Everyone knows that mining is a noisy job, but did you know that you are nine times more likely to lose your hearing than someone who works in a quieter job? If unprotected from noise on the job, by age 50, you will probably need hearing aids. Obviously, the best solution is to engineer out the noise, but that isn't always immediately possible. Until mines are quieter, one way you can help save your vital sense of hearing is to use hearing protectors whenever the noise around you is hazardous. Even if you already have some hearing loss, you can use hearing protectors to prevent your hearing from getting worse. When loud noise is present, proper use of hearing protectors will help miners pre-vent most or all noise-induced hearing loss.
| Author(s): | Stephenson-MR, Merry-CJ |
| Reference: | Holmes Saf Assn Bull 1998 Oct. Falls Church, VA: U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration; :3-5 |
http://holmessafety.org/1998/OCT98.pdf (PDF, 1855 KB)
