Abstract

A hearing protection system includes a pair of assemblies each composed of an ear plug, ear plug retainer, and attachment member. The ear plug is a plastic foam body resiliently compressible for conforming to a user's ear canal. The body has an axial bore at its rear end and a conical exterior surface convergently tapering from rear to front end. Axially spaced outwardly projecting annular shoulders are formed about the conical exterior surface of the body for engaging the user's ear canal. The ear plug retainer has stem, stop and connecting portions rigidly interconnected from one to the next. The stem portion is an elongated shaft attached at one end to the stop portion and insertable at an opposite and into the bore in the ear plug body. The shaft has a plurality of axially spaced outwardly projecting annular ridges for providing an interference fit within the ear plug bore. The stop portion abuts the rear end of the ear plug for limiting insertion of the stem portion into the ear plug bore. The connecting portion projects from a side of the stop portion opposite from the side connected to the stem portion and contains an aperture. The attachment member is an elongated flexible strap having either identical or different attachment elements at its opposite ends with one element being attachable through the aperture of the ear plug retainer connecting portion.