the sounds of your favorite TV program or CD, or play them so loudly they drive everyone else from the room. Imagine that you have trouble hearing your family members from across the room or co-workers from 20 feet away. Imagine that you must also wear a hearing aid to hear your grand kids’ laughter.

Unfortunately, for many workers in construction, manufacturing and other industrial settings these situations are all too real. They suffer significant hearing loss after 15 to 20 years of being subjected continually to noise from machinery, day-to-day activities, tools and traffic. Hearing loss has a dramatic impact on quality of life and also can pose safety problems on the job and off.

Fortunately, hearing loss in industrial settings and construction also is completely preventable through a combination of quieter equipment, hearing conservation programs, and use of proper hearing protection.

Hearing protection products from ISEA members meet the EPA Noise Control Act of 1972 (40 CFR 211) and set the world standard for reducing harmful noises while allowing workers to stay in touch with their surroundings and communicate effectively with co-workers. Click on the links below to find manufacturers of these types of hearing protectors:

Active Noise Canceling Headsets use an electronic system to cancel unwanted background noise while at the same time enhancing the quality of audio delivered through the headset. They are used primarily for in-flight noise reduction.

Band Type Hearing Protectors come on a flexible plastic band that is worn under the chin while the protectors are in the ears. The band can be left resting around the neck while the protectors are not in use. They are designed for convenience in work areas with varying noise levels.

Communication Headsets block unwanted noise while at the same time allowing the wearer to communicate clearly with co-workers. Special microphones suppress environmental noise to aid in two-way communications.

Ear Caps seal the opening to the ear without entering the ear canal. Similar to band-type hearing protectors, they usually come on a band that can be placed around the neck when the caps are not in use for convenience in work areas with varying noise levels.

Ear Muffs suppress unwanted noise by completely covering the outer ear.

Disposable Ear Plugs are made of formable material and are designed to be inserted into a person’s ear canal, where they expand and conform to the shape of each individual’s ear canal.

Reusable Ear Plugs usually are premolded and made from silicone, plastic or rubber and are available in several different sizes. Workers sometimes refer to them as "Christmas tree plugs" because of their appearance. They often come in a carrying case to keep them clean when not in use.

Causes of Sensorineural hearing loss include:

• Deterioration of hair cells due to exposure to loud sounds or aging
• Deterioration of nerves pathways that transmit signals to the brain, most commonly caused by a tumor pinching the nerves
• Trauma to the head
• iInfection that reaches the inner ear
• Heredity

Conductive hearing loss occurs when there is damage or blockage in the outer or middle ear, preventing sound from traveling normally through the ear canal to the inner ear. This type of hearing loss can often be corrected.

Causes of Conductive hearing loss include:

• Fluid build up, often due to ear infection
• Ear wax
• Perforated ear drum

Noise exposures greater than 85 dB may cause hearing loss. General estimates of some work-related noises, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), are listed below. Where does your job fit in?

• • Rocket launch - 180 dB
• • 12-gauge shotgun - 165 dB
• • Jet engine at takeoff - 140 dB
• • Ambulance siren - 120 dB
• • Pneumatic percussion drill - 119 dB
• • Hammer drill - 114 dB
• • Chain saw - 110 dB
• • Continuous miner - 108 dB
• • Bulldozer; spray painter - 105 dB
• • Impact wrench - 103 dB
• • Hand drill - 98 dB
• • Tractor - 96 dB
• • Belt sander - 93 dB
• • Hair dryer; power lawnmower - 90 dB
• • Ringing telephone - 80 dB
• • Normal conversation - 60 dB

What is a Temporary Hearing Loss (Temporary Threshold Shift)?

With a temporary hearing loss, normal hearing will usually return after a rest period away from all sources of intense or loud noise. The recovery period may be minutes, hours, a day or perhaps even longer. It is believed that a temporary hearing loss occurs when hair cells in the inner ear have been bent by vibrations and need time to bounce back, or when the fluid in the inner ear has changed chemically because of over-stimulations, and needs time to revert to its original composition.

What is a Permanent Hearing Loss (Permanent Threshold Shift)?

A permanent hearing loss is the result of hair cells or nerve destruction within the cochlea. Once these important parts of the hearing process are destroyed, they can never be restored or regenerated. The resulting permanent hearing loss, also referred to as permanent threshold shift (PTS), can range from slight to total hearing loss.

The following factors determine the degree and extent of hearing loss:

• Type of Noise – continuous, intermittent, impact, high or low frequency
• Intensity of Noise – level of loudness
• Duration of Exposure – length of time subjected to noise, and over time how often subjected to noise
• Type of Noise Environment – enclosed, open, reflective surfaces
• Distance from Ears to the Source of Noise – earphones in the ear, centimeters from the ear, meters, etc.
• Physical position/posture relative to the noise source
• Age of listener
• Individual Susceptibility
• General Health of listener
• Number of other Exposures to Noise – at home, in the workplace, during recreational/leisure activities, etc.