Earbuds vs. Earplugs

Earbuds are commonly used to listen to music during work, and often worn in areas where hearing protection is required. The term “noise cancelling” is easily misinterpreted as meaning “noise reducing”, resulting in noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds being purchased as hearing protection.  Not all noise cancelling devices provide hearing protection, and wearing them may cause permanent hearing impairment.  Earbuds/headphones must:

1. Be ANSI certified, with a
2. Noise Reduction Rating (NRR), and
3. Meet the minimum NRR requirement for the noise level of the work environment.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) infographic hearing loss webpage at https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/infographic/ to learn more about the loudness of various common sounds and how to protect your hearing.  See CDC’s hearing protection webpage for more information on noise cancellation versus noise reduction: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/noise/prevent/ppe.html. 

See the following table for earbud recommendations that provide hearing protection as well as active noise cancellation: