Occupational Noise and Hearing Loss

¶ … occupationally-acquired noise-induced hearing loss: A senseless workplace hazard highlights the risks associated with excess noise in the workplace. The authors are writing in a journal that is dedicated to environmental health in the workplace. The authors note that noise is a causal factor in around 37% of all adult hearing loss. The authors conducted a survey of the existing literature on the subject in order to summarize the existing knowledge the tie some of the work together to form conclusions. The findings were interesting.

Excessive noise in the workplace is attributed mainly to a handful of industries, such as mining, construction and manufacturing, and as a result 97% of workers affected are male. The authors have also noted that responses from different workplace safety agencies around the world can differ fairly dramatically, and there remains some lack of understanding about the issue of excessive noise in the workplace.

By looking at several different issues pertaining to e excessive noise and hearing loss, the authors are able to draw some conclusions about the state of the research on the subject. But they note the seriousness of the issue, in that there is no cure for hearing loss, so preventative measures are critical to dealing with the problem. The authors also look at the medical aspects, for example the construction of the ear, to understand how occupational noise-related hearing damage occurs.

This is one way that industrial hygienists can work to prevent hearing damage, not just by studying the sources of the noise but also looking at how the interaction between noise and the ear works to cause hearing loss. This is an interesting perspective that these authors have added to their work. They study the decibel levels associated with different workplace hazards, and the exposure levels that would lead to hearing loss, to highlight the issues and who might face these issues more frequently.

The authors note that protective equipment is one way to guard against hearing loss, but education is important because a workforce that is better-educated about the risks is more likely to undertake the sorts of preventative measures that will allow them to reduce their hearing loss. Overall, this article is a comprehensive overview of the issue. It seems to be written for an audience that needs to learn the basics of the subject, so in that sense this overview is quite valuable for many readers.

It may be less valuable to someone who already works in the field. But the findings showing the high prevalence of work-related hearing loss, and the fact that a substantial percentage of adult hearing loss is associated with work are both valuable, because the issue needs to be raised not only among industrial hygienists but among managers as well, as they need to be involved in the process.