Work-related activities and recreational activities can often involve hazardous noise exposures, which can put your hearing at risk. There are a number of steps you can take to help prevent noise-induced hearing loss and help prevent age-related hearing loss from becoming worse.

• Always wear earmuffs or earplugs when using loud equipment at work or at home. These protect your ears by bringing loud sounds down to an acceptable level. If when using loud equipment you have to raise your voice or shout over the noise to be heard by someone close by, the noise may be a serious risk to your hearing.
• Monitor the levels of your headphones and your children’s headphones when listening to music. Listening to music that is too loud can damage your hearing. Investing in higher quality headphones that block out background noise means your listening levels can be turned down to a safe level, even in a noisy place.
• Avoid frequent participation in recreational activities involving hazardous noise, such as firearms, firecrackers, music concerts, sporting events and motorcycles. When attending or participating in these activities, take breaks from the noise or bring ear protection.
• Have your hearing tested regularly. Hearing tests can provide early detection of hearing loss, which means you can take steps to prevent any further hearing loss.