Ear Muffs over Hearing Aids

Hearing Aids
#1

I often have to go into my factory where noise levels are fairly high. (Worst case is 110 dB).

What I have been doing is switching my hearing aids to “Noise Mode”, reducing the volume slightly, (just enough to prevent feedback), and putting on Ear Muff protectors (NRR 25) over my Destiny 1200s.

When I put them on the noise in the shop actually gets a little louder, and I can hear conversation extremely well. I can hear people talking even better than my colleagues with supposedly normal hearing.

Am I being protected, or are my hearing aids defeating the purpose of the muffs ?

#2

I am in exactly the same position. HA’s with earmuffs is louder than nothing at all but Health & Safety requires me to wear hearing protection. I also find that the earmuffs causes sweating and moisture in the HA’s.
I have now given up and exchange my HA’s for earplugs in the plant and switch back to HA’s for meetings.
I believe that my HA’s in “mute” mode cut the noise level sufficiently but there are those who will differ on this.

Gilbert

#3

Could you mute your HAs before putting the muffs on?

#4

If I were to mute them, I would hear nothing at all.

I took the earmuffs home with me last night and tried them at home. I could hear my wife speaking quietly while my back was turned to her. But when she put them on she could not hear me speaking quietly. (So at least I know the earmuffs work).

I guess hearing protector just don’t work the same way with hearing aids.

This is very problematic, because i have no way to both protect my hearing and still be able to function in the shop.

#5

Do you think the audi can do an REM (?) with the muffs on to see the volume levels that you are getting? Do you feel like the volume is too loud?

#6

Actually, I don’t think the volume is too loud at all. The noise, though louder seems to a muffled quality and speech is clear as a bell.

But as of yet, I have not tested it on a known 110 dB sound.

My only concern is that I can be damaged by the loud noise, even if that sound is not “too loud” for me.

#7

I would think that over time a 110db sound would do further damage to your hearing. It’s not how loud you perceive it to be but how loud it actually is that causes the damage.