I work around construction crews frequently. They use jack hammers and pneumatic drills put holes in concrete. These tools are very loud and when using earplugs I can’t hear people giving direction. I already have slight hearing loss so although regular ear plugs help prevent further damage, it completely eliminates the possibility of conversation or vernal direction while wearing them. Will these provide protection from tools as the ones described while still allowing me to hear others talk?
The idea behind these earplugs is that instead of “muffling” the sound, it “attenuates” the sound so you can still hear a reasonable frequency range. I compare it to simply turning down the volume on my radio - I can still hear most everything in the music (note I said “most”) but just not as loud. The catch is that they attenuate all sound pretty much equally, so not only do they reduce the sonic impact of jackhammers, drills, etc. they also reduce the level of the people speaking as well so that could be an issue if you have mild hearing loss in the same frequency range as the person who is talking to you is speaking.
Check the specs for these particular earplugs as they make several levels that reduce the decibel levels different amounts. I keep two pairs of these for use at concerts, etc. - one that has a 21 dB reduction and another that has a 27 dB reduction, depending on the situation.
Hope this helps, even if just a little.
Thank you for your reply. That does help me decide. I appreciate the info.