February 13, 2004—The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has redesigned and updated its Safety and Health Topic Page on Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention. The site explains common hearing loss prevention terms and how to choose a hearing protector, and offers a “Noise Meter” to help users determine how loud such items as jackhammers are. It also offers new student presentations on noise solutions, a hearing conservation checklist, and a hearing protector device compendium. In addition, the site provides links to Workplace Solutions for Noise, Current Research on Noise and Hearing Loss, Resources in Hearing Loss and Noise, and other publications.
According to NIOSH, noise has been an occupational hazard since the industrial revolution. Too much noise exposure may cause a temporary change in hearing (one’s ears may feel stuffed up) or a temporary ringing in the ears (tinnitus). These short-term problems usually go away within a few minutes or hours after leaving the noise. However, repeated exposures to loud noise can lead to permanent, incurable hearing loss or tinnitus.
NIOSH recommends removing hazardous noise from the workplace whenever possible and using hearing protectors in those situations where dangerous noise exposures have not yet been controlled or eliminated.
