On construction jobs it's often very noisy but having no training, we do learn to read lips a bit if we are close enough. We usually are required to wear earplugs for hearing safety. We have 3M masks with specialty filters for welding processes but as soon as we top welding and step out of a confined area we can take it off. It's not like you're forced to wear the mask when there's no need and in addiction. the masks have a double valve system to reduce rebreathing exhausted breath.