Earmuffs fit over the ears to protect against potentially harmful sound levels that can cause hearing loss. Padded ear cups create a seal around the ears to dampen surrounding noise. Compared to earplugs, safety earmuffs provide a longer life and a more consistent fit to reach their optimal noise-reduction rating (NRR). They’re also more visible than earplugs to confirm that workers comply with hearing safety rules. Protective earmuffs are ideal for environments with intermittent noise because they can rest around the neck when not in use and don’t require rolling to reequip. They can be paired with earplugs to increase the NRR.
