Noise is not just an annoyance; it can cause long term physical effects that diminish your quality of life. Physical effects include loss of hearing, pain, nausea, disruption of concentration and interference with communications when the exposure is severe.

Work-related hearing loss continues to be a critical workplace safety and health issue. Approximately 30 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise on the job, and an additional 9 million are at risk for hearing loss from other agents such as solvents and metals. Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common occupational diseases and the second most self-reported occupational illness or injury.

44% of carpenters and 48% of plumbers reported that they had a perceived hearing loss.

90% of coal miners will have a hearing impairment by age 52 (compared to 9% of the general population);

70% of male, metal/nonmetal miners will experience a hearing impairment by age 60.

While any worker can be at risk for noise-induced hearing loss in the workplace, workers in certain industries have higher exposures to dangerous levels of noise than others. Industries with high numbers of exposed workers include: agriculture; mining; construction; manufacturing and utilities; transportation; and military.

COSTS
Some estimates of occupational hearing loss compensation costs are in the hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The following examples provide an indication of the economic burden of occupational hearing loss. Washington State, workers’ compensation disability settlements for hearing-related conditions cost $4.8 million in 1991.

In British Columbia, in the five-year period from 1994 to 1998, the workers’ compensation board paid $18 million in permanent disability awards to 3,207 workers suffering hearing loss. An additional $36 million was paid out for hearing aids.

Through their hearing conservation program, the U.S. Army saved $504.3 million by reducing hearing loss among combat arms personnel between 1974 and 1994. Between 1987 and 1997, as a result of military efforts to reduce civilian hearing loss, the Department of Veterans Affairs saved $220.8 million and the Army an additional $149 million.

PREVENTION
Controlling or eliminating hazardous noise from the workplace through engineering controls is the most effective and preferred way to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. Hearing protectors such as ear plugs and ear muffs/headsets should be used only when it is not feasible to reduce noise to a safe level. NIOSH recommends hearing loss prevention programs for all workplaces with hazardous levels of noise. These programs should include noise assessments, engineering controls, audiometric monitoring of workers’ hearing, appropriate use of hearing protectors, worker education, recordkeeping, and program evaluation.

When noise exposures cannot be controlled at their source, hearing protection is necessary. Earplugs and earmuffs/headsets provide a barrier that to inner ear noise levels and help to reduce hearing loss from occurring. If these forms of noise control are not worn correctly or are used sporadically their effectiveness can be reduced considerably.

Employees resist wearing hearing protection more than any other type of personal protective equipment. One reason is, they don't think they really need it. Another reason for not wearing hearing protection is that it can feel uncomfortable. Unfortunately, hearing loss occurs gradually (even in intense exposures) and by the time there is a perceived difference in hearing capability, irreversible damage has already occurred. Slight initial discomfort may be expected when a good seal between the surface of the skin and the surface of the ear protector is made. The amount of protection you obtain depends on obtaining a good seal and even a small leak can substantially reduce the effectiveness of the protector. Check the seal several times each day. Protectors - especially ear plugs - will work loose as a result of talking or chewing, and must be reseated occasionally.

Properly designed, fitted, and clean ear protectors will cause no more discomfort to most workers than wearing a pair of safety glasses. Earplugs are made of soft material such a neoprene to prevent injury to the ear canal. Skin irritations, injured eardrums, or other adverse reactions from using ear plugs are very rare if they are kept reasonably clean.

There are many different styles, types, and brands of ear protectors available, but when correctly fitted, they all provide similar levels of protection. The best hearing protector for you is one that fits correctly so that you can wear it properly.

Some signs that you should be wearing hearing protection include:
1. If it is necessary for you to speak in a very loud voice, or shout directly into the ear of a person to be understood, it is likely that the noise level is high enough to require hearing protection.
2. If you have roaring or ringing noises in your ears at the end of the workday, you are probably being exposed to too much noise.
3. If speech or music sounds muffled to you after you leave work, but it sounds fairly clear in the morning when you return to work, you are being exposed to noise levels that are causing a temporary hearing loss. In time, this can become permanent if you do not take care.

WHAT IS LOUD?
Hearing loss is usually gradual. Normally, it is so subtle, that we don't know its happening. The louder and longer your exposure, whether at work, at home, or during recreation, the more likely your hearing will be damaged. The critical sound level when hearing protection should be worn is 85 decibels (dBA), established for an 8-hour time weighted average. The following examples, will provide a reference to noise intensity.

Decibels	Reference
20	a faint whisper
30-40	quiet pleasant sounds, a bird chirping
40-50	quiet to normal office sounds
50-60	normal conversation
70-90	heavy machinery, electric motors, garbage disposal, city traffic
100-120	jack hammer, power saw, motorcycle, lawn mower, rock music
140+	jet engines, gun shot (this level causes pain)

Many disposable or reusable plugs are available and most of these reduce noise by about 20-30 decibels. The noise reduction rating (NRR) is usually marked on the package or on the box if they come in bulk. However, since the NRR is established in a laboratory with perfectly fitted plugs, experts recommend that the true rating is generally about 7 decibels less than indicated. Hearing protectors of the ear muff type are usually closer to the actual NRR.

Employers often reduce the amount of noise in the workplace by enclosing or muffling loud machinery, but they usually can't eliminate it entirely. Employers may also rotate workers out of an area so they do not experience a full work day of excessive noise exposure. Whatever the length of time you work in an area with high noise levels, you are probably required to wear a type of hearing protection.

RESOURCES:

OSHA Noise and Hearing Conservation Guidance

29 CFR 1910.95

OSHA Hearing Conservation (pdf)

NIOSH HEARING CONSERVATION CHECKLIST

NIOSH NOISE CONTROL IDEAS BANK (Washington State Department of Labor & Industry)

NIOSH Safety and Health Topic: Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention

Shipyard Employment e-Tool

Training Roster