Download NOISE INDUCED HEARING LOSS

NOISE INDUCED HEARING
LOSS (NIHL)
BSUIR SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE
APRIL 2015
BY ROMAN MATVEEV
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Introduction to NIHL
NIHL is
“a hearing impairment resulting from exposure to
high levels of noise”,
and it is also commonly known
as industrial deafness.
Statistics
NIHL
Irreversible Reversible
hearing
hearing
loss
loss
Intensity↔Pitch
INTENSITY
Intensity = 20logreferenceparticular
20dB=10*log1020
20dB=10*0dB
40dB=100*20dB
60dB=1000*40dB
85dB
Noise
Level
94 dB
Movie
99 dB
Snowmobile
110 dB
Video Arcade
115 dB
Motorboat
120 dB
Rock concert
127 dB
Sporting events
154 dB
Car stereo
167 dB
Gunshot
180 dB
Firecracker
Table 2
PITCH
20Hz
NIHL
The upper limit of
hearing range
The lowest limit of
hearing range
20004000Hz
20,000Hz
Table 1
Approximate Decibel
Level
Examples
0 dB
The quietest sound you can hear
30 dB
Whisper, quiet library
60 dB
Normal conversation, sewing machine,
typewriter
90 dB
Lawnmover, truck traffic
Maximum daytime exposure: 8 hours
100 dB
Chainsaw, drill, snowmobile
Maximum daytime exposure: 2 hours
115 dB
Sandblasting, loud rock concert, auto horn
Maximum daytime exposure: 2 hours
140 dB
Gun blast, jet engine
Noise causes pain and injures to unprotected
ears. Maximum allowed noise with hearing
protector
How our hearing works
MicroFilm: How Our Hearing Works
Like blades of grass…
Means of Ear Protection
Earmuffs
Earplugs
Conclusion: We should
remember

NIHL is entirely preventable but
once acquired it is irreversible.

The haircells never grow back,
they are unrecoverable.
That is why we should take care
today.
Statistics of NHIL claims
Number of Claims for NIHL
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-2001
2001-2002
Claims for NIHL
5755
5280
5185
4510
Percentage of Total
Disease Claims
24
22
21
19
Percentage of Total
Disease and Injury
Claims
3.8
3.5
3.5
3.2
Claims in SA decreased from 370 in 1999 to 190 in 2002
Although the number of NIHL claims has been reduced, it does
not mean that noise induced deafness has been reduced
*most recent data available (2006)
NIHL Claims per Exposed Employees (2001/2)
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
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Number of claims per hundred thousand employees
Statistics of NHIL claims
The highest number of claims are made by: Labourers and related workers, 33%
Tradespersons and related workers, 30% Intermediate production & transport
workers (plant or machine operators or transport drivers).
Statistics of NHIL claims
The average cost of workers compensation claims for NIHL in
2001/2 was calculated to be $6711.
Therefore, for Australia, the direct cost of NIHL claims for
2001/2 is calculated to be $6711 x 4510 claims i.e. just over
$30 million.
This figure does not include Hearing Aid fittings
Prevention NIHL
Noise Control and Hearing Loss Prevention
Program
Actions to reduce noise exposure eg. Noise insulation, ear
protection
Actions to monitor the health of employees eg, annual
hearing screening programs
Establishing a noise control policy and
program
noise control policy and program will enable a systematic
approach to hearing conservation in a company eg purchasing
policy on equipment noise levels, mandatory ear protection,
training programs for employees