Water stagnating in the ear canal promotes swimmer's ear; the noise of a construction site destroys, decibel after decibel, auditory cells that do not regrow. Two very different aggressions, a single logic of protection: preventing what should not enter. This is the role of the Swimming & Work Kit: triple-flange ear tips (-29 dB) that clip onto your Ears 360 Silence earplugs—the high-protection version of the range, for the pool as well as for work.
Protecting your ears at the pool: preventing swimmer's ear
Why water is a problem for the ear canal
Otitis externa—nicknamed "swimmer's ear"—is an inflammation of the outer ear canal. The mechanism is described by Ameli (French health insurance): when water stagnates in the canal, the skin macerates and its pH, normally acidic, rises; the local flora changes and germs begin to proliferate.
Swimming in pools or lakes, warm and humid atmospheres, and repeated summer swimming are among the contributing factors. Cotton swabs worsen the situation: they remove earwax, which protects the canal, and create microtraumas. This phenomenon is not uncommon: about 10% of the population experiences otitis externa during their lifetime—unsurprisingly, more often during periods of repeated swimming, the contributing factor cited by Ameli.
Ameli recommends three preventive actions: ban cotton swabs, avoid maceration of the canal, and dry ears after every shower or swim. Limiting water entry into the canal follows the same logic of combating maceration. An honest caveat is necessary, however: medical literature indicates that ill-fitting or irritating earplugs can themselves irritate the canal—hence the importance of choosing ear tips of the correct size, made from hypoallergenic materials, and checking their fit before getting into the water. Remember: well-fitted earplugs help limit water exposure; they never cure an established otitis.
Who benefits most from swimming earplugs?
- Regular swimmers: the more sessions they have, the less time the canal has to dry between two immersions.
- People prone to recurrent otitis externa: limiting stagnant water in the canal is part of preventing recurrences—talk to your doctor or ENT to determine the appropriate strategy for your case.
- Children, frequent pool-goers—with a strict rule: in case of ongoing otitis, perforated eardrum, or tympanostomy tubes (grommets, ventilation tubes), consult your doctor or ENT before any swimming. For children with grommets, the Fondation Pour l'Audition (Foundation for Hearing) specifically recommends avoiding soapy water in the ears and limiting immersion depth in the pool; the decision is made on a case-by-case basis with the ENT.
What the Swimming & Work Kit offers for swimming
The kit's ear tips feature a triple flange: three successive silicone rings that act as a barrier to water in the ear canal—whether in the pool, sea, or shower. The kit includes one adult-sized pair and one child-sized pair—two sizes to ensure the correct fit that protection depends on—and the ear tips, made from hypoallergenic materials, clip directly onto the spiral body of your Ears 360 Silence earplugs, transforming them into high-protection swimming earplugs.
A useful clarification: the original Silence version is already waterproof (shower, pool, swimming). The Kit is its high-protection variant, designed for regular swimming, when water exposure becomes frequent and prolonged.
Earplugs for work and construction: what the regulations say
Hearing protection at work is not a comfort option: it is regulated by the Labor Code, which transposes European directive 2003/10/CE, as recalled by the Ministry of Labor. Three thresholds must be known, detailed by INRS:
- 80 dB(A) over 8 hours: the employer must make individual hearing protectors (PICB) available to employees.
- 85 dB(A): the employer ensures the effective wearing of protection and initiates a noise reduction program.
- 87 dB(A): exposure limit value, including hearing protection, never to be exceeded.
On a construction site, these thresholds are exceeded by most common tools, according to the indicative levels published by Prévention BTP:
| Construction Tool | Indicative Sound Level |
|---|---|
| Floor saw | ~106 dB |
| Rotary hammer | ~105 dB |
| Hydraulic breaker | ~103 dB |
| Grinder | ~100 dB |
| Angle grinder | ~94 dB |
| Concrete mixer | ~85 dB |
The stakes are high: according to the Ministry of Labor, more than three million employees are exposed for prolonged periods to potentially harmful noise levels. Noise gradually destroys the hair cells of the inner ear, which do not regenerate: the resulting deafness is irreversible and recognized as an occupational disease (table no. 42 of the general scheme).
Fit, a condition for real protection
Central message from INRS (guide ED 6510 on individual hearing protectors): a hearing protector is effective only when worn continuously, for the entire duration of exposure, and correctly fitted. Removing it for a few minutes or wearing it improperly inserted significantly reduces effective protection.
This is precisely what the Swimming & Work Kit is designed for: its triple-flange ear tips offer a noise reduction of -29 dB—the highest in the Ears 360 range—and comply with CE / PPE standards. The product sheet's instruction mirrors that of INRS word for word: a good fit is essential to achieve the advertised noise reduction. To compare protection levels for your situations, browse the noise-reducing earplug collection.
The bonus: sleep and concentration
-29 dB is also the highest reduction in the range for uses other than swimming and construction: noisy night environments, deep work sessions. If your priority is nighttime, our guide sleeping with earplugs details good practices; for the office, concerts, or airplanes, see our article on daily noise reduction.
How it works: a kit of ear tips, not a new pair of earplugs
The Swimming & Work Kit doesn't replace your earplugs: it transforms them. Its triple-flange ear tips replace the original ear tips of the Ears 360 Silence (sold separately)—the soft, ultra-flat, spiral-bodied silicone earplugs that stay in place, voted Product of the Year 2026. Installation involves three steps:
- Remove the original Silence ear tip.
- Clip the Swimming & Work ear tip onto the spiral body.
- Insert the earplug into the ear—a good fit is essential for noise reduction.
The kit contains one adult-sized pair of ear tips and one child-sized pair, delivered in a 100% recyclable pouch. The ear tips are hypoallergenic, reusable, and washable with soapy water.
| Silence (original ear tips) | With the Swimming & Work Kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Noise reduction | SNR 24 dB (CE EN 352-2:2020) | -29 dB, the highest in the range (CE / PPE) |
| Water | Waterproof: shower, pool, swimming | Triple-flange water barrier: regular swimming, pool, sea, shower |
| Typical uses | Daily: sleep, office, occasional swimming | Regular swimming, work / PPE (construction, industry), deep work & maximum isolation sleep |
| Sizes | 3 ear tip sizes S/M/L included | 1 adult pair + 1 child pair |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim with the Swimming & Work Kit?
Yes, that's one of its three uses. The triple flange acts as a barrier to water in the ear canal, in the pool, at sea, or in the shower. Check the fit before getting into the water: it ensures the water barrier and the ear tips' hold.
Do these earplugs protect against ear infections?
They help limit water entry into the ear canal—stagnant water being the trigger factor described by Ameli—provided they are well-fitted: medical literature reminds us that ill-fitting earplugs can, on the contrary, irritate the canal. However, they do not cure any ear infection. In case of ongoing otitis, perforated eardrum, or tympanostomy tubes, consult your doctor or ENT before any swimming.
Is the kit suitable for children?
Yes: one child-sized pair of ear tips is included in addition to the adult pair. If your child wears ventilation tubes (grommets, ventilation tubes) or has a weakened eardrum, seek advice from your doctor or ENT before swimming.
Do you need to already own the Ears 360 Silence?
Yes. The kit contains only the ear tips: they clip onto the spiral body of the Ears 360 Silence earplugs, sold separately (€29.90). Together, they form the high-protection configuration of the range.
Can it be worn all day at work?
Yes, and this is even a condition for its effectiveness: INRS reminds us that hearing protection must be worn continuously for the entire duration of noise exposure, otherwise the actual protection significantly drops. The ear tips are made of hypoallergenic materials; take advantage of breaks in quiet areas to rest your ears.
How to care for the ear tips?
They can be washed with soapy water, then allowed to dry before being reused. They are reusable: no disposable earplugs to constantly repurchase.
Water or noise: don't choose
One pair of earplugs, two levels of protection: the Ears 360 Silence (SNR 24 dB, already waterproof) for daily use, and the Swimming & Work Kit (-29 dB, triple flange, €14.90) when exposure increases—regular laps in the pool, construction, industry, or maximum isolation. French brand distributed in pharmacies; find the entire range in our noise-reducing earplug collection.
Sources
- ameli.fr — Otitis externa: definition and causes
- ameli.fr — Treatment of otitis externa and prevention of recurrences
- Canadian Family Physician (2024) — Approach to cases of otitis externa (prevalence, precautions on earplug fit)
- Fondation Pour l'Audition — Tympanostomy tube (grommet, ventilation tube): understanding everything
- INRS — Noise. Regulations
- INRS — Noise. What to remember
- INRS — Noise. Health effects
- INRS — Individual hearing protection equipment (guide ED 6510)
- Ministry of Labor — Noise in the workplace (directive 2003/10/CE, exposed employees)
- Prévention BTP — Risks related to noise on construction sites
- WHO — Deafness and hearing loss