How sound can damage your ears — Why you need hearing protection

November 15, 2021: How sound can damage your ears — Why you need hearing protection Protect your hearing — When you shoot, noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus is a common condition for hunters and recreational shooters. While everyone knows that gunfire can be loud, very few people realize the potential damage to their hearing from shooting. A better quality suppressor can reduce the sound of a gunshot by 20-35 decibels (dB). Good muffs and plugs can reduce sound by 23-33 dB. Suppressors reduce the overall sound signature and help preserve the hearing for hunters and recreational shooters. Even the most powerful suppressors, even those with the smallest and quietest calibers (.22 LR), can reduce the gunshot’s peak sound level to between 110 and 120 dB. This is a significant reduction in sound volume, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. It is equivalent to a jackhammer (110 dB), or an ambulance siren (122 dB). Normal caliber handguns or rifles have suppressed sounds levels that exceed 130 dB. This is just below OSHA’s threshold of 140 dB. Dr. William W. Clark is the current Director at Washington Univ. School of Medicine’s Audiology/Communication Sciences Program, a “serious threat to hearing comes from recreational hunting or target shooting”. This is due in large part to the fact that many people don’t use traditional hearing protection devices such as earmuffs or earplugs to be able hear their surroundings. Multiple studies have shown that 70 to 80% hunters don’t wear earmuffs or earplugs and nearly half the target shooters don’t wear traditional hearing protection. It should not be surprising that hunters are seven percent more likely than others to develop high frequency hearing loss after five years of hunting. This article is based upon information from the American Suppressor Association. Since the ASA was formed in 2011, three additional states allow suppressor ownership. Additionally, 18 states permit suppressor hunting. For more information, visit www.AmericanSuppressorAssociation.com.
Similar Posts: Tags: decibel, Earmuffs, Earplugs, Silencer, Sound Moderator, Suppressor