Evaluation of Hearing Conservation Practices in an Industry with a High Rate of Workers’ Compensation Claims for Hearing Loss

Details

• Personal Author:
  Swan S
• Description:
  Washington State has experienced a huge increase in the number of workers' compensation claims accepted each year for hearing loss. The annual costs of disability compensation rose twenty-fold in a decade, exceeding 40 million dollars in 1998. To determine whether there is any ongoing risk for hearing loss in industries with high rates of hearing loss claims, this pilot project evaluated noise levels and hearing conservation practices in one industry, foundries. The University of Washington and the state Department of Labor and Industries collaboratively evaluated ten representative foundries in the Seattle area (cross-sectional design). The project included personal noise dosimetry (n=86), structured interviews of management representatives (n=10) and employees (n=125), and review of existing audiometry files (n=306). Summary scores were created for management and employee interviews; higher scores represented better awareness and practices. A hearing loss rate was calculated for employees with 3+ years of audiometric tests (average hearing threshold change at 2-3-4 kHz); only eight worksites had conducted testing (n=146). Noise levels routinely exceeded 85 dBA at all worksites. All companies were out of compliance with hearing conservation regulations. There was no significant association between management-interview scores and worksite-average employee-interview scores (r=0.44). The worksite-average hearing-loss rates showed no clear relationship with average noise levels (r=-.45), management- interview scores (r=-.03), or average employee-interview scores (r=-.50); however, excluding one "outlier" worksite, there was a strong inverse association between hearing loss rates and employee-interview scores (r=-.94, p<.001). Based on observed noise levels and deficiencies in hearing conservation practices, workers in this industry probably still face a risk of occupational hearing loss. The rate of hearing loss was lower at worksites with higher overall worker awareness of noise hazards, indicating that hearing conservation is most likely to be effective when companies successfully maintain a broad base of hearing safety consciousness. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Hearing Hearing Loss Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced Noise Noise, Occupational Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Hearing Conservation Hearing Loss Hearing Loss Prevention Noise Exposure Noise Levels Occupational Hearing Loss Workers Compensation
• Publisher:
  American Industrial Hygiene Association
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 10 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  53
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20057819
• Citation:
  American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, June 2-7, 2001, New Orleans, Louisiana. Fairfax, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2001 Jun; :53
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2001
• NORA Priority Area:
  Disease and Injury: Hearing Loss
• Performing Organization:
  University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  19990930
• Source Full Name:
  American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition, June 2-7, 2001, New Orleans, Louisiana
• End Date:
  20030929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b7d92c46668fe18cc88fb7cdf4e410ea3a125e0dc2f9b696e184540ff01cce10c7723b70a3ce45bc7cd714d4745ef8efedff9f0baebdd73eac2927c58fa5b4c4
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/215039/cdc_215039_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 290.49 KB ]