A benchtop planer recently reviewed by Toolsy can put off sounds at levels of 105 to 110 decibels. To put this into the context of woodworking, there are a lot of sounds in a shop or even in your garage that can be damaging. Even higher than that are fireworks, a cap gun, a balloon pop, or gunshots. By the time you get to 140 decibels and higher, these are sounds such as a plane taking off. Once you get up to 90 decibels, you are looking at a sound level of a tractor or an electric drill. Putting these numbers in perspective, rustling leaves are measured at about 10 decibels. Instead, it’s important to explain these levels via comparison. These numbers don’t mean much if you are only casually familiar with decibel measurement. In fact, you can experience hearing loss at extended exposure to sounds at a level of 90 decibels. This doesn’t mean you should only worry about sounds that are around 140 decibels. The major points on the scale are 0 decibels which is the threshold of hearing and 140 decibels is the threshold for pain. You shouldn’t try to skip out or “be tough” in the place of hearing protection. The first thing you need to know is that hearing protection isn’t optional. Why Is Hearing Protection Important When Woodworking? Luckily, there are a lot of choices when it comes down to finding the best hearing protection to use while you work.
Depending on the fact that every pair of muffs or earplugs is as good as the next is a great way to leave your ears under protected. However, not every set of hearing protection you see when you’re shopping around is going to protect you equally.
If you are woodworking, you need to protect your hearing. Here is Pete’s take on woodworking, the noise it generates and hearing protection from a carpenter’s point of view. The products presented here are purely his recommendations from years of protecting his hearing while woodworking and no scientific data are included for comparison or contrast.
Suggestions carpenters from a colleagues will often be seriously considered by those exposed to noise rather than suggestions from an audiologist. Acoustics presented here are his interpretation to his colleagues as woodworkers and his hearing protection device suggestions are simply his recommendations. A few weeks ago, Pete Alman, a self-proclaimed “carpenter turned writer” approached Hearing International with an idea for an article on woodworking and noise exposure. “So what, a little more noise will not make it that much worse and I hate those earplugs anyway!” Of course, this is the wrong idea as we know that further damage can not only impair hearing but can make tinnitus worse and possibly has other complications. Since there is already a hearing loss so…. Often they feel that they have been exposed to noise for such a long time more exposure it will not make much difference. While most audiologists realize that exposure to power tool noise while wood working can be hazardous to your hearing, there are still others that are not convinced.
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