Damage to hearing due to noise at work

Regular listening tests recommended for activities with high levels of noise pollution

01/13/2014

Many working people are exposed to considerable noise at work every day, which often results in reduced hearing. According to the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), hearing loss was the most widely recognized occupational disease in 2013, according to the news agency „dpa“. In particular, workers from the construction sector are increasingly affected.

Therefore, for example, the employees in the metalworking and woodworking industry should regularly perform a hearing test, according to the BAuA. In larger companies, for example, offering a visit to the company doctor. This could detect possible hearing damage early and initiate appropriate protective measures. But in many cases the visit to the doctor is far too late and the hearing of those affected has already been damaged to the extent that a work-related noise-induced hearing loss is diagnosed. Georg Brockt, expert for noise protection at the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), emphasized that it is usually difficult for those affected to determine their hearing loss and that they notice this only at an advanced stage. Therefore, regular hearing tests are appropriate.

Noise pollution affects 5 million employees
In addition to the controls on hearing, preventive measures are of particular importance in cases of high noise pollution at the workplace. Vulnerable persons should always wear their hearing protection while working, warned Brockt. In addition, the expert recommends that those affected enjoy their hearing as much as possible during their free time. Instead of loud music after a noisy day at work in the evening more calm is announced, so that the hearing can regenerate. In 2010, the BAuA had already urgently pointed to the problem of noise pollution in the workplace and made it clear that in this country about five million people work at harmful noise. Just under one in four employees said they often or always work under noise, according to the BAuA communication at the time. Every year about „5,000 new cases of occupational noise-induced deafness have been recognized.“ In addition, not only the hearing, but the unwanted sound also lead to stress and act on the autonomic nervous system. Mental problems, cardiovascular diseases and disorders of the digestive system are possible consequences here. (Fp)

Image: Bernd Wachtmeister