Protect your Hearing

What is noise? In daily speech, noise is often defined as unwanted sound. Loud noises, especially bangs and loud noises can cause hearing loss and tinnitus.

Health effects of exposure to noise: Persistent high noise levels and impulse noise can lead to hearing loss and tinnitus, but temporary hearing loss is more common than permanent hearing loss.

Hearing loss due to noise in the workplace is the most common occupational illness in Norway. About half of the reports on occupational illness received by the Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority/Petroleum Safety Authority are reports of hearing loss. Therefore, protecting your ears is a very good investment.

Research has shown that your hearing can be gradually damaged by constant exposure to an avrage of over 80-85 decibels (dB) over an eight-hour workday (continuous sound), and hearing damage and tinnitus can occur immediately upon exposure to a sudden sound pressure of > 130 dB (pulse sound).

Most of us, regardless of noise exposure, will experience hearing loss as a result of increasing age.
Noise can gradually or immediately cause hearing loss and tinnitus depending on the sound pressure level and exposure time.

Noise can also have other effects on your health, even at sound pressure levels lower than what can cause hearing damage.
Research has shown that noise can increase the risk of symptoms of stress and cause physiological changes in the cardiovascular system (increased blood pressure).
Noise can also lead to an increased risk of occupational injury by not perceiving or understanding signals correctly, or by missing danger and warning signals. Fatigue, irritation and reduced concentration and attention can also be the consequences of noise.

National regulations on protection against noise in the workplace provide values ​​for the permitted noise levels in the work environment. The values ​​are customized to the characteristics of different types of working conditions. Often it is not sufficient to protect the employees against a noise level so high that it may cause hearing damage. The regulation separates three main groups:

Noise group 1 is characterized by working conditions where high degree of concentration is required, or where calls are made (for example office space) The maximum permitted sound pressure level in this group is set to an avrage value of 55 dB (A) during one hour.
Noise group 2 is characterized by activities such as expedition in shops / department stores and serving restaurants/cafes. The highest permitted sound pressure level in this group is set to a avrage of 70 dB (A) during one hour.
Noise group 3: is characterized by working conditions with noisy machines and equipment. The maximum allowable sound pressure level in this group is set to a avrage of 80 dB (A) during an eight hour work day.

If you only wear your hearing protection 90% of the time, you can no longer expect safe or full protection. It is very important to use your hearing protection 100% of the time in noisy environments in order to obtain the maximun protection provided by the chosen hearing protection.

Resources:

  • Lie et al. Occupational noise exposure and hearing: a systematic review. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2016; 89(3): 351-72
  • Skogstad et al. Systematic review of the cardiovascular effects of occupational noise. Occup med 2016; 66(1): 10-16
  • Dzhambov et al. Occupational Noise Exposure and the Risk for Work-Related Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Ann Work Expo Health 2017; 61 (9): 1037-1053
  • Lie et al. Støy i arbeidslivet og helse. STAMI-rapport nr 10, årgang 14, Oslo: STAMI, 2013.
  • Lie A et al. Støy i arbeidslivet og helse. STAMI-rapport/-nr 10, Oslo: Statens arbeidsmiljøinstitutt, 2013.
  • Lie et al. Occupational noise exposure and hearing: a systematic review. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2016; 89(3): 351-72
  • Dobie RA. The Burdens of Age-related and Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in the United States. Ear Hear 2008; 29(4): 565-577