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Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) is a unit of measurement used to determine the effectiveness of hearing protection devices to decrease sound exposure within a given working environment. Classified by their potential to reduce noise in decibels (dB), a term used to categorize the power or density of sound, hearing protectors must be tested and approved by the American National Standards (ANSI) in accordance with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). The higher the NRR number associated with a hearing protector, the greater the potential for noise reduction.
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When hearing protection is worn, your level of exposure to noise is based on the NRR rating of the protection device being used. Keep in mind, however, that while the NRR is measured in decibels, the hearing protector being used does not reduce the surrounding decibel level by the exact number of decibels associated with that protector’s NRR. For example, if you are at a rock concert where the level of noise exposure is 100 dB and you are wearing earplugs with an NRR 33dB, your level of exposure would not be reduced to 67 dB. Instead, to determine the actual amount of decibel deduction applied (when decibels are measured dBA which is the most common), you take the NRR number (in dB), subtract seven, and then divide by two. Given the previous example, your noise reduction equation would look like the following: (33-7)/2 = 13. This means that if you are at a rock concert with a level of noise exposure at 100 dB and you are wearing a hearing protector with an NRR 33 dB, your new level of noise exposure is 87 dB. If you are wearing a product with an NRR of 27 it would deduct 10 decibels (27-7/2=10).
*To maximize noise reduction, hearing protectors must be worn properly.
When hearing protectors are worn in combination (i.e. earplugs AND earmuffs), rather than adding the two NRR numbers together, you simply add five more decibels of protection to the device with the higher NRR. For example, using 3M™ E-A-R™ Classic Earplugs (NRR 29) with 3M™ Peltor™ H7 Deluxe Earmuffs (NRR 27) would provide a Noise Reduction Rating of approximately 34 decibels.
While the amount of on-the-job noise exposure can be determined through various testing devices, excessive noise is generally defined as exposure to 85 or more decibels of sound over an 8 hour period.According to OSHA,hearing protection is required for all employees at this degree of exposure. This OSHA Action Level, however, will vary depending upon the decibel level of the surrounding environment. For example, if a worker is exposed to 100dB in a 2 hour period, he or she is also required to wear hearing protection. Each hearing protector product is required to meet the ANSI S3.19-1974 testing of NRR levels.
In all cases where the sound levels exceed the values shown below, a continuing, effective hearing conservation program should be administered.
For a better grasp of industry standards, here are a few of the most common producers of noise levels that OSHA considersto be dangerous: lawnmowers, rock concerts, firearms, firecrackers, headset listening systems, motorcycles, tractors, power tools and industrial machinery. The use of hearing protection is strongly recommended during continued exposure to any of the previously listed environments, as all can deliver sounds in excess of 90 decibels.
150 dB = Rock Concerts at Peak
140 dB = Firearms, Air-Raid Siren, Jet Engine
130 dB = Jackhammer
120 dB = Jet Plane Take-off, Amplified Music at 4-6 ft., Car Stereo, Band Practice
110 dB = Machinery, Model Airplanes
100 dB = Snowmobile, Chain saw, Pneumatic Drill
90 dB = Lawnmower, Shop Tools, Truck Traffic, Subway
80 dB = Alarm Clock, Busy Street
70 dB = Vacuum Cleaner
60 dB = Conversation, Dishwasher
50 dB = Moderate Rainfall
40 dB = Quiet room
30 dB = Whisper, Quiet Library
Exposing yourself to high decibel environments can result in permanent damage to your hearing. In the event you find yourself in one of these environments, protect yourself with the proper hearing protection. If you have questions about any of the hearing protection products on our website, please feel free to call our customer service department. Our staff is dedicated to keeping your hearing safe and sound.
*Disclaimer*
The information contained on this page is for promotional and informational purposes only. All equipment should be used by trained professional tradesmen who have been trained how to use the equipment described on this page, and understand the risks of their work. PowerPak assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the use or misuse of any product purchased. In no event shall PowerPak be liable for any direct, special, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other torts, arising out of or in connection with the use of this information or the contents of this page. PowerPak reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents on this page at any time without prior notice.
Hearing protection is necessary for those living or working in a noisy environment such as construction sites, airports, factories, or even entertainment venues. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, anyone exposed to noise equal to or above 85 decibels regularly requires wearing hearing protection devices.
This is important because not wearing hearing protection can lead to permanent hearing loss, and if care is not taken from the get-go, it can be hard to prevent. However, there are a few things to know before you set out to select the right hearing protection device for yourself, and NRR is one of them.
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NRR is an abbreviation of Noise Reduction Rating, a unit of measurement used to determine how effective a hearing protection device is in reducing exposure to noise within a working environment. In other words, it tells the extent to which hearing protection devices may reduce the overall noise you are exposed to.
Therefore, hearing protectors need to pass the American National Standards (ANSI) in line with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to be declared effective for commercial use. However, it is important to keep in mind that any hearing protector's NRR is a laboratory tested figure. So the actual noise reduction provided by any such device may be lower than what their Noise Reduction Rating indicates.
The rule of thumb is that the higher the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of a device, the better it is. In fact, the highest NRR hearing protection devices are considered the best. However, as discussed above, these ratings are not as simple to decipher. For example, if you are on a construction site that has a noise exposure of 100 dB and you are wearing hearing protection headphones with an NRR of 40 dB, it does not mean that you are now exposed to 60 dB of noise.
The actual reduction in the level of noise will always be less than what the NRR states. So, to calculate the real decibel deduction provided by the hearing protector, you will have to apply the following formula:
(NRR – 7)/ 2 = Actual Decibel Deduction
Hence, following the above-stated example, you subtract 7 from 40 (which is the NRR of protective headphones) and divide the resulting number (33) by 2. So, the actual noise reduction provided by the headphones is 16.5 dB, and you are exposed to 83.5 dB of noise after wearing the hearing protection headphones.
Do not let this information undermine the importance of wearing hearing protection because it is important to remember that something is always better than nothing, and in this case, it is actually necessary. Moreover, to maximize noise reduction, wearing the hearing protection device properly is also crucial.
Oftentimes, when people work in excessively noisy conditions, they tend to wear double protection. For example, someone may choose to wear earmuffs on top of hearing protection earplugs. In this case, the total decibel reduction will not come by adding the individual reduction of each protective device.
To determine the total actual decibel reduction provided by both, you add 5 decibels of protection to the device with the higher NRR.
So, for example, if the earmuffs have an NRR of 26 and the earplugs have an NRR of 32, wearing both together will provide a total noise reduction of 37 decibels.
There are a couple of things to be cautious of when choosing your hearing protector. While NRR is one of the most important metrics to judge your potential protection device against, it is not the only thing to consider. In fact, the device which is right for someone else may not be the best for you.
Following are a few tips to help you understand how NRR should be used in the selection process and what are other factors to consider:
Depending on your budget and the intensity of noise, the right hearing protection device for you can be different from that of someone else's. While 'the higher the NRR, the better the device' notion holds true, you may not require a hearing protector with a very high NRR if you are exposed to moderate levels of noise.
The utility of your hearing protection device will be limited if it does not fit your ears perfectly, no matter how high its NRR is. For example, large ear defenders or headphones may appear to be an attractive option, but if they are loose on your ears, they may slip routinely, causing external noise to damage your ears.
Just like the optimal NRR for your hearing protection device may vary; similarly, the right type of hearing protector can differ according to your workplace. There are a number of options available in the market, such as earmuffs, earplugs etc., with further variations among them. You should make your decision based on the exposure of noise level, your own convenience, and your audiologist's advice.
If you are present in a setting that exposes you to high noise levels, you must consider wearing hearing protection. By taking preventative measures from the beginning, you can retain your hearing function; avoid damaged hearing or even just the risk of developing noise-induced, permanent hearing loss.
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