May 4th 2023All shooters should wear ear protection at the range, including rimfire enthusiasts. A typical rifle shot is loud, ranging from 140 to 170 decibels. (The pain threshold is 130-140 decibels). You can permanently damage your ears by shooting without ear protection. We all know of older shooters who have Tinnitus or are partially deaf because they did not use earplugs and muffs while they were younger.The human hearing system is composed of multiple delicate membranes, organs and nerves. Shooters may understand the importance of protecting hearing, but they might not understand the biomechanics behind human hearing. Auditory Transduction is how we hear sounds. Sound waves vibrate your eardrum (tympanic layer), but this is just the beginning. These vibrations are transmitted via tiny rocker arms to the spiral chamber of the cochlea. The cochlea separates vibrations into frequencies, which are then sent to the brain as neural messages. This is a complex process that appears miraculous when you look at the bio-engineering involved. In the video above, the process for human Auditory Transduction has been explained and illustrated in 3D animation. This video is amazing. You will be amazed at how much you can hear. The Electronic muffs come in handy when you’re spotting other shooters, or working near the firing lines. They allow you to hear normal conversations while providing vital hearing protection. You can wear ear-plugs underneath muffs to reduce sound.
According to OHS Online, “The combined attenuation between an ear plug or ear muff and a hearing protector is not just the sum of their individual performances.” This is due to the interaction of the ear muff with the ear plug, which causes them to act as a unit rather than as separate hearing protectors. OSHA [now recommends] 5 dB [as the typical] benefit of combining hearing protectors.” Source: OHSonline.comEar Diagram courtesy Siemens Medical Solutions
Tags: Howard Leight earplugs – Noise Reduction Rating (NRR), OSHA, Howard Leight Earplugs
