science

Occupational hearing loss

Occupational hearing loss is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Occupational hearing loss rather than just read about it. In short: Occupational hearing loss (OHL) is hearing loss that occurs as a result of occupational hazards, such as excessive noise and ototoxic chemicals. Noise is a common workplace hazard, and recognized as the risk factor for noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus but it is not the only risk factor that can result in a work-related hearing loss.

Key takeaways

Occupational hearing loss belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Occupational hearing loss to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Occupational hearing loss from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Occupational hearing loss (OHL) is hearing loss that occurs as a result of occupational hazards, such as excessive noise and ototoxic chemicals. Noise is a common workplace hazard, and recognized as the risk factor for noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus but it is not the only risk factor that can result in a work-related hearing loss. Also, noise-induced hearing loss can result from exposures that are not restricted to the occupational setting. OHL is a prevalent occupational concern in various work environments worldwide. In the United States, organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) work with employers and workers to reduce or eliminate occupational hearing hazards through a hierarchy of hazard controls. OHL is one of the most common work-related illness in the United States. Occupational hearing hazards include industrial noise, and exposure to various ototoxic chemicals. Combined exposure to both industrial noise and ototoxic chemicals may cause more damage than either one would in isolation. Many chemicals have not been tested for ototoxicity, so unknown threats may exist. A 2016 study by NIOSH found that the mining sector had the highest prevalence of hearing impairment at 17%, followed by the construction sector (16%) and the manufacturing sector (14%). The public safety sector had the lowest rate of hearing impairment, at 7%. Overall, audiometric records show that about 33% of working-age adults with a history of occupational noise exposure have evidence of noise-induced hearing damage, and 16% of noise-exposed workers have material hearing impairment. In the service sector the prevalence of hearing loss was 17% compared to 16% for all industries combined. Several sub-sectors however exceeded the overall prevalence (10-33% higher) and/or had adjusted risks significantly higher than the reference industry. Workers in Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development had the highest prevalence (50%), and workers in Solid Waste Combustors and Incinerators had more than double the risk, the highest of any sub-sector. Some sub-sectors traditionally viewed as "low-risk" such as Real Estate and Rental and Leasing, and financial sub-sectors (Credit Unions, Call centers), and also had high prevalences and risks. Personal protective equipment, administrative controls, and engineering controls can all work to reduce exposure to noise and chemicals, either by providing the worker with protection such as earplugs, or by reducing the noise or chemicals at the source or limiting the time or level of exposure.

Background

OHL is defined as any type of hearing loss, i.e. sensorineural, conductive, or mixed hearing loss, that occurs due to hazardous characteristics of a work environment. The hearing loss can range in severity from mild to profound and can be accompanied by tinnitus. Hazards of a work environment that can result in OHL include excessive noise, ototoxic chemicals, or physical trauma. OHL caused by excessive exposure to noise is also known as noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Noise exposure combined with ototoxic chemical exposure can results in more damage to hearing. OHL caused by physical trauma may include foreign bodies in the ear, vibration, barotrauma, or head injury. OHL, as well as hearing loss in general, can cause negative secondary social and emotional effects that can impact quality of life. Within the United States of America, approximately 10 million people have NIHL. Over twice that number (~22 million) are occupationally exposed to dangerous noise levels. Hearing loss accounted for a sizable percentage of occupational illness in 2007, at 14% of cases. United States government agencies such as OSHA, NIOSH and MSHA are working to understand the causes of OHL and how it can be prevented while providing regulations and guidelines to help protect the hearing of workers in all occupations.

Causes

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Occupational hearing loss

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Occupational hearing loss claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Occupational hearing loss before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Occupational hearing loss ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Occupational hearing loss

In research: Occupational hearing loss appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Occupational hearing loss in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Occupational hearing loss is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Audiology, Hearing, Hearing loss, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Occupational hearing loss outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Occupational hearing loss in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Occupational hearing loss means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Occupational hearing loss out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Occupational hearing loss in simple terms?

Why does Occupational hearing loss matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Occupational hearing loss?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Occupational hearing loss.