Work-related Hearing Loss

Work-related hearing loss continues to be a critical workplace safety and health issue. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the occupational safety and health community named hearing loss one of the 21 priority areas for research in the next century. Noise-induced hearing loss is 100 percent preventable but once acquired, hearing loss is permanent and irreversible. Therefore, prevention measures should be taken by employers and workers to ensure the protection of workers' hearing.

Magnitude

Approximately 30 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise on the job and an additional nine million are at risk for hearing loss from other agents such as solvents and metals.

Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common occupational disease and the second most self-reported occupational illness or injury. Industry specific studies reveal:

• 44% of carpenters and 48% of plumbers reported that they had a perceived hearing loss.
• 49% of male, metal/nonmetal miners will have a hearing impairment by age 50 (vs. 9% of the general population) rising to 70% by age 60.

While any worker can be at risk for noise-induced hearing loss in the workplace, workers in many industries have higher exposures to dangerous levels of noise. Industries with high numbers of exposed workers include: agriculture; mining; construction; manufacturing and utilities; transportation; and military.

Costs

There is no national surveillance or injury reporting system for hearing loss. As such, comprehensive data on the economic impact of hearing loss are not available. The following localized examples provide an indication of the broader economic burden.

In Washington State, workers' compensation disability settlements for hearing-related conditions cost $4.8 million in 1991 (not including medical costs). When applied to the national workforce, occupational hearing loss costs an estimated $242.4 million per year in disability alone.

This figure does not include medical costs or personal costs which can include approximately $1500 for a hearing aid and around $300 per year for batteries. Moreover, workers' compensation data is an underestimate of the true frequency of occupational illness, representing only the tip of the iceberg.

In British Columbia, in the five-year period from 1994 to 1998, the workers' compensation board paid $18 million in permanent disability awards to 3,207 workers suffering hearing loss. An additional $36 million was paid out for hearing aids.

Through their hearing conservation program, the U.S. Army saved $504.3 million by reducing hearing loss among combat arms personnel between 1974 and 1994. The Department of Veterans Affairs saved $220.8 million and the Army an additional $149 million by reducing civilian hearing loss between 1987 and 1997.

Prevention

Removing hazardous noise from the workplace through engineering controls (e.g. installing a muffler or building an acoustic barrier) is the most effective way to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. Hearing protectors such as ear plugs and ear muffs should be used when it is not feasible to otherwise reduce noise to a safe level. NIOSH recommends hearing loss prevention programs for all workplaces with hazardous levels of noise. These programs should include noise assessments, engineering controls, audiometric monitoring of workers' hearing, appropriate use of hearing protectors, worker education, record keeping, and program evaluation.

For original NIOSH article, follow this Link

To check out the NIOSH noise meter, follow this Link (requires Flash)

Here for downloadable .exe file

Workplace Violence: Violence Can Happen Here

By Susan M. Heathfield, About.com Guide

A very real, clear and present danger lurks just beyond the consciousness of people who work together eight to ten hours a day, five to seven days a week. It is the potential for violence to occur in your workplace.
Increasingly, the Human Resources function is both the target of these threats of workplace violence and the organization's first line of defense for the prevention of workplace violence.

What causes workplace violence? Are violent actions more likely to occur at work? What actions or changes tell an organization that an individual has the potential to commit a violent act at work? This article about workplace violence answers these questions for the health and safety of your employees.

Full Article

A Quick Vehicle Check Can Save You Time and Aggravation

Before you leave:

• Make sure your windshield wipers are in good condition and are working properly. Clean your windshield wipers with a damp cloth to remove debris.
  
• Clean your windows, outside and inside.
  
• Make sure your headlights and taillights are working and lenses are clean.
  
• Make sure your tires have sufficient tread and are properly inflated
  

Manage Your Stress Level

• Set realistic goals. Set and reset your priorities.
  
• Take one task at a time. Make “To Do” lists.
  
• Take a five minute break. This can help slow down your mind long enough to deal with stress.
  
• Learn to say “No.”
  
• Be flexible.
  
• Go easy on criticism.
  
• Manage your anger. Retreat before you lose control.
  
• Know when you are in a bind, and ask for help if you need it.
  
• Treat your body right - eat right, exercise, and learn to relax or meditate.
  

Don’t Neglect to Disconnect

• Lock out all potential energy sources before performing equipment maintenance or repair.
  
• Have your work crew establish its own lockout/tagout. Never work under another crew’s lockout/tagout, even for a moment.
  
• Before returning equipment to service, be sure that everyone involved knows your plans.
  
• Use the principles of lockout/tagout at home.
  

What You Don’t Know May Hurt You

• Read labels before using or storing hazardous substances.
  
• Check material safety data sheets (MSDS) for additional safety measures involving hazardous substances.
  
• Whenever possible, keep hazardous substance in their original containers.
  
• Properly label any new container in which it becomes necessary to
  store a hazardous substance.
  

Wear Proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Did you know hand injuries account for 25% of all reported workplace accidents?

When working with machinery it is important to follow all instructions, wear appropriate PPE and make sure the equipment is properly maintained.

EIGHT STEPS TO LIFTING CORRECTLY:

1. Plan Your Lift

• Ask yourself: "Can I lift this alone?"
• Look for obstacles.
• Choose a clear route
• Is the load to awkward or too heavy?
• How much does the item weigh?

2. Ask For Help

• If the load is too heavy or awkward to handle alone, get assistance.

3. Get a Firm Footing

• Position your feet approximately shoulder wide for a stable base.
• Wear nonslip footwear.
• Point toes out

4. Bend Your Knees

• Do not bend at the waist.

5. Tighten Your Stomach Muscles

• Abdominal muscles help support your spine when you lift.

6. Lift With Your Legs

• Let your powerful leg muscles do most of the work, not your back.

7. Keep the Load Close

• Don't hold the load away from your body.
• The closer the load is to your spine, the less force it exerts on your back.

8. Avoid Twisting and Turning Your Back

• To turn, shift the position of your feet.
• When lifting items such as luggage or boxes from the cargo area of a car or truck, brace your legs against the vehicle frame for extra support and remember to test the load before you try to lift it with arm strength alone.

Give Your Back the Support It Needs

• Always think before you lift. Bend your knees both when picking objects up and when setting them down.
• 
  Avoid twisting, bending at the waist, and excessive reaching while handling heavy objects.
• 
  Ease into physically demanding tasks. Change your posture frequently and don’t overdo it.
• 
  When standing for long periods, place one foot on a low stool to reduce stress on your back.