Over 30 million people in the U.S. are exposed to hazardous noises at work according to OSHA. For 25 years, hearing loss has been one of the top health concerns in the workplace. Thousands of workers suffer from hearing loss that often could have been prevented.
Exposure to high levels of noise can cause temporary or permanent hearing loss. Short-term exposure usually makes your ears ring for a while or leaves them feeling stuffed up. These symptoms typically go away in a few hours. However, if you are exposed on a long-term basis, you may experience more severe symptoms and even permanent hearing loss.
If you work in a hazardous noise environment, your employer should put noise controlling measures into place that help reduce the loud sounds that can damage your eardrums.
Below are some examples of noise control practices that can make your environment much safer for your ears and prevent hearing loss.
- Isolating the noise source
- Updating equipment that is noisy
- Taking proper care of the equipment through lubrication and maintenance
- Creating a barrier such as a wall between the worker and the source of loud noise
- Limiting the amount of time an individual is around the loud noise
- Requiring workers to wear hearing protection such as headsets or earplugs
It has been proven that employers who implement hearing conservation programs have a much smaller record of hearing loss injuries and issues.
If you or a loved one has experienced a personal injury due to hazardous noise in the workplace, you may be in need of an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to help you receive the compensation you deserve.