By night or by day, it is important that the soldier has all his senses alert to maximize the success of an operation. Auditory acuity is just as essential as vision and must be protected as much as possible against the irreversible effects of noise.
It is estimated that noise becomes dangerous for the ear from 80 / 90 dB (decibels), whereas a firearm produces detonations of about 130 dB. Repeated detonations without protection will lead to significant hearing loss, which can cause tinnitus problems or, in the most severe cases, deafness. To protect against these irreversible inconveniences, there are now many hearing protections available, each with a specific role, and making the right choice is crucial to properly protect your hearing. There are two types of hearing protection: earplugs and earmuffs.
Earplugs
The first solution used to protect against noise for millennia, the earplug is a simple device that is inserted into the ear canal to block out noise. Today, there are four types of earplugs.
Foam Earplug
Usually made of foam or fibers, the standard earplug is compressed by hand and expands once inside the ear, thus tightly sealing the ear canal. On average, this device reduces sound levels by 21 dB to 35 dB (SNR).
Preformed Earplug
Unlike the foam plug, this one does not compress and is often available in two or three sizes. Made of silicone or rubber, the preformed earplug is reusable and offers protection from 15 dB to 35 dB (SNR).
Corded Earplug
The only difference with the standard earplug is that this one has a cord connecting each plug. The observed hearing protection is the same whether they are made of foam or silicone.
Molded Earplug
Custom-made from the ear impression of the future user, this plug is made of silicone or acrylate resin. Often more expensive but much more comfortable and reusable, the molded earplug offers sound attenuation levels of 15 dB to 32 dB (SNR).
Earmuffs
The earmuff consists of two shells that cover the entire ear tightly, thus perfectly protecting the user's hearing. Usually made of polymer with or without foam, the earmuff can sometimes fold onto itself, adjust according to head size, and/or adapt to a safety helmet. This type of hearing protection is reusable and requires regular maintenance (twice a year depending on usage frequency). On average, an earmuff reduces sounds by 21 dB to 36 dB (SNR).
Passive or Active Protection
The vast majority of hearing protections have a so-called "passive" function, meaning they simply block the sound before it enters the ear canal. Others, however, have a so-called "active" function, meaning they offer noise treatment, blocking sounds that are dangerous to the ear while allowing other sounds, such as a voice, to pass through without risk.
Double Protection
Hearing protections rarely exceed 35 dB of sound reduction (SNR). To go beyond and offer your ears optimal protection during long shooting sessions, for example, it is possible, even recommended, to wear earplugs under earmuffs. The combined protections can then exceed 40 dB of sound attenuation.
Good to Know
Exposure to noise affects us both physically and psychologically.
Physically, exposure to noise can reduce our auditory acuity more or less significantly, leading to hearing impairments such as:
- tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ear)
- hyperacusis (intolerance to everyday noises)
- acoustic trauma (caused by a violent and brief noise, such as a gunshot)
- temporary or permanent deafness
On the psychological level, few people know that exposure to noise can lead to insomnia, recurrent and abnormal fatigue, anxiety problems, depression, stress, irritability, and even cardiovascular problems!
It is therefore crucial to protect your hearing, whether during professional time, on a mission for example, or personal time during shooting sessions with friends. For this, Welkit offers you a selection of professional articles from specialized and globally recognized brands for their reliability in hearing protection.
See our selection of hearing protections
Terminology
- SNR: Single Number Rating, it is a global sound attenuation index
- H / M / L: indices similar to SNR but representative of high, medium, and low frequencies (High, Medium, Low)