Damage is irreversible, and it may lead to a loss of balance, difficulty in communicating with job mates and other injury-inducing problems. The AFL-CIO says that 1 in 5 people exposed to noise levels allowed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will lose some hearing. The three most common are earmuffs, disposable foam ear plugs and reusable plastic plugs. Made from either PVC or polyurethane foam, they are rolled into a tight cylinder and pushed into the ear canal. When the compressed foam springs back to its original shape, the plug blocks out sound.
Earmuffs have a plastic or metal band that firmly clamps foam-lined cups over the ears.
Other types of muffs come with built-in radios capable of replacing chopsaw with Chopin. In looking at the products made by a number of companies, I was surprised to see that inexpensive foam plugs are rated just as highly as much more expensive earmuffs. Although the ratings are accurate, they probably don't reflect results you'll get on the job. The reason is that lots of people will not use the devices correctly. Muffs also are more convenient for anyone who is likely to put on and take off ear protection a number of times during the day.