Occupational Hearing Loss – Persistent Yet Preventable

Hearing loss is the most frequently reported work-related illness in the U.S. While protective measures and hearing conservation programs can dramatically reduce exposure risk, U.S. employers still recorded 10,500 cases of work-related hearing loss in 2024, according to injury and illness data submitted to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).  

Based on national surveys, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that more than 50 percent of noise-exposed workers do not wear hearing protection, and an estimated 10 million workers have risk of exposure to chemicals or drug ingredients that can damage hearing or cause tinnitus. 

Occupational hearing has serious workplace safety and personal health consequences because it limits the ability to hear high-frequency sounds and speech – on and off the job. Recognizing noise as a health hazard is important for businesses. Studies show that unprotected exposure to noise and related hearing loss: 

• Increases accident and injury risk 

• Contributes to fatigue 

• Heightens physical and psychological stress 

• Affects concentration and productivity 

• Interferes with essential communication 

• Impairs the ability to connect socially 

• Is a risk factor for chronic diseases, anxiety, and depression 

The annual cost of work-related hearing loss in the U.S. is estimated to be hundreds of millions – even billions – of dollars, including lost productivity, workers’ compensation medical care, and disability insurance coverage. Affected employees may need hearing aids or implants, ongoing audiological care, and reasonable job accommodations so they can continue working. Total costs to society are difficult to measure, partly because occupational hearing loss is so prevalent and may be under-reported. 

Causes of Hearing Loss 

When a protective device is a poor fit, worn incorrectly, or simply considered a nuisance, it is not effective. One of the leading causes of preventable hearing loss is inconsistent use of required or recommended protection, such as earmuffs, foam or pre-formed ear plugs, and canal caps. In some workplaces, employees must wear respirators, gloves, goggles, and protective clothing to reduce their risk of airborne or dermal exposure to solvents, heavy metals, asphyxiants, pesticides, or ototoxicants linked to hearing loss. 

Noise-related occupational exposure risks include prolonged exposure to loud industrial and agricultural machinery, construction equipment, jet engines, and sudden, extremely loud noise from blasts, explosions, or firearms.  

OSHA Requirements 

As required by OSHA, the effect of noise on hearing is assessed based on A-weighted decibels (dBA), the relative loudness of sounds in the air as perceived by the human ear. In the A-weighted system, the decibel values of sounds at low frequencies are reduced because the human ear is less sensitive to them. 

OSHA requires covered employers to establish comprehensive hearing conservation programs when workplace noise exposures are equal to or greater than 85 dBA during an eight-hour workday. In the construction industry, the permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 90 dBA over an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA); for every five dB increase above 90 dBA, the allowable exposure time is cut in half. (Refer to OSHA’s general industry and construction industry requirements.) 

OSHA-mandated hearing conservation programs must include the use of workplace engineering and administrative controls, such as sound monitoring, noise-suppression measures, and adequate ventilation. In addition to training, employees with exposure risk must receive free annual hearing tests and PPE needed to safely do their job.  

Hearing Tests 

In workplaces with noise exposure hazards that cannot be reduced to safe levels with engineering or administrative controls, OSHA requires hearing tests to establish a baseline and measure potential hearing loss over time. Changes are measured as standard threshold shifts. When a shift is detected, steps can be taken to reduce employees’ exposure risk, and ensure that they are evaluated by a qualified provider and receive appropriate care, as needed. 

In addition to mandatory hearing tests, a medical professional should be consulted when there are warning signs such as: 

• Turning up TV, radio, phone, or music volume because of difficulty hearing 

• Frequently asking people to repeat what they have said or feeling as if they are mumbling 

• Avoiding social interactions, reading lips, interrupting, or making inappropriate comments 

• Inability to hear environmental sounds others can hear, such as birdsong or rain falling 

• Hearing ringing, buzzing or muffled sounds, which are signs of tinnitus 

WorkCare Can Help 

WorkCare’s hearing conservation solutions include on-site, mobile, and off-site audiometric testing options at preferred provider locations, medical monitoring by occupational health physicians, results tracking, and recordkeeping. A work-related hearing test, or audiogram, may be conducted in a lab, sound-proof room or booth in a clinic, mobile medical unit, or private room in a workplace by a qualified professional.  

We offer the convenience of a portable audiometric testing device equipped with headphones and audiometry technology that eliminates the need for a sound-proof booth. It is listed as a Class II medical device by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and it complies with OSHA 29 CFR 19010.95 and American National Standards Institute recommendations. WorkCare providers review audiogram results to determine whether additional testing or a referral is necessary based on test findings.