Sound travels as waves of pressure through the air. If the energy from these waves is too strong, it can damage delicate parts of your ears, especially the hair cells, and reduce your ability to hear.

How does hearing protection work?

Hearing protection devices absorb or reflect the energy (the loudness) from sound waves before they reach the sensitive hair cells in your inner ear.

How to protect yourself

• Use hearing protection when it's so loud that you need to raise your voice to be heard.
• Make sure your hearing protection is comfortable and fits in or around your ears.
• If there is a loud noise, see if the noise can be made quieter, or if you can, move farther away from the noise.

Learn more

Visit Hearing protection to find guides, videos, and other information on this topic.

Remember, whether you’re at work, school, or home, staying safe is your most important job. If you see something unsafe, you have a right and responsibility to do something and talk to your supervisor, teacher, or parent about it.

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