Practical Ways to Prevent Hearing Loss on the Farm

When is it too much sound?

If your ears ring after noise exposure or you have difficulties hearing at the end of a workday, then you may have noise-induced hearing loss. Hearing loss can happen due to repeated exposure but also over time. Frequent exposure to noise over 70dB can lead to hearing loss, while a one-time exposure to noise above 120dB can do immediate damage to your ears.

Monitoring workplace noise and taking annual hearing tests can determine if there is hearing loss and the source(s) of the loss. You can also download the Sound Level Meter app on your mobile device from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The app measures sound levels and shows the acceptable noise level. For further information about the science behind sound and hearing, you can read Noise Induced Hearing Loss in Agriculture.

Table 1 shows the sound levels from a range of activities, most of the activities related to agriculture are in the decibel range that can cause hearing loss. Most of the activities in the table will lead to hearing loss overtime without the use of hearing protection.

Sources: Hearing Loss in Agricultural Workers, National Safety Council, Itasca, IL. League for the Hard of Hearing, New York, NY

Another way to look at it is by looking at how much time you spend doing an activity. Table 2 outlines common agricultural activities along with the hours per day and sound levels when damage can occur without hearing protection.

Source: Ag Safety and Health eXtension Community of Practice

Strategies to Reduce Noise in Ag Work Setting

Hearing protection begins with recognizing the level of sounds and limiting exposure to hazardous levels. The following strategies are ways to reduce noise in the workplace. 

Noise Reduction

Equipment maintenance (e.g., parts lubrication) and parts replacement (e.g., bearing, mufflers, silencers, etc.) can reduce friction and lower noise levels on a farm operation. Operating larger engines at lower speeds can also reduce noise levels. Sound levels can vary significantly among similar items, depending on age, maintenance, and specific features. For example, a 30-year-old tractor without a cab will be louder than a new enclosed-cab tractor. Additional ways to reduce noise levels include replacing old equipment with newer/quieter pieces, installing vibration isolation pads under equipment legs of noisy equipment on a cement floor, and using flexible mountings on chain saws and leaf blowers.

Noise Isolation

Noise isolation can involve either engineered features or management actions. Examples include tractor and skid loaders that can be purchased with sound-reducing cabs and tightly fitted cab doors and windows to reduce how much outside noise reaches the operator. Sound-absorbing material may be installed on walls and ceilings to enclose sound.

Managing Work Tasks Around Noise

Administration controls are a way to manage noise by looking at scheduling and reducing time an employee is exposed to noise. Changes include job rotation, so a worker spends a limited time at a particular task to reduce their noise hazard exposure. Another strategy is to rotate workers between noisy machinery and quieter jobs. Reduce noise exposure to an acceptable level by moving a work location farther away from the noise source or rescheduling some work to be done during less noisy times. Employees with known hearing loss should not be scheduled to work in high-noise-level areas.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE should be worn in addition to other noise reduction strategies to reduce the noise hazard to an acceptable level (as shown in Tables 1 and 2).

Ear protection devices are ranked by a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR), so choose the hearing protection with the highest rating. A NRR 25 rating suggests that noise will be reduced by as much as 25 decibels. For example, if you are working in a 105 dB work area and your PPE has a NRR 25 rating then the exposure level should be 80 dB, assuming a perfect fit for the hearing protection and that the worker is wearing the PPE the entire time they are exposed to that noise level. Earplugs and earmuffs are the primary types of hearing PPE.

Earplugs are available in different shapes, sizes, and stiffness and fit into the ear opening. They can be disposable or reusable and may have cords or stems for ease of use. To reduce risk of an ear infection, keep the earplugs clean and sanitized, and never share them with others.

• Disposable earplugs are compressed before inserting into the ear and then expand to fill the ear canal and should be thrown away at the end of the day.
• Reusable ear plugs can come pre-molded or moldable, or custom-fitted. They should be cleaned after each use. Check manufacturer recommendations regarding their care and replacement time.

Earmuffs can be used for years and typically cost between $20 and $50 a pair. They should fit snuggly against your head and cover your ear to provide a barrier to sound but will not block out all sounds. Some models can be used in combination with other safety equipment such as goggles, hard hat, and/or respiratory protection. Earmuffs are the preferred PPE for children and there is now a range of children sizes available.

Resources

• Hearing Loss on the Farm
• Noise Induced Hearing Loss in Agriculture

References

• Hearing loss and protection for agricultural producers. (2024) Ag Safety and Health eXtension Community of Practice.
• Hearing loss among farmers and agricultural workers (n.d.) Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health.
• Hearing Loss in Agricultural Workers, National Safety Council, Itasca, IL. League for the Hard of Hearing, New York, NY
• Noise and occupational hearing loss. (2024) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
• What noises cause hearing loss? (2024). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Original authors: Dennis J. Murphy, retired Professor, Agricultural Safety and Health, Sally Maud Robertson, Research Associate, and William Harshman, Research Assistant

Article updated by Florence Becot, Nationwide Early Career Professor of Agricultural Safety and Health and Linda Fetzer, Extension Program Specialist.