How to properly insert your hearing protection

Believe it or not, but there is a right and a wrong way to insert your earplug hearing protection. If earplugs are worn incorrectly, you won’t be getting the full amount of protection you need to mitigate damage to your hearing over time. Full protective benefits occur only with proper wear – and wearing time – of your hearing protection.

Using earplugs correctly

Before we discuss how to insert your hearing protection correctly, determine which type of hearing protection you will be using: disposable or reusable. Whichever option you choose, your hearing protection must be used correctly to ensure optimum protection.

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Disposable: Correctly inserting disposable earplugs

1. Roll the HexArmor® disposable earplugs between your thumb and forefinger into a small, crease-free cylinder.
2. With your free hand, reach over your head and gently pull the ear up so that the ear canal is straight. This helps you get the best fit possible.
3. Insert HexArmor® earplugs and briefly hold them in place until fully expanded. Repeat on the other ear.
4. If the earplugs cannot be seen from the front, they are in the right position. If they can be seen, take the earplug out, roll it down again and pull your gently pull your ear up once more before inserting the earplug.

Please note that although disposable earplugs can certainly be thrown away after each use, the main reason to throw them away is for hygiene issues. If you have clean ears/ear canals, you can wear disposable earplugs more than once.

Reusable: Correctly inserting and cleaning reusable earplugs

1. The reusable earplugs have a left and right paddle. The pins are marked with an L (left side) and an R (right side).
2. With your right hand, take the R paddle of the reusable earplug between your thumb and forefinger.
3. Using the paddle, provide a gentle rotation and pressure to guide the reusable earplug into your right ear canal. The earplug should be completely inside the ear canal when properly inserted.
4. A perfect fit is achieved if the teardrop-shaped paddle faces down and slightly forward. If not, fit the reusable earplug deeper into the ear canal with a gentle rotating movement. Repeat steps 2-4 with the left side.

It’s important to clean reusable earplugs before using them day after day. Particularly in dusty and dirty working environments, particles can easily stick to the surface of your earplugs and cause minor injuries in the ear canal if they’re not clean and used again.

We recommend simply cleaning your earplugs with a moist cleaning cloth or cleaning them with water and mild soap. When you are not using your reusable earplugs, you should store them in an enclosed, safe area so that the earplugs remain clean and undamaged until the next use.

Finding your proper fit – HexArmor® can help

Inserting your hearing protection correctly is just as important as finding an earplug that’s comfortable, convenient, and compliant for your specific workplace noise hazards.

And we get it... the search for your perfect-fitting hearing protection can be difficult, but HexArmor® can help.

Engineered with the highest quality design and materials, we offer a complete family of hearing protection – from disposable and reusable earplugs to earmuffs – to deliver more options to fit your ear canal, application, and environment.

Because there are several factors to consider when choosing which hearing protection is right for you, let us know if you need help finding what you need or if you're ready to start a trial - our Solution Specialists are ready to work with you. Call 1-877-MY ARMOR or send us a message.

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