Ear Plugs vs Ear Muffs: Which Type of Hearing Protection Is Best?

Hearing loss is a common concern for many workers. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), roughly 30 million workers are at risk for permanent hearing loss. Fortunately, there are products available to protect against work-related hearing loss.

If you work in a loud environment -- or if you are otherwise exposed to loud noises on a regular basis -- you might be wondering whether to choose ear plugs or ear muffs. Ear plugs and ear muffs can both offer protection against work-related hearing loss, but they differ in several ways. To determine which type of hearing protection is right for you, you should learn the differences between them.

What Are Ear Plugs?

Ear plugs are small pieces of sound-dampening material that are designed to fit inside of the ear canal. Most of them are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or memory foam. When inserted into your ear canals, they'll offer protection against work-related hearing loss. Ear plugs will absorb sound vibrations from your surrounding workspace, thereby reducing the amount of noise that reaches your ear drums.

Some of the benefits of choosing ear plugs include:

• Inexpensive
• Small and portable
• Comfortable to use
• Cooler and better suited for hot workplaces than ear muffs

What Are Ear Muffs?

Ear muffs, on the other hand, consist of headband with two muffs that cover the ears when worn. They don't sit inside of the ear canal. Rather, ear muffs are worn over the ears. You wear them by placing the band over the top of your head, after which you can adjust the muffs so that they fit directly over your ears. Ear muffs will then absorb sound vibrations to provide protection against work-related hearing loss.

Some of the benefits of choosing ear muffs include:

• Offer greater protection against work-related hearing loss
• Easy to use
• Adjustable
• Available with additional features, such as electronic sound-dampening technology

Choosing Between Ear Plugs and Ear Muffs

As you can see, ear plugs and ear muffs offer their own benefits. Ear plugs are an attractive choice because they are inexpensive, small and comfortable. Ear muffs, conversely, often provide a greater level of protection against work-related hearing loss. Ear muffs are also available with features that aren't found in ear plugs. Hopefully, this gives you a better understanding of the differences between ear plugs and ear muffs.