Earplug Ancient History
Earplugs made their debut around 800 BC. Homer first spoke of them in in his epic poem The Odyssey. Circe warns Odysseus of the islands of Sirens whose beautiful song make sailors crash their boats on the rocky shore. She advises him to make beeswax earplugs to save his crew from certain death.

OSHA Hearing Requirements
Today, instead of Circe, we have OSHA regulations that state, “Under the promulgated regulation [29 CFR 1910.95(i)(1)], OSHA requires that: Employers shall make hearing protectors available to all employees exposed to an 8-hour time-weighted average of 85 decibels or greater at no cost to the employees. Hearing protectors shall be replaced as necessary.”

Not as eloquent as Circe, but it’s pretty much the same message, earplugs should be worn in dangerous noise areas. In place of beeswax are PVC, polyurethane (PU) or thermoplastic rubbers (TPE). When purchasing earplugs of any type for employees who need hearing protection it’s a good idea to invest in an ear measure tool. This will help to ensure that you are buying protection that fits properly and will achieve a good seal in the ear. Poor fit will most certainly compromise the effectiveness of the earplug.

Earplugs are either disposable or reusable
Disposable earplugs are what they say they are. Earplugs that are thrown away after one use. The 3M™ E-A-R Classic earplugs were the world’s first foam earplugs and are still one of the most widely used earplugs today. This product is inexpensive and effective. It’s important that employees throw this type of ear plug away after one use. Reusing soiled earplugs could cause infections.

Reusable Earplugs are a good choice for people who need protection often. They are able to do what its name implies, be reused after multiple wearing. Again, to reduce the likelihood of ear infections, these earplugs must be washed with a non-chlorine soap and water in between use. Most people who wear reusable earplugs are employees who are exposed to harmful noise levels as recommended by OSHA. This includes employees using power tools, lawn equipment, or machinery.

BlackHawk Industrial Supply
BlackHawk Industrial is proud to offer top of the line products like 3M Integrated Solutions PPE for hearing protection that can be purchased right here on the BlackHawk website.  Currently our summer flyer features some of our most popular 3M disposable and reusable earplugs at discounted prices

Contact BlackHawk for more information
BlackHawk Industrial offers a variety of PPE options including 3M Integrated Solutions.  We are ready to take your questions and offer expert assistance with your threading questions. Contact us at [email protected] or call us TOLL FREE at (855) 610-1001.

BlackHawk’s Mission
Our mission is to provide innovative, value-added services and products that reduce our customer’s total cost. Feel free to contact us for more information.