Overall Statistics – All U.S. Industries

At a glance

  • View hearing loss statistics among workers in all U.S. industries.
  • Approximately 12% of all workers have hearing difficulty.
  • About 8% of all workers have tinnitus.
  • 53% of noise-exposed workers report not wearing hearing protection.
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Noise exposure and hearing protection

  • About 25% of all workers have been exposed to hazardous noise, with 14% (22 million) exposed in the last year.1
  • 53% of noise-exposed workers report not wearing hearing protection.2

Hearing loss and tinnitus

  • Approximately 12% of all workers have hearing difficulty.1
  • About 8% of all workers have tinnitus.3
  • About 20% of noise-exposed tested workers have a material hearing impairment.4 Hearing impairment is hearing loss that impacts day-to-day activities.
  • 13% of noise-exposed tested workers have hearing impairment in both ears.5

Trends in hearing loss

Trends in hearing loss among noise-exposed tested workers (1981-2010)6

  • The prevalence for all industries combined decreased less than 1% over 30 years (1981-2010).
  • The incidence for all industries combined decreased 2% over 25 years (1986-2010).
  • The adjusted risk for all industries combined decreased 46% over 25 years (1986-2010).
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Graph showing prevalence of hearing loss by time period and industry sector, 1981-2010, for 1,816,812 workers
Adapted from Figure 1, Masterson et al. 2015
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Graph showing incidence of hearing loss by time period and industry sector, 1986-2010, for 560,320 workers
Adapted from Figure 2, Masterson et al. 2015
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Graph showing indicent hearing loss compared to the 1986-1990 time period, by industry sector, for 560,320 workers
Adapted from Figure 3, Masterson et al. 2015

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Content Source:
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
  1. Kerns E, Masterson EA, Themann CL, Calvert GM. (2018). Cardiovascular conditions, hearing difficulty and occupational noise exposure within U.S. industries and occupations. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 61, 477-491.
  2. Green DR, Masterson EA, Themann CL. (2021). Prevalence of hearing protection device non-use among noise-exposed U.S. workers in 2007 and 2014. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 64(12), 1002-1017.
  3. Masterson EA, Themann CL, Luckhaupt SE, Li J. & Calvert GM. (2016). Hearing difficulty and tinnitus among U.S. workers and non-workers in 2007. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 59, 290-300.
  4. Masterson, EA, Themann, C. L. (in press). Prevalence of hearing loss among noise-exposed U.S. workers within the Utilities Sector, 2010-2019. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
  5. Masterson EA, Bushnell PT, Themann CL, & Morata TC. (2016). Hearing impairment among noise-exposed workers — United States, 2003–2012. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 65(15), 389-394.
  6. Masterson EA, Deddens JA, Themann CL, Bertke S. & Calvert GM. (2015). Trends in worker hearing loss by industry sector, 1981-2010. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 58, 392-401.