What additional protection do you gain by wearing both ear plugs and ear muffs?

Wearing both ear plugs and ear muffs together provides an additive effect on noise reduction, leading to greater overall protection from hazardous noise levels. Specifically, combining these two forms of hearing protection can achieve an increased attenuation of approximately 3 to 5 dB beyond what either device could offer on its own. This increased protection is attributed to two mechanisms: the passive attenuation of the ear plugs blocking sound from entering the ear canal, while the ear muffs provide additional coverage and dampening of sound waves.

This dual-layer approach addresses different frequencies and pathways for sound, resulting in a cumulative protective effect rather than simply doubling the protection. It is important for workers exposed to high noise environments to maximize their safety by using both forms, as recommended by safety guidelines.