Hearing and eye protection for home projects

Harmful noise at home comes from lawn mowers, leaf blowers and woodworking tools, and mowing, home repairs and cleaning put debris and splashes near the eyes.

Noise damages the hair cells in the inner ear, and those cells don't grow back. Hearing lost to noise is gone for good, and it's the one kind of hearing loss that can be prevented completely. Based on hearing tests from 2011 and 2012, at least 10 million adults in the United States under 70 show signs of hearing loss from loud noise.

What you need

• Foam earplugs or earmuffs, from a hardware or sporting goods store
• Safety glasses or safety goggles
• Splash-proof goggles for cleaning products and chemicals
• A hook or a bin next to the mower, the blower and the saw

Steps

1. 1

   List the loud jobs

   Sound at or below 70 decibels is unlikely to damage hearing, even over a long time. Long or repeated exposure at 85 decibels or more can. Normal conversation runs 60 to 70 decibels.

   5 min

2. 2

   Get earplugs or earmuffs

   Earplugs and earmuffs made for specific activities are sold at hardware and sporting goods stores.

   10 min

3. 3

   Get the right eye protection

   Safety glasses and goggles protect the eyes during construction work and home repairs. Wear safety goggles to mow, and splash-proof goggles or safety glasses to work with cleaning products. If you wear glasses, most protective eyewear can be made in your prescription.

   10 min

4. 4

   Clear the yard before mowing

   Pick up trash and anything else that could fly into your eyes while you mow.

   10 min

5. 5

   Keep it where the tools are

   Hang the earplugs, earmuffs and glasses next to the tools that need them, so they go on every time. Keep children's ears covered, or keep children away, when the loud tools run.

   5 min

If something gets in your eye

For sand or dust, don't rub the eye. Wash it out with water. For a chemical splash, rinse the eye with water for at least 10 minutes, then see a doctor right away. For a blow to the eye, hold a cold compress on it gently for 15 minutes to bring down the swelling, then see a doctor. If something is stuck in the eye, don't pull it out. Put a loose bandage over the eye without pressing on the object, and get medical care right away.

Signs your hearing is changing

Damage from noise usually builds slowly, so it's easy to miss. Sounds start to seem muffled or distorted, people seem harder to understand, and the television needs turning up. Ringing, buzzing or roaring in the ears, called tinnitus, can follow loud noise too. Have your hearing tested if you notice any of these. For sanding and other dusty work, dust masks and respirators for home projects covers protecting your lungs.