Occupational Hearing Loss – Work Towards Better Hearing Protection

According to a recent statement by the Occupational Safety and Health Service, 25 per cent of New Zealand workers are exposed to noise levels at their workplace that are harmful to their hearing, leading to a risk of occupational hearing loss.

While the above estimate of one in four engineers being affected by workplace related hearing loss is widely shared, accurate statistics on the extent of occupational hearing losses are not readily available because many people do not report hearing loss. The difficulty in generating accurate figures of work related hearing loss is further compounded by the fact that this loss of hearing usually occurs over a long period of time, and can go unnoticed. Even if noticed, it is often difficult to separate occupational hearing loss from age-related hearing problems.

Though information about the effects of workplace hearing losses and information on precautions that can prevent hearing losses have been available since around 1963, this knowledge has often not been applied effectively. Accordingly, to prevent loss of hearing due to occupational conditions, extensive revisions are now being made to the Code of Practice for Management of Noise in the workplace. These include how to assess noise, control noise, measure hearing ability and choose the right workplace hearing protection device. Methods of testing protectors are also being changed. As well, measurement of hearing ability that takes into account temporary hearing losses in addition to the permanent inability to hear has been introduced.

About The Author:

William Pensworth is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.digital-hearing-aids-n-protection.com. Find out more about hearing loss, so you can choose the digital hearing aids or therapy that is necessary.