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Noise: Protecting Your Hearing for Life
Hearing loss is permanent and cannot be cured, so always wear your ear protection correctly.
Why this matters
- Noise is one of the most common health risks on a construction site. Unlike a cut or a broken bone, you cannot see or feel hearing damage while it is happening. It happens slowly over months and years.
- Once your hearing is gone, it never comes back. There is no surgery, medicine, or hearing aid that can truly fix a dead ear. If you lose your hearing, you lose the ability to hear your children's voices or warnings on the site.
Talking points
- Use ear protection in any area where you have to shout to be heard by someone standing one meter away.
- Always wash or wipe your hands before touching foam earplugs. Putting dirty plugs in your ears leads to painful infections.
- Roll foam earplugs into a very thin cylinder before inserting them. Reach over your head to pull your ear up and back to open the canal, then hold the plug until it expands.
- Check the seal of your earmuffs. Safety glasses, long hair, or thick beard hair can break the seal and let noise inside.
- Never use cotton wool or napkins as ear protection. They do not block noise and can get stuck in your ear canal.
- If your earplugs are hard, dirty, or damaged, ask your supervisor for a new pair immediately.
- Keep your ear protection clean. Store it in a clean bag or box when you are not using it to avoid dust buildup.
Ask the crew
- How can you tell if an area is too loud and requires ear protection?
- Why is it important to hold a foam earplug in place for a few seconds after inserting it?
- Can a doctor fix your hearing if it is damaged by loud site machinery?
Download the PDF with attendance sheet
More health & body talks
First Aid: The First Two MinutesStress and Mental Health: Speaking Up for SafetyFatigue: Staying Alert on Site and on the RoadHand Arm Vibration: Protecting Your HandsSilica Dust: Why a Nuisance Mask is Not EnoughProtect Your Hands: Pinch Points and Glove Choice
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