Synoptic table of advantages and disadvantages of each type of personal hearing protector:
| HPD | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Ear muffs | Intermittent use | Problems related to comfort (heat, pressure, etc.) |
| Reduced losses | ||
| Simple setup | Reduced efficiency in case of glasses, long hair, beard, skull morphology, etc. | |
| Ideal in case of infections or ear surgery | ||
| Increased attenuation | Low compatibility with other PPE | |
| Customized earplugs | Easy setup | Regular maintenance |
| Comfort | Requires impressions to be taken by a professional | |
| Lifetime | ||
| Good fit | Not suitable for infected ears | |
| Hygiene (no handling of the portion inserted into the ear canal when the hearing protector is equipped with a handle) | ||
| Good compatibility with other PPE | High initial investment | |
| High wearing rate | ||
| Earplugs to be molded | Low investment | Hygiene problems during shaping if hands are not clean |
| More suitable fit than preformed earplugs | Risk of itching | |
| Systematic replacement | ||
| Not suitable for infected ears | ||
| Good compatibility with other PPE | Instructions for set up must be strictly followed | |
| Setting up is complex or impossible for the morphology of some ears | ||
| No maintenance required | Significant production cost over a long term | |
| Preformed earplugs | Hygiene (no handling of the portion inserted into the ear canal when the hearing protector is equipped with a handle) | Regular maintenance |
| Not suitable for infected ears | ||
| Low investment | Risk of itching | |
| Washable and reusable | Instructions for set up must be strictly followed | |
| Good compatibility with other PPE | The diameter must be adapted to the size of the ear canal | |
| Reduced effectiveness for ear canals with excess hair |