Download Interesting Articles

Hearing Loss and the Workplace
By John O’Connor
Sometimes, the most dangerous place for your ears is at work. The noise conditions
in certain workplaces exceeds healthy levels and can put employees' hearing at risk.
The problem is an increasingly common one. According to the US Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) around 30 million workers run the risk of
noise-induced hearing loss. If your occupation involves excessive levels of noise,
taking a few simple measures can improve your auditory health during the workday.
When noise levels exceed 80 decibels (Db) for a prolonged period, noise-induced
hearing damage may occur. Industries that commonly contribute to hearing
problems because of excess noise include manufacturing, agriculture and
construction. Conversation held at a comfortable level measures somewhere within
the range of 60-65 Db. A continuous level of 80 Db, then, would be equivalent to
being shouted at throughout the day. It is no wonder that there appears to be a link
between elevated workplace noise and hypertension. Regular exposure to excess
noise at work not only harms the structure of the ear, but also creates unhealthy
stress.
The immediate damage called acoustic trauma, a particular risk for members of the
military, is different from the insidious harm that continuous loud noise creates.
Acoustic trauma may be caused by an explosive sound such as gunfire or
pyrotechnics. The pressure from the sudden burst of sound breaks the cochlea, the
delicate organ within the ear that conducts auditory vibrations.
The hearing loss caused by acoustic trauma and that caused by long-term noise
exposure are both irreversible. Hearing aids are of great help once the damage has
occurred. Prevention of such damage, however, is key. The CDC recommends
greater monitoring of workplaces to determine hearing safety as well as increased
use of hearing protection.
Noise-induced hearing loss is always preventable, and its prevention is easily
implemented. Essential to minimizing the effects of noise in the workplace is
adequate protection. This protection includes earplugs and headsets, as well as
microphones and speakers that allow workers to communicate beneath the level of
noise without shouting at one another. Even after some hearing loss has occurred,
protection can prevent further damage.
The harm from long-term excess noise exposure affects less the hearing of speech
than the understanding of it. That is, a person with such damage will hear the words
spoken to him, but will often hear them incorrectly. The sounds of consonants, which
are sounds of a relatively high frequency, may become lost to an ear long dulled by
noise. When this is the case, a hearing aid or hearing aids can amplify sounds and
clarify meaning.