Yard work is already strenuous enough without the added risk of sustaining hearing loss during it. Be it your time outside mowing the lawn, or hammering away at the patio or porch, yard work often involves loud noises that can hurt your hearing.
Noise-induced hearing loss occurs when people are exposed to extremely loud levels of noise. When you work outside in the yard, you can sustain hearing damage due to the loud machinery used during yard work. Hearing loss causes irreparable damage to your hearing abilities, thus you would be well advised to protect your ears the next time you go outside to finish your outdoor chores.
The sounds made by lawn mowers, drills, chainsaws, and even weed whackers can all cause hearing damage due to their loud levels of noise. Any noise that exceeds 85dB is considered unsafe for hearing, and all of these power tools exceed the safe sound limit. The more time you spend operating these tools, the more chances you have of developing hearing loss. Even a mere 15 minutes of using outdoor machinery can cause irreparable damage to your ears.
You can easily lower your risk of developing hearing loss by taking simple precautionary measures. Using earplugs or earmuffs before operating power tools can help mitigate your chances of sustaining hearing damage.
You may be tempted to listen to music while you work to decrease the boredom of mowing the lawn. This can actually double your chances of sustaining hearing damage, since the combined effect of the lawn mower and the added sound of loud music flowing directly into your ears can damage your hearing.
When working outside, make sure you take frequent breaks to give your ears some rest. Stop for a quick snack or simply take some time out before resuming your chores. Plan your work so that you do not have to do everything at once; schedule limited number of outdoor tasks for each day. Make sure to schedule in some breaks as well so that your task becomes more relaxed and enjoyable, and your ears get some well needed rest as well.
Several people still prefer using gas-powered tools over their electrical counterparts. Tools that are powered by gas tend to emit higher levels of sound compared to electronic ones and can thus cause more damage to your hearing. This is why it is better to use tools that are powered through electricity to lessen the burden on your ears. So next time you have some yard work, enjoy your work outside but don’t forget your earmuffs!