HSL-LL1

Ear plugs,Muffs, and Bands
As sound enters the outer ear, it is channeled down the ear canal until it reaches the ear drum. The ear drum, a thin membrane streched over a tube, is moved by the sound waves, vibrating at the same rate that the object did which started the sound wave. Behind the drum are three bones that are moved by the eardrum and carry the vibration to the inner ear. Here another drum seals a coiled liquid-filled tube called the cochlea. Thousands of hair cells in the inner ear translate these vibrations into electrical impulses that are transmitted to the brain for interpretation. When these hair cells are damaged by excessive exposure to loud noise, hearing loss occurs. Many people beleive hearing loss is temperary, that our ears become accustomed to the noise. Actually, permanent hearing loss occurs from damage to the cochlea. This may be a result of heredity, medical conditions, aging, or exposure to hazardous noise in the work enviroment. Most experts agree it is a combination of these factors. The good news is, though we may not have control over heredity and aging, we can protect ourselves in the work enviroment.

Safety Consultants LLC, 6223 Cooper Point Road NW, Suite A, Olympia, WA 98502-3489. Tel: 360-866-2387; Fax: 360-867-1009.