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29 CFR § 1926.101 - Hearing protection.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t29/s1926.101"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "29 CFR § 1926.101 - Hearing protection."
title_number: 29
title_name: "Labor"
section_number: "1926.101"
section_name: "Hearing protection."
chapter_name: "OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR"
part_number: "1926"
part_name: "SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "40 U.S.C. 3704; 29 U.S.C. 653, 655, and 657; and Secretary of Labor's Order No. 12-71 (36 FR 8754), 8-76 (41 FR 25059), 9-83 (48 FR 35736), 1-90 (55 FR 9033), 6-96 (62 FR 111), 3-2000 (65 FR 50017), 5-2002 (67 FR 65008), 5-2007 (72 FR 31159), 4-2010 (75 FR 55355), 1-2012 (77 FR 3912), or 8-2020 (85 FR 58393), as applicable; and 29 CFR part 1911, unless otherwise noted"
regulatory_source: "44 FR 8577, Feb. 9, 1979; 44 FR 20940, Apr. 6, 1979, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "1926"
---

# 1926.101 Hearing protection.

(a) Wherever it is not feasible to reduce the noise levels or duration of exposures to those specified in Table D-2, Permissible Noise Exposures, in § 1926.52, ear protective devices shall be provided and used.

(b) Ear protective devices inserted in the ear shall be fitted or determined individually by competent persons.

(c) Plain cotton is not an acceptable protective device.