Professions That Increase the Risk of Hearing Loss

Does your occupation place you at higher risk of hearing loss? If you work in a noisy environment with even low-grade levels of noise for many years, your risk for hearing loss rises. Exposure to noise is cumulative, meaning it adds up over a lifetime. While one very loud noise can damage your hearing quickly, lesser amounts of noise are equally as problematic if you are exposed to them for eight hours a day.

What types of professions can be detrimental for your hearing? If you’re employed as a construction worker, factory worker, firefighter, police officer, musician, farmer, miner, carpenter, paramedic, airline ground maintenance worker, or do military work, your risk for hearing loss is higher than the average population due to overexposure to noise.

Why Occupational Noise is Risky

Sound is a vibrating wave. Louder sounds have more vibrational energy – enough to damage the hair cells of the inner ear that send sound information to the brain. The “loudness” of a sound is measured in decibels, and sound that exceeds 80 decibels can cause hearing damage. When you work in a manufacturing plant, the machinery and equipment you’re in contact with can easily expose you to 90 decibels of noise and more.

You might think the humming, roaring, and clanging of machinery and construction equipment is the biggest worry, but if you work in a night club, bar or restaurant that plays live music, you’re also exposed to ear-damaging noise levels. In this setting, you may be at an even higher risk because your employer might not tell you to wear ear protection as they would if you worked a manufacturing or construction job. Musicians are routinely exposed to noise that exceeds 90 decibels, explaining why so many musicians have hearing loss.

Protect Your Hearing

If you work in an environment with a high level of noise, your employer should take steps to reduce the noise level to which you are exposed and provide you with ear protection. If you’re a musician or work for yourself as a carpenter or other business that involves exposure to noise, take matters into your own hands. Wear ear protection on the job and have your hearing tested regularly.

References:

United States Department of Labor. “Occupational Noise Exposure”