Hearing protection is the last line of defence, not the first. The Regulations expect noise to be controlled at source where reasonably practicable — quieter machines, enclosures, damping, screens — with personal protection covering the risk that remains. That said, most real sites end up relying on it for at least some tasks, so choosing and fitting it properly matters.
What the rating on the box actually means
Hearing protectors carry a rating — commonly an SNR (Single Number Rating) figure in the UK and EU. It is a laboratory figure, measured under ideal conditions with a good, consistent fit. In real use — on a real head, put on in a hurry, worn for hours — the actual attenuation achieved is reliably lower than the label suggests. Treat the label as a ceiling, not a guarantee.
The aim is a safe range, not maximum protection
It is possible to over-protect. If protectors cut noise so far that someone can no longer hear machinery warnings, reversing alarms or a colleague shouting, they take them off, or they miss something they needed to hear — both bad outcomes. The aim is to bring the level at the ear down into a safe range, broadly 70–80 dB(A), not to remove sound entirely.
Dual protection, for the loudest tasks
Where levels are very high — often above around 105 dB(A), or on tasks with severe peaks — a single protector may not bring the level down far enough on its own. Combining ear plugs with ear muffs (dual protection) adds a further few decibels of attenuation for those specific tasks, without over-protecting everywhere else.
Fit matters more than the rating
- Foam plugs need to be rolled thin, inserted deep, and held while they expand — a plug that is pushed in without rolling can lose most of its rated attenuation.
- Pre-moulded plugs come in sizes; the wrong size for the ear canal will not seal properly.
- Ear muffs need a full seal against the head — safety glasses arms, long hair or a hood under the cushion all break the seal and let noise straight through.
Why people take protection off
Discomfort, heat, and not being able to communicate are the most common reasons hearing protection ends up round someone’s neck instead of on their ears. Fit-testing, offering a choice of protector types, and picking the right protection for the actual noise — not automatically the highest-rated option — does more for real-world compliance than any amount of signage.
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