{"id":542,"date":"2020-09-28T16:09:57","date_gmt":"2020-09-28T07:09:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/how-to-prevent-and-manage-hearing-loss-at-work\/"},"modified":"2020-12-01T09:22:13","modified_gmt":"2020-12-01T00:22:13","slug":"how-to-prevent-and-manage-hearing-loss-at-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/how-to-prevent-and-manage-hearing-loss-at-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Prevent and Manage Hearing Loss at Work"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you\u2019re at work, you ideally just want to focus on your job. It shouldn\u2019t be your responsibility to make your workplace a safe working environment. It\u2019s true \u2014 health risks should be the last thing on an employee&#8217;s mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When most people hear \u2018occupational health risks\u2019 their thoughts jump to incidents involving heavy machinery or a lack of specialist equipment training. However, damage to your hearing is one of the most problematic and widespread occupational health issues in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Staggeringly, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/niosh\/topics\/ohl\/default.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">about 24 percent of hearing difficulty amongst U.S. workers is caused by occupational exposures<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. As if this isn\u2019t enough, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has reported that 22 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise each year. An unknown number are exposed to ototoxicants (a type of chemical that damages portions of the human ear upon exposure) although the figure is believed to be high.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#Why_Do_People_Suffer_Hearing_Loss_from_Work\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">1<\/span> Why Do People Suffer Hearing Loss from Work?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Jobs_With_Risks_of_Work-Related_Hearing_Loss\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">2<\/span> Jobs With Risks of Work-Related Hearing Loss<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#How_Your_Employer_Should_Help\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">3<\/span> How Your Employer Should Help<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Ways_to_Protect_Your_Hearing_at_Work\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">4<\/span> Ways to Protect Your Hearing at Work\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Can_You_Get_Compensation_for_Work-Related_Hearing_Loss\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">5<\/span> Can You Get Compensation for Work-Related Hearing Loss?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#How_Having_Hearing_Loss_Could_Affect_You_at_Work\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">6<\/span> How Having Hearing Loss Could Affect You at Work\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Your_Rights_if_You_Have_Hearing_Loss_Disabilities_Act\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">7<\/span> Your Rights if You Have Hearing Loss (Disabilities Act)<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Get_Regular_Hearing_Tests\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">8<\/span> Get Regular Hearing Tests<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"Why_Do_People_Suffer_Hearing_Loss_from_Work\"><b>Why Do People Suffer Hearing Loss from Work?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Occupational hearing loss (OHL) occurs for two concerning reasons: workers are often exposed to dangerous levels of loud noise or ototoxic chemicals (which can damage delicate structures in the ears).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Noise is dangerous <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/niosh\/topics\/ohl\/default.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at 85 decibels or higher or if a person has to raise their voice<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to speak with someone an arm\u2019s length away. Lots of noises are louder than this, meaning there are many opportunities for sound to cause work-related hearing loss.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ototoxic chemicals are worrying because they can cause hearing loss themselves, but they can also make the ear more vulnerable to the damaging effects of loud noise. These chemicals include solvents (styrene, trichloroethylene, toluene), asphyxiants (carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide), nitriles (3-Butenenitrile, cis-2-pentenenitrile, acrylonitrile), metals and compounds (mercury compounds, lead, organic tin compounds), and pharmaceuticals (certain antineoplastic agents).<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Jobs_With_Risks_of_Work-Related_Hearing_Loss\"><b>Jobs With Risks of Work-Related Hearing Loss<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The World Health Organization cites <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/occupational_health\/publications\/noise5.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">particularly problematic sectors<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in which this dangerous noise threshold might be exceeded as agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing and utilities, transportation, and the military.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are broad areas, and any job that requires you to use power tools or operate loud machinery puts you at risk of developing work-related hearing loss if you\u2019re not provided with sufficient hearing protection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Workplaces such as bars, nightclubs, and gig venues which are often staffed by young adults play very loud music as part of their allure to a younger demographic. These venues, where loud music is practically a necessity, create the perfect environment for noise-induced hearing damage to take place.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"How_Your_Employer_Should_Help\"><b>How Your Employer Should Help<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employers should devise strategies to minimize their employee\u2019s exposure to loud noise as much as possible. These might include upgrading equipment and machinery to quieter, more effective models, reorganizing the workspace, and planning the shift or task rota to ensure no one person is working in a noisy environment for hours on end.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re hard of hearing, they might be able to implement emergency notification systems in the workplace for your safety and provide you with an Assistive Listening Device (ALD).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They should also provide their employees with relevant noise safety training and suitable ear protection, whether this is earplugs or earmuffs.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Ways_to_Protect_Your_Hearing_at_Work\"><b>Ways to Protect Your Hearing at Work\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can protect your hearing at work in a few ways.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As mentioned, your employer is meant to provide you with hearing protection, but they often fail to fulfil this legal obligation. Always have a backup pair of earplugs handy at work (these could be disposable foam earplugs or custom-molded earplugs) so you\u2019re never caught off-guard.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, if you monitor the times when you\u2019re exposed to loud noise, you can present this to your employer to help negotiate the provision of more safety precautions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can, try to follow your own intuition and take breaks when working in a noisy area (at least five minutes out of every hour). You shouldn\u2019t be exposed to a level that amounts to more than <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hearinghealthfoundation.org\/hearing-loss-in-the-workplace\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">85 decibels (dBA) for over 8 continuous hours.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Can_You_Get_Compensation_for_Work-Related_Hearing_Loss\"><b>Can You Get Compensation for Work-Related Hearing Loss?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have suffered from occupational hearing loss, you might be entitled to up to 150 weeks of compensation determined by your average weekly wage and a few other details.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Find out more about how you could <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/justicecounts.com\/workers-compensation\/common-workplace-injuries\/hearing-loss\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">claim for work-related hearing loss.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"How_Having_Hearing_Loss_Could_Affect_You_at_Work\"><b>How Having Hearing Loss Could Affect You at Work\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the U.S. hearing loss is the third-most common chronic physical condition amongst adults with about 12% of the U.S. working population already experiencing hearing difficulty.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More than one in ten is a lot of people to be struggling with hearing problems, and it\u2019s bound to affect their working life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although the extent of its limitations will depend on the sector you work within and the company that you work for, it&#8217;s undoubtedly harder to work with a diminished functioning of one of your senses. Not only are you likely to find it harder to hear people and machinery around you, but it can strain communications with your colleagues as you might find yourself too embarrassed to ask for them to repeat themselves or to ask for assistance.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Your_Rights_if_You_Have_Hearing_Loss_Disabilities_Act\"><b>Your Rights if You Have Hearing Loss (Disabilities Act)<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not everyone with a medical condition is protected from workplace discrimination. To be protected, you must be qualified for the job and have a disability (as defined by the law).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eeoc.gov\/disability-discrimination\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you have a disability if you \u201chave a physical or mental condition that substantially limits a major life activity (such as walking, talking, seeing, hearing, or learning, or operation of a major bodily function)\u201d. Here it states clearly in writing that if you have a hearing impairment you\u2019re granted certain disability rights.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you happen to have a hearing impairment, your employer must make reasonable accommodations at work for you. That is unless doing so would cause significant difficulty or expense for your employer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This might include, for example, providing a reader or interpreter if you are blind or hearing impaired. The EEOC specifies that reasonable accommodation is \u201cany change in the work environment (or in the way things are usually done) to help a person with a disability apply for a job, perform the duties of a job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment\u201d suggesting that you\u2019ll be able to access all the support you need to help you fulfil your role.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your employer may not be so obliging but stand your ground. You have these rights in law and they should respect your requirements. Don\u2019t suffer with your work-related hearing loss \u2014 there\u2019s help available!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Get_Regular_Hearing_Tests\"><b>Get Regular Hearing Tests<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have been diagnosed with hearing loss, it\u2019s still important to get regular hearing tests. This is because by getting a few tests over time, you and your audiologist will be able to compare your data over the years and take a close look at how your hearing ability has changed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This can help indicate whether you need to revise your treatment, modify the settings on your hearing aid, or get a new one. This might also alert you to special adjustments that could benefit you at work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To learn more about noise-induced hearing loss, see <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/blogs\/the-olive-branch\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">our other blog articles<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><b>The information in this guide has been written using the following reliable sources:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthyhearing.com\/report\/52738-Hearing-loss-in-the-workplace\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.healthyhearing.com\/report\/52738-Hearing-loss-in-the-workplace<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/niosh\/topics\/ohl\/default.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/niosh\/topics\/ohl\/default.html<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hearinghealthfoundation.org\/hearing-loss-in-the-workplace\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/hearinghealthfoundation.org\/hearing-loss-in-the-workplace<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/justicecounts.com\/workers-compensation\/common-workplace-injuries\/hearing-loss\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/justicecounts.com\/workers-compensation\/common-workplace-injuries\/hearing-loss\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><meta charset=\"utf-8\"><\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\"><!--\ntd {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}\n--><\/style>\n<p><span data-sheets-value='{\"1\":2,\"2\":\"What to do when you\u2019re at work and your occupation puts you at risk of hearing loss? Learn about your rights and what you can do to protect your hearing.\"}' data-sheets-userformat='{\"2\":8961,\"3\":{\"1\":0},\"11\":4,\"12\":0,\"16\":10}'>What to do when you\u2019re at work and your occupation puts you at risk of hearing loss? Learn about your rights and what you can do to protect your hearing.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":748,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/how-to-prevent-and-manage-hearing-loss-at-work\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Prevent and Manage Hearing Loss at Work - Olive Union\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What to do when you\u2019re at work and your occupation puts you at risk of hearing loss? 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