People are often exposed to loud noises over a prolonged period of time at certain work environments. This can cause serious damage to the ears and result in hearing loss. In fact, hearing loss is actually the most prevalent form of injuries endured in the workplace.
Vocations related to the construction and mining industry are often excessively loud. Even musicians face hearing damage due to constant exposure to loud speakers and instruments. Certain jobs may not be excessively loud, but even these can affect hearing if the exposure occurs over a long period of time without hearing protection. Employees working in the same workplace with the same amount of exposure to consistent noise can accumulate tolerance to higher levels of sound, and this prolonged exposure can eventually lead to hearing loss.
Hearing loss in the workplace is a common phenomenon, which is why it is important to educate employees about hearing protection. Employees can benefit from learning information about the types of hearing loss which can occur in the workplace and the ways in which it can interfere with their lives.
All employees working in loud work settings should be encouraged to wear ear protection to work and thereby prevent any potential hearing damage. In a way, exposing employees to vital hearing health and hearing protection information can improve their productivity in the long term and is a form of health education.
Companies can go a step further and invest in quieter machinery so that constant noises in the work environment can be eliminated, thereby benefiting everyone in the vicinity. The Center for Disease Control has a comprehensive list of tools that operate at softer levels of sound. Certain devices can also be utilized to alert employees if the levels of noise in their surroundings become dangerously loud.
Educate your employees about the risks of hearing loss so that the entire work environment can operate more efficiently and productively. Hearing loss is irreversible but it is well within the control of every company to educate their employees about hearing protection, thereby reducing the chances of employees developing hearing loss that can result in major loss of income in the workplace.