NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

The dose-response relationship between in-ear occupational noise exposure and hearing loss.

Rabinowitz PM; Galusha D; Dixon-Ernst C; Clougherty JE; Neitzel RL

Occup Environ Med 2013 Oct; 70(10):716-721

https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2011-100455

20043327

Objectives: Current understanding of the dose-response relationship between occupational noise and hearing loss is based on cross-sectional studies prior to the widespread use of hearing protection, and with limited data regarding noise exposures below 85 dBA. We report on the hearing loss experience of a unique cohort of industrial workers, with daily monitoring of noise inside of hearing protection devices. Methods: At an industrial facility, workers exhibiting accelerated hearing loss were enrolled in a mandatory programme to monitor daily noise exposures inside of hearing protection. We compared these noise measurements (as time-weighted LAVG) to interval rates of high-frequency hearing loss over a 6-year period using a mixed-effects model, adjusting for potential confounders. Results: Workers' high-frequency hearing levels at study inception averaged more than 40 dB Hearing threshold level (HTL). Most noise exposures were less than 85 dBA (mean LAVG 76 dBA, IQR 74-80 dBA). We found no statistical relationship between LAvg and high-frequency hearing loss ( p=0.53). Using a metric for monthly maximum noise exposure did not improve model fit. Conclusions: At-ear noise exposures below 85 dBA did not show an association with risk of high-frequency hearing loss among workers with substantial past noise exposure and hearing loss at baseline. Therefore, effective noise control to below 85 dBA may lead to significant reduction in occupational hearing loss risk in such individuals. Further research is needed on the dose-response relationship of noise and hearing loss in individuals with normal hearing and little prior noise exposure.

Noise; Noise-induced-hearing-loss; Dose-response; Employee-exposure; Noise-exposure; Hearing-loss; Noise-levels; Exposure-levels; Hearing-threshold; Hearing-protection; Hearing-level; Industrial-environment; Industrial-exposures; Industrial-factory-workers; Monitoring-systems; Ears; Noise-measurement; Time-weighted-average-exposure; Noise-frequencies; Exposure-assessment; Noise-control; Workplace-studies

Dr. Peter M Rabinowitz, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program, Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 135 College Street, 3rd Floor, New Haven, CT 06510, USA

OEMEEM

20131001

Journal Article

peter.rabinowitz@yale.edu

Grant

2014

Grant-Number-R01-OH-008641; Grant-Number-K01-OH-009589; M112013

10

1351-0711

Manufacturing

Occupational and Environmental Medicine

CT; PA; MI

Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut