This is how you hear once noise has done its damage.
The hearing loss simulator shows what noise-damaged hearing sounds like and how custom earplugs with PF filters change the sound. The damage usually develops slowly, is painless and permanent.
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The red veil shows at which frequencies, and by how much, an ear with the selected loss hears worse. Turquoise is the sound that reaches the ear, and the white dashed line is the attenuation of the selected earplug.
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Illustration. The levels describe the depth of the typical notch at 4000 Hz. Because hearing assessments often use the average of several frequencies, such damage may still be reported as normal or mildly impaired hearing. Real hearing loss is worse than headphones can show, because the ear also loses the ability to separate sounds.
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How long is noise still safe?
Every 3 dB more means twice the sound energy, so the safe time halves with each step. With earplugs it also matters that you wear them all the time: even one hour without the earplug during a shift takes away most of the protection. That is why the comfort of a custom earplug matters so much.
The calculation is simplified and applies to daily exposure (8-hour working day) with a limit of 85 dB(A). Attenuation is based on the SNR value from the EN 352-2 certificate for the selected filter. Custom earplugs are always inserted the same way, so protection is reliable, but it is important to wear them all the time. Impulse noise, such as impacts and pneumatic tools, is assessed by the peak level in dB(C) (action values 135 and 137 dB(C), limit value 140 dB(C)), which the calculation does not cover. Under EU rules the employer must provide hearing protection from the lower action value of 80 dB(A), it must be worn from the upper action value of 85 dB(A), and the level at the ear, taking protection into account, must not exceed the limit value of 87 dB(A). The calculator does not replace noise measurements and is not a hearing test.
Noise-induced hearing loss
Prolonged noise damages the sensory cells (hair cells) in the inner ear. They do not regenerate, so noise-induced hearing loss is permanent. It usually shows first as a typical notch in the high tones around 4000 Hz, where important consonants such as s, sh, f and th lie, while hearing at 8000 Hz is often somewhat better again. That is why at first you hear that someone is speaking but understand them less well, especially in noise.
The damage develops gradually and is painless, so many people only notice it once it has already advanced. A very loud bang, such as an explosion or a gunshot, can damage hearing instantly. A common companion is tinnitus, a constant ringing or hissing in the ears. From a daily exposure of 85 dB(A), wearing hearing protection at work is mandatory.
Effective protection is protection that people actually wear. Custom earplugs with PF filters fit the ear canal, are comfortable even when worn all day, and attenuate the high, most harmful frequencies the most, while the wearer stays in touch with their surroundings.More about noise-protection earplugs for industry.
Ringing after a shift is a warning
If your ears ring or feel blocked after a loud day, your hearing is temporarily reduced. It usually recovers within a few hours to two days, but repeated episodes can leave permanent damage even if hearing seems to recover. This sign means the noise was too loud or the protection insufficient.
Noise and solvents
Some industrial solvents, such as toluene, xylene and styrene, can damage the inner ear. With combined exposure to noise and solvents the risk of hearing loss is higher, so consistent hearing protection is even more important.
Have your hearing checked regularly
Workers with a daily exposure of 85 dB(A) or more are entitled to hearing checks by an occupational health physician. The damage cannot be cured, but if it is detected early, it can be stopped from progressing. Sudden hearing loss in one ear is an emergency: see a doctor the same day.
For occupational safety professionals
Order of measures. Noise must first be eliminated or reduced at the source with technical measures, then with organisational ones, such as shorter exposure times and separating noisy work. Personal protective equipment is the last measure, used when the risk cannot otherwise be reduced enough.
Values under Directive 2003/10/EC on noise at work. Lower exposure action value: 80 dB(A) daily exposure or 135 dB(C) peak level. Upper exposure action value: 85 dB(A) or 137 dB(C). Exposure limit value: 87 dB(A) or 140 dB(C), taking into account the attenuation of personal protective equipment.
Employer obligations. Risk assessment with noise measurements; from the lower action value, hearing protection made available plus information and training for workers; from the upper action value, mandatory use of protection, marking of noisy areas and a programme of measures to reduce exposure. The employer must provide hearing checks by an occupational health physician.
Choosing hearing protection. Attenuation is usually calculated with the SNR method from levels in dB(C), the HML method or by octave bands (EN ISO 4869-2). The calculator on this page is a simplified illustration for training purposes and does not replace a risk assessment.
Custom earplugs with PF filters are CE-marked personal protective equipment, tested to EN 352-2 and compliant with Regulation (EU) 2016/425. We send the certificate and filter specifications with attenuation values by frequency on request.
Hearing does not come back. You can protect it today.
We make individually shaped earplugs with PF filters from an impression of your ear canal. The impression is painless and takes a few minutes. More than 15 years of experience and our own laboratory in Slovenia.
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