March 2021
SUMMER HAZARDS/HEAT STRESS: A Federal Heat Exposure Standard May Be Coming Here’s What Could Be Included
EMPLOYEE TESTING: The Impact of COVID-19 on Drug Testing
IH: GAS DETECTION: What You Need to Know About Gas Hazards and the COVID-19 Vaccine
FALL PROTECTION: Five Reasons to Incorporate Connected Safety into Your Fall Protection Program
FALL PROTECTION: Fall Protection Plan for Confined Spaces Rescues
FALL PROTECTION: Building a Comprehensive Floor Safety Strategy
PPE: HEARING PROTECTION: Employees at Risk of Hearing Loss: What Employers Can Do to Help
PPE: HEARING PROTECTION: Hearing Protection: Let’s Get Personal
PPE: PROTECTIVE APPAREL: Preparing for Unpredictable Spring Weather
Properly protecting workersâ hearing goes beyond simple hearing protection devices.
By Jackie DiFrancesco
Feb 25, 2021
Excessive noise and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) are prevalent across industries, from manufacturing to construction and agriculture to oil and gas. More than 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous noise each year. In fact, NIHL is the most common permanent and preventable occupational injury. Unlike most injuries, it is difficult to tell when a person has been affected by NIHL because it is painless and progressive. NIHL can be caused by continuous or intermittent exposure to hazardous sound levels (usually considered to be ≥85 dBA), or by one-time high-intensity impulsive noise exposure. The effects on hearing are irreversible. However, experts agree that occupational NIHL can be reduced even eliminated when proper safety measures are implemented.