When practical, arrange work schedules so that farm workers do not exceed the allowable exposure limit to a high noise source. For example, for a tractor that produces a noise level of 95 dBA, the safe exposure is four hours per day per person. Try to arrange work schedules to let farm workers exchange work activities so that no one person is exposed to the noise for more than four hours. Personal protection equipment Personal protection equipment is the final alternative for farm workers who wish to cut down on noise exposure. The two basic types of hearing protection are earmuffs and earplugs.
Earmuffs are the most effective.
Some may attenuate sound by as much as 40 dB. To get good-quality muffs, deal with a reputable firm. Examine them for comfort, construction, seal and attenuation. Manufacturers supply attenuation data for their product, so you can evaluate their effectiveness. Earplugs are available as preformed inserts made of rubber, plastic or foam and hand-formed inserts of disposable materials such as wax or Swedish Wool. For agricultural use, wax and Swedish Wool have little value from a sanitation standpoint because they must be changed daily and must be shaped by hand before inserting and because of their lower attenuation level.