What type of hearing protection should be worn in conjunction with double hearing protection?

Double hearing protection is a method used to provide enhanced hearing conservation in environments with extremely high noise levels. The practice typically involves combining two types of hearing protection to reduce exposure further. When opting for double protection, the most effective combo often includes ear muffs paired with ear plugs.

Ear muffs cover the outer ear and provide a significant degree of noise reduction while forming a seal around the ears. This design not only enhances comfort but also ensures a snug fit that can contribute to better noise attenuation when used alongside ear plugs. The combination of these two forms maximizes the overall sound reduction because they work together to block or reduce sound waves from entering the ear.

In contrast, in-ear plugs, over-the-ear pads, and noise-canceling headphones do not provide the same level of protective effectiveness when layered with another form of protection as the typical combination of ear muffs and plugs does. Specifically, ear muffs are designed for high-noise situations and work best when layered with plugs for optimal noise reduction.