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38 Winter 2022 TimTurney , Global Marketing Manager at occupational hygiene and environmental expert Casella, shares expert advice on hearing protection in the workplace. A lmost 60% of former construction workers su er from some form of hearing loss, research by the Centre for Construction Research and Training has found. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is preventable, but the e ect is permanent, resulting in life-changing injuries that can seriously impair a worker’s quality of life. Employees with hearing loss are also at risk of additional injuries should they struggle to hear alarms, moving vehicles, emergency broadcasts or other hazards on site. Despite having a duty of care to protect employees fromworkplace hazards that can cause injury or illness, employers have no obligation to test workers’ hearing in construction, even if noise exposure levels exceed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL). For this reason, hearing loss is rarely recognised as an ‘occupational disease’ in construction. As a result of this, e Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that hearing loss is underreported therefore hearing loss data for the construction sector is not comparable with data for general industry. However, the repercussions to the employer if they do not seriously consider the auditory welfare of their workforce can be signi cant. e OSHA estimates that employers spend $242 million annually on workers’ compensation for hearing loss disability. Despite the risk of irreversible damage to health, one-third of noise-exposed workers report not wearing hearing protection. Although hearing protection is a ‘ rst aid’ measure until it is possible to reduce noise exposure to a safer level through changes to the tools, equipment and schedules used, knowledge of its application can dramatically increase its e ectiveness. IDENTIFYING WORKERS MOST AT RISK Any sound over 85 decibels(dB) can damage hearing, meaning the operation of concrete mixers, forklifts, jackhammers, nail guns and masonry drills all pose a permanent risk to worker health if e ective control measures are not put in place. A noise survey can help employers determine which employees are at risk. e survey should list employees and their exposure, then compare their exposure to the maximumPEL. In line with the OSHA regulations, hearing protection should be made available to employees exposed to noise dose levels above 85dB(A). e noise dose is based on the sound exposure level and duration, so for each increased 5-dB in noise levels, the duration of the exposure should be cut in half. Noise monitoring provides accurate insights into the noise levels of a working environment so that businesses can PROTECTING WORKERS FROM AN INVISIBLE DANGER