Prevalence of Hearing Loss among Noise-Exposed Workers within the Mining, and Oil and Gas Extraction Sectors, 2006–2015

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Am J Ind Med
• Personal Author:
  Lawson, Sean M. ; Masterson, Elizabeth A. ; Azman, Amanda S.
• Description:
  Background:
  
  The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hearing loss among noise-exposed U.S. workers within the Mining, and Oil and Gas Extraction (OGE) sectors.
  
  Methods:
  
  Audiograms of 1.9 million workers across all industries (including 9,389 in Mining and 1,076 in OGE) from 2006–2015 were examined. Prevalence and adjusted risk as compared to a reference industry (Couriers and Messengers) were estimated for all industries combined and the Mining and OGE sectors and sub-sectors.
  
  Results:
  
  The prevalences of hearing loss in Mining and OGE were 24% and 14%, respectively, compared with 16% for all industries combined. Many Mining and one OGE sub-sector exceeded these prevalences and most had an adjusted risk significantly greater than the reference industry. Some sub-sectors, particularly in OGE, could not be examined due to low sample size. The prevalences in Construction Sand and Gravel Mining and Natural Gas Liquid Extraction were 36% and 28%, respectively. Workers within Support Activities for Coal Mining had double the risk of hearing loss than workers in the reference industry.
  
  Conclusions:
  
  The many sub-sectors identified with high prevalences and/or worker risks for hearing loss well above risks in the reference industry need critical attention to conserve worker hearing and maintain worker quality of life. Administrative and engineering controls can reduce worker hazardous noise exposures. Noise and ototoxic chemical exposure information is needed for many sub-sectors, as is audiometric testing results for OGE workers. Additional research is also needed to further characterize exposures and improve hearing conservation measures.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Adult Article Audiometry Female Gas Extraction Hazardous Noise Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced Humans Male Middle Aged Mining Noise, Occupational Occupational Diseases Occupational Exposure Occupational Hearing Loss Oil And Gas Industry Oil Extraction Prevalence Retrospective Studies Surveillance United States

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• Source:
  Am J Ind Med. 62(10):826-837
• Pubmed ID:
  31347715
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC8797162
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  CC999999/ImCDC/Intramural CDC HHSUnited States/
• Volume:
  62
• Issue:
  10
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:e1c89daeb5c80bdf138ba9b9d0f5f918ea96b96d1c692dba04f8de808a1f8f21
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/113974/cdc_113974_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 402.02 KB ]