Maico Audiological ServicesDo you feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in going to work each day? Whether you fight cases in court or manufacture machines that help people live better, you probably derive a sense of fulfillment in your occupation. But when you work in an environment that features loud noises day in and day out, you put your hearing at risk. Many jobs, including the below, have the added component of hearing damage on a very consistent basis. In this article, we’ll examine the many work environments that are so noisy, they can threaten your hearing health. There are, fortunately, a few steps you can take to guard against permanent damage.
Night Club Employees
The happiness you get from going to the club on the weekend comes at a big price for people who work at these establishments. Everyone from DJs and servers to security personnel and bartenders can succumb to hearing loss because they are immersed in this environment night after night. This is due to the thumping base of the speakers as well as shouting of the crowd.
Military Personnel
The guns, machinery and explosives that punctuate daily military life, in conjunction with construction noises, can set people up for hearing loss. Many armed forces personnel develop hearing damage after repeated exposure to weapons training and operating big tanks and guns. Hearing impairment likely results in soldiers and other military workers.
Airport Ground Workers
An inherently loud and dangerous job, working for the ground crew at commercial and military airports can bring on hearing loss thanks to the deafening roar of jets taking off from the runway. That’s why you’ll often see these workers wearing top of the line noise-cancelling ear pieces to protect their hearing on the job. Jet noise can feature the amount of decibels needed to induce hearing loss.
Miners
Miners must work in small underground spaces all while operating incredibly loud machinery. This can induce long-term hearing loss, even though this is a valuable industry to many because of the important resources it uncovers. Confined spaces, combined with heavy equipment, lends itself to the very real threat of negatively affecting workers’ hearing.
Farmers
Most people don’t think beyond the value the agriculture industry brings everyone thanks to fresh food and livestock, but this is certainly a workplace that is very loud. The risk of significant hearing loss to farmers is very high because they must operate tractors and plows, which often well exceed 85 decibels of noise.
General Construction
Punctuated by a noisy job environment, contractors are subjected to noises from the tools of the trade, like hammers, saws, nail guns and drills, not to mention all the big trucks. These all contribute to the potential for hearing loss thanks to repeated exposure to high amounts of acute noise trauma. It’s wise for construction workers to wear ear plugs when on the job site.