IMPROVE HEALTH EVERY DAY
SPRING YARDWORK and Hearing Protection Spring has sprung, which means many of us are considering getting back out into our yards to clean up the remains of winter. But before you get started, did you know that some yardwork equipment— including many gas-powered tools, such as lawnmowers, leaf blowers and string trimmers—can put you at risk for hearing loss?
Be sure to take these steps to reduce your risk of noise-induced hearing loss: • Limit your exposure to loud equipment. • Always wear hearing protection. • Keep up maintenance on your machinery, as worn parts may increase noise levels. • Consider using a quieter alternative when possible (e.g., a rake instead of a leaf blower). Wearing hearing protection is recommended anytime you use loud equipment, since harm to your hearing can get increasingly worse with each repeated exposure. A wide variety of hearing-protection options exist, including earmuffs, earplugs and even Bluetooth-enabled noise-canceling headphones. Ultimately, the option you will use most often will be the best one for you. sentara.com
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