Hearing protection

[toddler]

Hi All,
Was reading another thread, and it touched on hearing protection. Got me curious. I wear earmuff type hearing protection when I use my tractor, lawn mower, or contractor saw. Always. Use a helmet/hearing protector/face shield when I chainsaw (with chaps) or use a "weed wacker".
(Usually wear a hat too without the helmet, but accidentally left it inside yesterday. I now have burn lines in front of and behind where the earmuff headband was on my poor balding head to remind me of that./w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif)
Anyway, do most of us/you wear hearing protection, or am I in the minority?
Todd

 

[JackIL]

I use a helmut, face shield, ear-protector combination when operating a chain saw, weed-eater, DR trimmer, etc. but not on a tractor.

 

[Von]

Todd,
I wear the muffs w/speakers and use a "walkman" radio for cutting the grass. With 5 ac. of yard it gets boring while cutting. If I am doing loader work or just moving around and getting on and off the tractor alot I don't wear them.

 

[Boondox]

Todd -- Having served in the navy and Marine Corps, I've always been protective of my hearing. That said, however, I wear them on the tractor only when operating at PTO speed. Borrowed a digital sound meter from work and found that the noise levels only begin to approach (not hit) the limits for prolonged exposure above 2400 rpm when measured from Clementine's seat at head height.

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[looch]

I wear the muff type (Sordin is the brand), but like Pete, only at PTO speeds. I go for full riot gear when weed-whackin': Boots, jeans, long sleeves, safety glasses, hearing protection, and a hat. I've been hit by loose gravel, twigs and other stuff that was moving too quickly to identify. The muff-type hearing protection not only blocks sound but acts like a hard hat for my ears, too.

Paul

 

[RobertN]

If spending more than a few minutes on the tractor, I wear ear muffs. Usually, I wear the same outfit I use for the chain saw and brush cutter; a Husky helmet/face shield/ear muff combo.

I have so many bushes and poison oak that try to wack me in the face, the face shield comes in handy!

RobertN in Shingle Springs Calif

 

[Jag]

I always -- always wear hearing protection using any equipment, weedeater, chainsaw, tractor.... I will not let anyone else use any of my equipment with out hearing protection.... I have to much trouble talking to my father. Also have some hearing loss do to early exposure to gun fire, and DO NOT want any more...

 

[geneP]

I'm like Jag...I have some hearing loss and don't want to loose any more. I wear the foam plug type when I'm using my Gravely to mow the lawn or when using the Kubota.

 

[RobS]

Foam earplugs at PTO speed and chainsawing for more than a minute or two. I definitely need to add some leg armor to my collection for weedwhacking /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[RPM]

I DON'T CURRENTLY USE HEARING PROTECTION BUT AM PLANNING ON GETTING SOME SOON - MY WIFE COMPLAINS THAT I TALK TOO LOUD WHEN I COME IN FROM WORKING ON MY BX!! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[mrolson]

I was on the tractor all weekend, without ear protection, and I can’t hear a thing in this post.

Mark

 

[glennmac]

When I began serious brush cutting last fall in tall bushes, brambles and the woods, bought a helmet with face guard for protection. I am glad I did because I got whacked many times on the head and in the face. Strongly recommend this protection for brushcutting, chainsawing and weedwhacking.

The helmet also had earmuffs. I hadnt bought it for this reason, but after I had worn them I was amazed at how much noise they cut out--and how very LOUD the tractor sounded when I did not have them on. I already have tinnitus and don't want to further risk my hearing.

Found that I didnt like wearing the helmet in warmer weather for simple mowing and hauling jobs, but still wanted hearing protection. So I bought a pair of solo hearing muffs and wear them all the time.

Like Von, I also use a radio somethimes. I have a small belt clip radio for which I bought in-ear foam earphones--the kind where the thin wires dangle down from your ears. The hearing muffs fit right over the earphones comfortably.

 

[toddler]

We're clearly running a higher percentage of users who wear hearing protection than I would have expected. Wonder if people interested enough in tractors to find a web site like this are simply the type predisposed to also get some protective equipment to go with it. Would make sense. Would also make sense that we all probably have more power tools than the average home owner, but that's another post. I'll querry that in a day or so.
Todd

 

[hayden]

I used to get headaches after a few hours of tractoring and always attributed it to the diesel exhaust. I've started wearing hearing protection, either foam plugs of muffs and after spending all last week tractoring (what a heavenly experience), I had no headaches at all. I'm sold now.

 

[Wingnut]

Todd ... just like American Express .... I don't leave home without it. Wear hearing protection on the Kubota, on the lawn tractor, in the shop, while using the lawn mower, or the week whacker or any other power tool. KNow too many people that are in the mid-to-late years and have almost no hearing left .... I'll keep mine, thank you.

too bad that common sense ain't

 

[bcarter]

Do I wear them... yup - all the time, every time.

Do people working around me wear them... yup (I keep several pair of "guest muffs" on hand in the shop).

My 2 yr old son even has is own pair for use while he's watching dad in the shop!

Bill