hearing conservation
Recently Published Documents


TOTAL DOCUMENTS

535
(FIVE YEARS 47)

H-INDEX

21
(FIVE YEARS 2)

Author(s):  
L. Ntlhakana ◽  
G. Nelson ◽  
K. Khoza-Shangase ◽  
I. Maposa

Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) is associated with various risk factors in South African mines. We investigated the association between standard threshold shifts (STSs) and exposure to noise and platinum mine dust (PMD), using demographic data, five years of annual audiometry screening results, and noise and dust exposure data. Miners' age, sex, percentage hearing loss (PLH), and dust and noise exposure data were gathered, and a linear mixed effects regression model used to predict STS. Average occupational exposure levels to noise and dust were calculated from recorded measurements. A total of 12 692 records were analysed. Most miners were male (89.6%) and more than 50% were younger than 41 years. More than 70% were exposed to > 85 dBA noise and 58% were exposed to 1.5-2.99 mg/m3 PMD. Changes in hearing levels ranged from 8.3 dBHL at baseline (2014/2015) to 10 dBHL in 2016 (STS), with no changes thereafter. The model showed that the estimated effect on STS for males was 27% and 21% higher than for females, for the left and right ear, respectively The estimated effect of age, PLH, noise exposure and years of exposure on STS was < 10% for each variable. There was no statistically significant association between PMD and STS. The combined effects of age, sex, years of exposure to noise, and noise exposure levels, and strength of associations can be used to predict STS for this group of miners. Our findings may be used to measure the efficacy of the mine's hearing conservation programme.


Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Cavallari ◽  
Adekemi O. Suleiman ◽  
Jennifer L. Garza ◽  
Sara Namazi ◽  
Alicia G. Dugan ◽  
...  

Our objective was to pilot test HearWell, an intervention created to preserve hearing among highway maintainers, by using a participatory Total Worker Health® (TWH) approach to designing, implementing and evaluating interventions. Regional maintenance garages were randomized to control (n = 6); HearWell (n = 4) or HearWell Design Team (n = 2) arms. Maintainer representatives from the HearWell Design Team garages identified barriers to hearing health and collaborated to design interventions including a safety leadership training for managers, a noise hazard management scheme to identify noise levels and indicate the hearing protection device (HPD) needed, and a comprehensive HearWell training video and protocol. These worker-designed interventions, after manager input, were delivered to the HearWell Design Team and the HearWell garages. Control garages received standard industry hearing conservation training. Periodic surveys of workers in all 12 garages collected information on the frequency of HPD use and a new hearing climate measure to evaluate changes in behaviors and attitudes over the study period and following interventions. An intention-to-treat approach was utilized; differences and trends in group HPD use and hearing climate were analyzed using a mixed-effects model to account for repeated measures from individual participants. The HearWell Design Team maintainers reported the highest frequency of HPD use. Hearing climate improved in each group 6 months following intervention implementation, with the largest increase and highest value for the HearWell Design Team workers. The HearWell pilot intervention showed promising results in improving HPD use through a participatory TWH approach to hearing conservation. Furthermore, results suggest that employee participation in hearing conservation programs may be necessary for maximal effectiveness.


2021 ◽  
Vol 263 (2) ◽  
pp. 4184-4188
Author(s):  
David Nelson

The desire for a quieter environment, office, or workplace is nearly universal. The technology exists to accurately measure noise emission and estimate the health, functional, and financial impacts on hearing conservation, speech interference, and residential or workplace comfort. Several useful methods for labelling of noise emission have been proposed over the years. Government regulations for certain classes of equipment are already in place in some countries. Why then after several decades of concerted effort is "Selling and Buying Quiet" not commonplace? It may be that the fault lies neither with the quality of the engineering work nor the existence or lack of regulation. Instead, a complex of societal factors including confusion, misinformation, denial, and cognitive dissonance effectively undercut any program. This paper will discuss the societal factors opposing the success of "Selling and Buying Quiet", as experienced by the author, along with some possible approaches for increasing the recognition of noise control engineering in the future.


2021 ◽  
Vol 263 (2) ◽  
pp. 4896-4902
Author(s):  
Leslie Blomberg ◽  
Dave Trezza

Noise measurements of more than 600 lawn mowers were made at 25 feet and at the operator's ear between 2004 and 2021. These data are presented and compared with the measurement of more than 60 mowers in 1973 by the US EPA. With the exception of electric lawn mowers, very little progress has been made quieting lawn mowers. Electric lawn mowers are significantly quieter than gas mowers. Recently, with improvements in battery technology, the performance of electric mowers has improved significantly. There are currently electric push, self-propelled, and ride-on mowers with comparable performance to gas powered mowers. Finally, the impacts of lawn mower noise on community noise and hearing conservation are discussed.


Author(s):  
Sofie Degeest ◽  
Hannah Keppler ◽  
Bart Vinck

Adolescents frequently engage in noisy leisure activities which can result in hearing-related problems. However, the effect of leisure noise exposure is liable to an individual’s risk-taking behavior. Identifying leisure noise activities and relevant factors related to risk-taking behavior in adolescents, are important to optimize hearing conservation programs targeting youngsters. The purpose of the study was to explore the presence of hearing-related symptoms, as well as noise exposure during various activities, and the use of hearing protector devices (HPDs) in adolescents in two educational programs in Flanders. In addition, their attitudes and beliefs towards noise, hearing loss, and HPDs were investigated. The final sample consisted of 247 adolescents. The most important hearing-related symptoms after noise exposure were tinnitus and noise sensitivity. With regard to leisure noise exposure, listening to PMPs was most frequently reported. The use of HPDs during most noisy activities was limited, in accordance with the presence of hearing-related symptoms, considering noise as unproblematic, and having worse scores on subscales of the beliefs about hearing protection and hearing loss scale. In the future, hearing conservation programs should target adolescents specifically for a more health-orientated behavior towards noise exposure, hearing loss, and HPDs.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Shruti Balvalli Deshpande

Purpose This study discusses the creation of an online, asynchronous presentation to educate adolescents about prevention of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) through interprofessional collaborations and electronic service-learning (eSL) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method The Hearing Education and Research (HEAR) presentation, which included activities and videos to educate a group of ethnically diverse adolescents ( n = 100) on NIHL, was created by 11 doctor of audiology (AuD) students through online collaborations toward course-related eSL requirements. Adolescents responded to a baseline survey to assess hearing health–related behaviors prior to reviewing the presentation. A postprogram survey was administered 1 week after the presentation to assess change in knowledge and attitudes toward NIHL prevention. Online collaborations with schoolteachers helped with project implementation. Postreflection papers written by AuD students regarding the eSL activities were analyzed. Lastly, suggestions from a focus group of educators were included that highlight the role of interprofessional collaborations to enhance school-based hearing conservation opportunities. Results The HEAR presentation resulted in changes in knowledge about NIHL among the adolescents. Postreflection papers by the AuD students indicated that the eSL activity served as a high-impact pedagogical assignment, especially during the academic challenges of the pandemic. Feedback from a focus group of schoolteachers helped outline ideas for future implementation of sustainable hearing conservation programs in school settings. Conclusion The pilot data collected in this study serve as a proof of concept for future hearing conservation projects in school-based settings via interprofessional collaborations and by engaging university students via eSL.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-179
Author(s):  
Kyucheol Ko ◽  
Oyonghyeok Lee ◽  
Jinsook Kim ◽  
Taewon Lee ◽  
Yerim Shin ◽  
...  

Purpose: The hearing condition of pilots and the level of noise of helicopter were of interest. This study aimed to analyze the noise environment and hearing loss of the pilots of Korean army aviation.Methods: A total of 242 pilots who did not have any middle ear problems or other ear diseases were selected: 34, 69, 70, and 69 from the age group 20, 30, 40, and 50, respectively. The physical examination records of hearing test from 2015 to 2019 were analyzed. The noise environment was measured at the two indoor positions of pilot and crew and one outside position which was 1 m away from the 8 helicopters owned by Korean army aviation: 500MD, UH-1H, UH-60, KUH-1, AH-1S, BO-105, CH-47, AH-64.Results: The thresholds of pilots were statistically different in term of frequency, age, and flight time (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The range of measured noise level of helicopters at the position of pilot, crew, and outside were 88.6 (AH-1S)-104.1 dB A (CH-47), 93.9 (UH-1H)-108.6 dB A (CH-47), 105 (500MD, AH-1S)-109 dB A (AH-64). When compared hearing thresholds of the pilots to normal groups according to age groups, they were higher at 6 kHz and lower at 0.5 kHz for all age groups.Conclusion: The hearing thresholds of Korean army aviation pilots increased as age and flight time were increased while showing the typical noise-induced hearing loss with high frequency involvement. We suggest that hearing protection education should be provided and the appropriate hearing conservation program should be established for pilot hearing health care in the future.


Author(s):  
Martin Pienkowski

High sound levels capable of permanently damaging the ear are experienced not only in factories and war zones but in concert halls, nightclubs, sports stadiums, and many other leisure environments. This review summarizes evidence that loud music and other forms of “leisure noise” are common causes of noise-induced hearing loss, tinnitus, and hyperacusis, even if audiometric thresholds initially remain within clinically normal limits. Given the huge global burden of preventable noise-induced hearing loss, noise limits should be adopted in a much broader range of settings, and education to promote hearing conservation should be a higher public health priority.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joong-Keun Kwon ◽  
Jiho Lee

Occupational hearing loss received attention after the Industrial Revolution and through World Wars I and II. It currently accounts for the largest portion of occupational diseases, and a third of all hearing loss is due to noise. Occupational hearing losses include noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), hearing loss caused by ototoxic substances and hearing loss caused by their complex interactions. In the case of NIHL, even when exposed to the same noise, the degree of hearing damage and recovery may vary from person to person, and also be affected by other noise in daily life. Various organic solvents and some heavy metals exposed in workplace are important causes of ototoxic hearing loss, and they are known to have additive or synergistic effects when accompanied by noise. In Korea, NIHL is the most common occupational disease and has been increasing continuously since the 1990s. The number of claims for compensation has also been increasing steadily. However, the developed country including Korea almost never considered the effects of chemicals on the diagnosis and compensation for hearing loss workers. Occupational hearing loss can be prevented through hearing conservation programs. In this chapter, we will introduce the scientific basis of noise induced hearing loss, the impacts of ototoxic substance and co-existence impact on hearing loss.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document