Did you know that Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is one of the most common and permanent occupational injuries in the world? Yet, it’s also one of the most preventable. With about 22 million workers exposed to hazardous noise every year, it’s very important we find ways to ensure these workers realize the dangers of hazardous noises and wear hearing protection, before it’s too late!
So, how can we be motivated to start protecting our hearing at work or in our personal lives?
Many safety managers would be familiar with the common methods we use to help prevent hearing loss, such as training and education, engineering and administration controls, “buy quiet” practices, and use of hearing protection.
However, as technology continues to evolve, there is another tool becoming common that can be helpful – smart phone apps that help measure sound. Having an app on your phone makes it quick and easy to check the sound of the area you are working in to determine if you should wear hearing protection or not. Any sound over 85 dBA is considered hazardous and can be dangerous to your hearing. But even quieter sounds can be dangerous if exposed to them for a long period of time.
Sound-level meter apps “can have a tremendous and far-reaching impact in the area of noise control,” says CDC. As these apps are available to anyone, and easy to access, this makes it easy for anyone with a phone to take control of their hearing health! CDC and NIOSH say the benefits of these apps include:
- Raise workers’ awareness about their work environment
- Help workers make informed decisions about the potential hazards to their hearing
- Serve as a research tool to collect noise exposure data
- Promote better hearing health and prevention efforts
- Easy to use
Below are five of the more professional rated and affordable apps available. While they’re not as accurate as a professional SPL noise meter and should never be used for OSHA compliance purposes, they can provide a good approximate noise level helping you to make informed decisions about your hearing protection.
If after using any sound-level metering app, you determine you are exposed to dangerous noise levels, look for hearing protection that will not only help reduce the noise to a safe level but fit and will be comfortable as well, such as our Radians Deterrent® 32 Disposable Foam Earplugs, available CORDED or UNCORDED. These earplugs not only provide excellent noise reduction with an NRR of 32 dB but are also made with slow-recovery foam that expands gently in your ear canal for a comfortable, low-pressure fit!
Original Article Credit: Radians