Do ear plugs cause infections?

hearing protection

3 Feb

It is quite common for people to ask if ear plugs cause ear infections, especially if worn all day every day.

Key points on ear plugs and ear infections

No, ear plugs do not cause ear infections.
Dirty hands putting ear plugs in can cause an infection, as can reusing dirty ear plugs.

Putting dirty ear plugs in will cause infections so no taking them out, putting them in a pocket, and then putting them back in the ears unless they are a silicone type and can be washed first.

Dirty hands putting the ear plugs in will cause infections. Having a good scratch of the Gentleman Jewels then getting hold of the ear plug and rolling it about in the fingers and shoving it into an ear will cause infections.

Ear plugs do not cause infections - how someone uses them causes infections.

FAQ; Ear plugs and ear infections

Surely putting something in my ear makes it hot and any bacteria will spread?

Your ear is already hot and at body temperature, blocking it with an ear plug will not cause a problem. It could cause an issue with an existing ear infection which needs to be allowed to drain or dry, but it will not cause an infection.

I was told an ear plug can go in so far it bursts the ear drum, is this true?

I’ve been told this myself on a noise assessment as well so it is something I have heard directly, but no. Your ear canal is quite long and an ear plug is shorter than the ear canal, the ear plug will not go so deep it touches or bursts the ear drum

More information on hearing protection at work

Featured

What to do if someone refuses to wear hearing protection.

In a noise assessment, it is common to hear a comment along the lines of ‘we’ve given them hearing protection and told them to wear it, so what else can we do’, but that is not the end of the employer’s obligations for hearing protection.

How long does hearing protection last?

Most hearing protection does have a set life expectancy and will ‘expire’ after a set time, even if not in use. A typical shelf life for hearing protection is five years, or lower for more budget options. This is how long hearing protection can last for before needing to be replaced.

Wearing double hearing protection

A common recommendation from Occupational Health Physicians is ‘recommend wear double hearing protection’. What they are saying is that the person concerned wears two sets of hearing protection but this often has no link to the findings of the noise assessment.

How to choose the right hearing protection

A need for hearing protection is a common outcome of a noise assessment or a noise survey but how do you choose the right hearing protection for your noise risk, especially as 'strongest is best' is usually not the case.

Reusing foam ear plugs multiple times

Despite ear plugs having quite a low per-pair cost, that cost can soon mount up and it is tempting for employers to limit how many pairs people can use in a given period, or the employees themselves choose to reuse them, but this is not always a good approach and can also be a false economy.

Loop ear plugs as hearing protection at work

Loop have emerged recently as one of the new entrants in the hearing protection market, with a lot of their marketing focused on social media. There are a lot of these types of company popping up these days but in Loop’s case their claims for their ear plugs are intriguing, so I decided to give a couple of styles a try.

Requirements for checking hearing protection

When it comes to noise assessments, managing noise risks and issuing hearing protection, employers need to monitor and enforce usage but also importantly have a system in place for checking the hearing protection is still suitable for use and is not deteriorating or damaged.

Over-protection - what are the issues?

Over-protection often comes from well-meaning employers buying the strongest hearing protection they can find - hearing protection with the highest SNR. They mean well but it often actually increases risk and for the employer, means more of the money they spend on hearing protection is wasted.

Hearing aid users and hearing protection in high noise areas

A common issue following a noise assessment concerns people who wear hearing aids but who also work in a high noise area so fall into the requirements for hearing protection to be worn. This is some advice on how to manage it.

Is the price of hearing protection linked to how good it is?

Hearing protection comes in a very wide range of prices, but is price consistent with ‘better’ hearing protection?

Can music headphones be used at work?

Can someone use noise cancelling headphones in place of hearing protection in a high noise environment? Short answer is no, not if there is a noise risk as they are not certified as hearing protection.

Can disclaimers or GP letters be used to not wear hearing protection?

Often people offer to sign a disclaimer saying they accept the risk of hearing damage from not wearing protection, or they produce a letter from a doctor saying they do not have to wear it, but both are no good.

Do ear plugs cause infections?

Sometimes people will say using ear plugs causes them to get ear infections, but do ear plugs actually cause infections? Short answer, no. Dirty hands putting them in, that can cause an infection, but not the plugs themselves.

Do forklift drivers have to wear hearing protection?

There is no exemption from the need to wear hearing protection for forklift drivers. High noise will have the same impact on them as on any other person. Their hearing will still be damaged by noise.

Are medical exemptions possible from a need to wear hearing protection?

It is common to hear someone claim a medical exemption from the need to wear hearing protection at work, sometimes backed up with a note or letter from a GP, or sometimes self-claimed, but are medical exemptions from the need to wear hearing protection possible?

Standards for hearing protection at work

I was looking through all my other noise assessment related blog posts and thought ‘you know what, these are all very exciting but I reckon I can take it up another notch and push things to the very limit’, so here it is, an article on what the standards are for hearing protection at work. Brace yourself, it’s a rock n’ roll ride.

Can ear plugs cause tinnitus?

Can wearing ear plugs cause tinnitus when worn all day in a factory?

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The Noise Chap

Website and blog articles written by Adam, The Noise Chap - an independent occupational noise assessor with over 30 years of experience, holding the IoA Certificate of Competence in Workplace Noise Assessment, the NEBOSH Diploma, certified in screening audiometry and a member of the British Society of Audiology.

https://www.thenoisechap.com/about-the-noise-chap

Do ear plugs cause infections?

Key points on ear plugs and ear infections

FAQ; Ear plugs and ear infections

Surely putting something in my ear makes it hot and any bacteria will spread?

I was told an ear plug can go in so far it bursts the ear drum, is this true?

More information on hearing protection at work

Contact The Noise Chap

Contract noise assessments

Policies

Gubbins

Do ear plugs cause infections?

Key points on ear plugs and ear infections

FAQ; Ear plugs and ear infections

Surely putting something in my ear makes it hot and any bacteria will spread?

I was told an ear plug can go in so far it bursts the ear drum, is this true?

More information on hearing protection at work

Are noise-sensing illuminated signs any use for noise safety?

Driving for work and noise exposures

Contact The Noise Chap

Contract noise assessments

Policies

Gubbins