Every day, millions of workers are exposed to noisy working conditions. Almost 25% of them will suffer from long-lasting hearing impairment. The scale of the problem is so big, that in the U.S. alone, hearing loss is the third most chronic physical condition, after heart disease and arthritis.
3M recognizes the problem as one of the biggest challenges in worker’s health protection. That’s why we offer you better insight into this problem, along with made to measure solutions, that include hearing protection program and wide range of innovative safety products!
Our hearing is vulnerable to hazardous noise. Hearing loss can be caused by a one-time exposure to an intense noise. Repeated exposure to sound greater than 85 dBA can cause permanent hearing loss and tinnitus – constant “ringing” in the ears. Not only does it impair the ability to hear other sounds, but noise exposure is also associated with headache, increased stress and fatigue.Our hearing is vulnerable to hazardous noise. Hearing loss can be caused by a one-time exposure to an intense noise. Repeated exposure to sound greater than 85 dBA can cause permanent hearing loss and tinnitus – constant “ringing” in the ears. Not only does it impair the ability to hear other sounds, but noise exposure is also associated with headache, increased stress and fatigue.
It’s worth knowing that typically, hearing is damaged gradually. The accumulated damage may become perceptible after several years of working in noise. By then, the changes are likely to be irreversible. But, hearing damage due to noise can be prevented.
Without hearing protection
At 85 decibels your hearing is at risk after 8 hours
At 91 decibels your hearing is at risk after 2 hours
At 105 decibels your hearing is at risk after only 5 minutes
At 115 decibels your hearing is at risk within seconds
At 140 decibels immediate hearing damage and pain is possible
We all love different sounds: the sound of child’s laughter, cat’s purring, flowing river, bird singing, music or car’s finely tuned engine. All of us have just one sense of hearing so we should protect it because hearing loss causes many additional consequences.
Hearing loss makes the communication much harder. People with significant hearing damage often withdraw from the society, as they can not participate fully even in a simple conversation. It’s a life without a bird song, that leads to loneliness and depression. Let’s protect our hearing to be able to listen to the sound we love to hear.
As serious and irreversible hearing loss is, it is also completely preventable. 3M as a world leader of hearing protection developed complex solutions to provide maximum safety in noisy working environment. Discover some of the solutions that help to prevent hearing loss.
3M offers a wide range of innovative hearing protection products, including protection that also allows for clear communication. Discover the right protection solutions for your employees.