[Merv and Sharon]

Yes Ralph, the ear muffs (cup type with soft edges to accommodate glasses, etc.) are best but the real damage was always thought to be high frequency noise as it damages the hair cells at the beginning of the cochlear and when damaged permanently affects hearing for speech (particularly in distinguishing among consonants and creates confusion among some vowels). Now research has shown that low freq noise - often not as easily noticed - is equally damaging of high frequency hearing.