wear ear bud headphones with different size rubber pads that block out the sound.


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## Leatherman1998 (Sep 30, 2013)

try this for ear buds, I want to make these $3 Noise Isolation Earbuds! - YouTube


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## Smitty37 (Sep 30, 2013)

Leatherman1998 said:


> philb said:
> 
> 
> > Does no one else listen to music whilst working?
> ...


 Egad! I hate to think of it, but I heard originals of all of them on radio.


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## edstreet (Sep 30, 2013)

philb said:


> Does no one else listen to music whilst working?
> 
> Small in ear headphones, with music on pretty low. Blocks outside noise but also allows you the radio to listen to.
> Obviously on louder machines like the router, planer/thicknesser then proper plugs needed. But on the lathe and a just a dust extractor running, shouldn't be overly loud that a good set of in-ear headphones and low music are reasonable.
> ...



You must have missed my earlier post on this very subject.


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## Smitty37 (Sep 30, 2013)

Actually I listen to talk radio or if nothing is on I want to hear, I play CDs (classic country of course)


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## Fred (Sep 30, 2013)

Curtis ... I believe this is a great reminder concerning something that is so often overlooked. :biggrin:

In our shop ... You come in you immediately put on ear protection - NO EXCEPTIONS. If not you have to stand out in the weather or go home.


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## Smitty37 (Oct 1, 2013)

Fred said:


> Curtis ... I believe this is a great reminder concerning something that is so often overlooked. :biggrin:
> 
> In our shop ... You come in you immediately put on ear protection - NO EXCEPTIONS. If not you have to stand out in the weather or go home.


I've been to shops that were loud enough to warrant that and some that require hard hats and steel toed shoes as wlll.  In this day of lawsuits for almost anything, that is as much to protect the shop owner as the person going in.


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