Occupational Hearing Loss

Alternate Names : Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, Acoustic Trauma

What can be done to prevent the condition?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also called OSHA, sets limits on occupational noise exposure. People exposed to 85 decibels or more at work are required to wear some form of hearing protection. Ear protection should be worn whenever lawn mowers, string trimmers, or other loud equipment is used. The use of power woodworking tools in an enclosed space should be avoided.

People who abuse their own hearing, by listening to music that is too loud, for example, are risking permanent high-frequency hearing loss. The average age of people who get hearing aids is dropping. This means that people are being exposed to too much noise earlier in life.

People who work around loud noise should have regular hearing tests. If people do have hearing loss, they should be very careful to protect their remaining hearing. There are a number of devices that help to protect the ear from noise. Silicone putty and foam earplugs reduce noise by 20% to 25%. The best hearing protection is the combination of acoustic earmuffs and earplugs. Using this combination can reduce noise by 30 to 35 decibels.

What are the long-term effects of the condition?

The main long-term effect of noise exposure is high-frequency hearing loss. The loss keeps getting worse and cannot be reversed. People with this loss often have ringing of the ears, called tinnitus. They may also have trouble hearing conversation over background noise.

What are the risks to others?

Occupational hearing loss is not contagious and poses no risks to others.