Hearing protection equipment is a critical part of any industry where noise threatens employees on a daily basis. From manufacturing to energy production to construction, workers in all kinds of jobs need some way to shelter their ears from the high-decibel sounds of machinery. As part of an overall plan for workplace safety, hearing protectors are a must.

Some work environments are louder than others and managers need to plan accordingly. What works for one shop may not work for another.

Business operators look for industrial hearing protectors in situations like the following:

1. For daily use by many staffers in a warehouse or plant area where loud machinery runs often during a shift.

2. As part of an OSHA-approved workspace protection measure for a floor or plant space.

3. For roving contractors dealing with high-decibel noise in commercial or residential settings.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get cheap, disposable ear plugs for in bulk for your large warehouse

If your workplace noise is more nuisance than health hazard, you may be able to get by with the basics. Find vendors who sell the simplest plastic ear plug models in bulk. You can provide these items in public areas and let staffers manage their own hearing protection.

I recommend: Get multiple bulk ear plug buys at sites like Cooper Safety. Find bargains on ear plugs at Best Lab Deals.

Get decibel-rated ear plugs for eardrum protection

For some louder job environments, it's not enough to just go with any foam or plastic ear plug model. Within the industry, professionals have created a rating system for industrial hearing protectors. The NRR or noise reduction rating ensures that a particular set of plugs will meet requirements for a specific noise level. Buy ear plugs for eardrum protection according to your job environment's decibel level to make sure your workers are protected.

I recommend: Get information and buys on specific NRR ear plugs and hearing protection equipment at Ear Plug Superstore. Get decibel rated safety hearing protectors at Revolution Health.

Get custom 'headphone' hearing protectors

In addition to ear plugs, you can also find other styles of hearing protectors and ear safety products online. Ear plugs are great for a lot of factory or construction environments, but to protect your ears on other jobs, you might want the features of earmuff or headphone style protectors. Workers can take these models on and off more quickly, and they are good for workers with particular roles, like forklift drivers, or others who may be in and out of the job environment multiple times per shift. Some workers even use both ear plugs and earmuff models for added decibel protection.

I recommend: Get earmuff and headphone models at Tasco Safety. Try the Tactical Store for more on specialized hearing protection devices.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Figure out your staff size before shopping. Think about long-term purchasing and keep your information on staff size to make quicker repeat buys in the future.