Earmuffs

This pair not only blocks out loud noises but permits normal conversation. It has a microphone, small speakers and a volume control permitting day-to-day sounds at normal levels.

Some ear defenders employ active sound protection, in which a microphone mounted in the headset picks up ambient sounds and transmits them through a dynamic range compression circuit to earphones inside. By virtue of the dynamic compression, the headset can be adjusted to allow the wearer to hear sounds at ordinary volumes normally, while attenuating louder sounds. Similar active earplugs also exist, primarily aimed at musicians.but this is not true.

History

Chester Greenwood invented the earmuff in 1873, at the age of 15.He reportedly came up with the idea while ice skating, and had his grandmother sew tufts of fur between loops of wire. He was awarded patent #188,292 on March 13, 1877. He manufactured these ear protectors, providing jobs for people in the Farmington, Maine area, for nearly 60 years.

Hearing protection

If people are exposed to excessively loud environments (85 dB or more), ear protectors are necessary to prevent ear damage. They should be worn whenever power tools, loud yard equipment, or unsuppressed firearms are used. The table below shows how easy it is to exceed the maximum exposure levels. Even at sound levels below the level of possible damage, hearing protection will reduce fatigue from frequent exposure to sound.