Was wondering what everyone was using for hearing protection. In newer equipment with cabs it wouldn't take too much but on older open station machines like my D6c I struggle to find something that feels like it's doing enough to limit noise. I have custom molded ear plugs that I use and sometimes double up with ear muffs. Or use foam plugs & ear muffs. With both it sometimes seems worse than with just the plugs because sound kind of resonates between the two. Muffs alone don't seem to be adequate either. Any suggestions?
I wear foam plugs. I cant wear muffs as they give me a throbbing headache shortly.
Sounds funny, but I use ear plugs, then some noise cancelling head phones, and have it connected to my phone. It kills the sound of the machine, and I can tell when someone is calling or texting me.
Noise cancelling head phones sounds like a good idea.....kind of forgot about them. Any special brand you like?
I just use cheap foam plugs. I don't really see how muffs would be necessary. The plugs seem fine to me. Maybe it is because I don't hear that well already. I put them in my pocket before I leave in the morning. I do not start any engine until they are in. I have to save what I got left.
Msha has tested my D8k Open Rops in an 8 hour test pushing to a crusher. Their recommendation was ear plugs, muffs, sound deading rubber around the operators station and only 4 hr shift.
I do like the custom molded ear plugs but you have to be sure and get them your ear for an air tight seal. I've found a film of vaseline on the plugs makes a lot of difference.....if you don't mind the goo.
AM / FM head phone radio from Rural King . http://www.ruralking.com/tool-shed-digital-am-fm-ear-muffs.html Good for strait pipe dozers & Detroit powered scrapers . HeavyEquipmentForums
Huh? What'd you say? All joking aside, you young guys better pay attention to this thread and use plugs and, on open station machines, muffs too. I didn't do it, thought Cat diesels and big Continental airplane engines were sweet sounds- still do, actually- but no doubt it's cost me money to be unable to pick up on what people are saying.
I just take out my hearing aids!
I just use the cheap orange foam earplugs, really helps. I also use them when running the skid steer, it has a cab but the earplugs knock the noise down and I feel less stressed while operating it. The man that runs the dozer for me most of the time refuses to wear earplugs or a dust mask. He is 62 been running equipment for 40 yrs and hears fine. I don't see how though. I know some guys that put headphones in and crank up the music I can't do that makes me feel like I will be deaf in a week.
Headphones w/ digital display screen?? why?? lol So everyone can SEE you like polka music?? lol I use headphones I bought at the gun range.. Pelton, I think.. I don't know if the color has anything to do w/ the sound levels but they are yellow.. VERY easy to find & do a good job. They work excellent in the bottom of a boat in the engine room turning 5000 rpms..
Having spent a thousand hours or so with a pneumatic rock drill coupIed to a Detroit powered screw compressor, I have found helmet mounted ear muffs and foam plugs worked best for me. The shooting style muffs became painful after a couple of hours. I think that the vibrations in old style operating stations are detrimental to my well being so I try to limit my seat time and found that getting out of the cab walking around the machine or whatever helps a lot.
Close but no cigar - Peltor is the name you're thinkng of. Class of the field where hearing protection is concerned. http://peltorcomms.3m.com/?WT.mc_id=www.peltor.com
Right on the money Nige..
I prefer the classic 3m orange ear plugs #90579 I dont leave home without them they fit my ears much better than the new tapered style usually have a pair of muffs handy if things are getting real noisy
These 3m muffs are what I have now but they seem to amplify the vibration of the machine.....very annoying even though they have a 30 db rating. http://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-...e?N=5002385+8709322+8711405+3294758533&rt=rud At first glance, most of the noise cancelling muffs I see only have around a 20 db rating....will have to keep looking. Just trying to keep from ending up with the hearing loss my dad had......spent his whole life running farm equipment without any hearing protection and paid for it. That being said, a good deal of his hearing loss came from his first two days on an army rifle range in 1942 .....his ears rang for the rest of his life after that.
You just described my grandpa-he spent his life a farmer but also had jobs of riveting liberty ships, army in WWII, driller in a hard rock gold mine, then operated old dry track straight pipe Cats until he retired and then ran a Bobcat business the rest of his life. On the Bobcat he would just turn his hearing aids off, hand signals were the way to communicate, forget talking unless you had him turn off the machine and climb up right next to him. And even then it was doubtful the message would get through the first or second time.
I use Beats, but primarily because I have a relative that works for/with them. So, the price is right.
I have used my Bose Quiet Comfort head sets as hearing protection around loud (ish) machines. Work well and are light weight. Rick
I use a pair of Peltor X5A 37db, which I find to be good but if you wear sunglasses the arms need to be slim, if not it breaks the seal between the muff and your face. I have also tried the Bose Quiet Comfort in ear and the over ear. I found them to be ok but not when working in rock, it seemed to me like the noise cancelling could not keep up with some of the sudden jarring noises. Its was similar to the noise canceling switch being flicked off and then on, didn't happen all the time but irritating as hell when it did. I am never without noise these days..... tinnitus! I really miss silence, nowadays I can hear the noise in my head over the noise of the machine, thats no joke. I am sure its the result years of straight stack dozers in my younger days. Russ
Does not matter the type but the level of Db protection you use. I have a 35-45% hearing loss due to working without for almost forty years, last fifteen I have been RELIGIOUS as to using the highest Db cancelling earplugs, disposable but good ones. Also have a set of hard hat flip down earmuffs, a set of shooters earmuffs and a set of radio earmuffs just for what ails the situation.
I tend to wear ear plugs as I wear safety greases and the arms bridge the seal on ear muffs. There is a huge difference between cheap plugs and good ones. Try a make like Howard Leight http://www.howardleight.com/earplugs/airsoft For quality and go for the highest rated. For not too extreme noise I use Bose noise cancelling ear plugs so I can listen to podcasts to relieve the boredom. The noise cancelling is extremely effective and you can have it switched on even if you don't want to listen to music etc. Not cheap though. Graham
It's cost me a little money as well ETMF . Wife has always accused me of having " selective hearing " . Her claim is I just nod my head or say " yeah / OK " , whatever ? Next thing I know I'm writing a check for a new kitchen remodel . *** ! I don't remember discussing a total remodel ? The old refrigerator and sink were working fine . LOL !
Hadn't thought about it but, at recent employer hearing test they say 85dBA is limit for 8 hr day. So, must measure max noise exposure. Your 27NR foam plugs wouldn't be enough for a 120dBA exposure so, muffs and plugs (or some other combination). I've tried to be proactive at work and home…doesn't always happen. Do agree w others- start early! DB
Any more I wear ear plugs most of the time working in the shop....grinding, hammering, etc (as well as dust masks). Always wear plugs in farm tractors or around farm equipment. Part of the problem on the dozer is that I wear glasses and that might be breaking the seal on ear muffs. I ordered a couple of new pairs to try....one passive muff that's supposed to be a little lighter, and one electronic muff. We'll see how they work. I've had too many years working in manufacturing....machine shop noise, punch presses, hydraulic squeal. Plus quite a bit of time on highway projects listening to equipment and traffic noise. (My worst pet peeve is the Harley's that are louder than any semi going by) My ears ring all the time now but I can still hear well....just don't want to loose what I have!
Have you solved the problem of dust masks fogging the safety glasses? Worse in cold weather.
LOL....Then I'm not the only one that has that problem! Can't say I have a good solution for that yet. I use 3m disposable masks without a valve mostly. Tried ones with a valve but they didn't seem like they were quite as good at catching dust. I do have a 3m dust respirator with two replaceable filters that doesn't fog your glasses.....a little more bulky but a very good. Filters are even rated for protecting against asbestos.
I got two problems with the ringing in my ears. I can't tell which ear it is coming from now and the pitch never seems to change. The quieter the environment I'm in the louder the ringing gets. I can't find one of those noise cancelling things that works on the ringing.
The thing that gets me is I can't tell what direction a sound is coming from. Tracking down an air leak is really difficult for me. I have to move my head all over the place and carefully think about the changes in sound to determine whether I am getting warmer or colder. When I get close enough I start putting my hand on things and when my hand covers up the sound then I know I found it.
Ringing seems to come with an age issue, mine started ringing about thirty years ago, now is almost like I have a high pitch air leak inside my head, gets better some days but others almost more than I can bear. Plugs seem to have made the ringing mad in my old age.
John, I am not sure if you are serious about the noise cancelling for the ringing in your ears or joking. But the quieter your surroundings the louder that noise in your head seems. My doctor told me that their is no fix for it and if the ringing was too intrusive when trying to sleep, I should have the radio or some music playing low in the background to take your mind off it. Russ
Rshreril, We have the cheap ($2-5 a pair) safety glasses at work with the anti-fog coating on them and the coating actually works pretty good. Problem is everyone I see takes them out of the package and immediately cleans them with thier shirt tail. Doing this takes the coating off. If the coating isn't removed they actually work pretty well with a dust mask on. From what I have learned in safety training and firsthand it's hard to beat a good pair of foam plugs for hearing protection, especially when wearing safety glasses. They do need to be installed correctly to get the most out of them though.
you get old, you will get the air leak. I am 64 and have always worn ear protection but about ten years ago I noticed this annoying noise and now it is getting a little louder. I still have very good hearing, just have this thing in the background. peltor work tunes work very well, have a good digital radio that you can have presets with one button touch.