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Hearing Protection

Hearing protection

Our ears are complex and highly sensitive. Exposure to loud sounds can cause hearing damage gradually over a period of time. In fact, if you work or regularly spend time in environments where loud noise is common, you could be losing your hearing without even realizing it. And once you lose your hearing, that's it, most noise related hearing loss is irreversible. Specsavers Hearing Centres provide a range of value-for-money solutions for occasional and regular use, from instant fit devices to custom made products.

Health & Safety at work: Exposure to noise

EC regulations require employers to provide suitable hearing protection for their employees where noise levels exceed 80 decibels (dBA).

Here are some typical decibel (dBA) levels of everyday situations:

  • normal speech - 60-65 dBA
  • a busy street - 78-85 dBA
  • lawn mower - 85 dBA
  • forklift truck - 90 dBA
  • hand drill/angle grinder - 98 dBA
  • music venue/nightclub - 110 dBA
  • heavy lorry about 7 metres away - 95-100 dBA
  • chainsaw - 115-120 dBA