I have dust collection and I wear a dust mask when on the scroll saw. That being said, I believe all the safety gizmos out there are probably overkill for many. I grew up mowing lawns for about 4 years and spent 2 years working where air tools were use most of the day. I never wore hearing protection and my hearing is just as good as it was as a kid. For someone else,that may have done much more damage. Adhering to good safety practices will help most, if not all, of us. Not adhering to them will harm some, but probably not all, of us. OSHA provides regulations that should be enforced in the workplace, but at home the choice is yours.