17,000 Young or old, once you lose your hearing you can never get - PDF document

Noise Levels Part of the Health and Wellbeing Series How noisy is too noisy? • Noise is part of everyday life, but Hearing loss caused by work is preventable, but once your loud noise can permanently damage hearing has gone it will not come back. your hearing 17,000 • Young or old, once you lose your hearing you can never get it back • New regulations have been introduced to better protect people in the UK suffer deafness, ringing in the ears or other workers from noise at work from ear conditions caused by excessive noise at work. April 2006 Am I at risk? You are at risk if you can answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions about the noise where you work: • Is the noise intrusive - like a busy street, a vacuum cleaner or a crowded restaurant - for most of the working day? • Do you have to raise your voice to have a normal conversation when about 2 metres apart for at least part of the day? • Do you use noisy powered tools or machinery for over half an hour a day? • Do you work in a noisy industry, eg construction, demolition or road repair; woodworking; plastics processing; engineering; textile manufacture; general fabrication; forging, pressing or stamping; paper or board making; canning or bottling; foundries? • Are there noises because of impacts (eg hammering, drop forging, pneumatic impact tools etc), explosive sources such as cartridge-operated tools or detonators, or guns? • Do you have muffled hearing at the end of the day, even if it is better by the next morning? Hearing loss is more common than you may think. In the UK, around one person in six is deaf or hard of hearing. Source: HSE For more information call 01827 65999 or visit www.hamptonknight.co.uk

Hearing Loss Symptoms Part of the Health and Wellbeing Series Symptoms and early signs of hearing loss Conversation becomes Your family complains You have trouble difficult or impossible about the television being using the telephone too loud You find it difficult to catch sounds Permanent tinnitus (ringing, whistling, like ‘t’, ‘d’ and ‘s’, so you confuse buzzing or humming in the ears) similar words can also be caused Generally hearing loss is gradual. By the time you notice it, it is probably too late. We want to prevent hearing loss before it happens. You can also suffer instant damage from very loud or explosive noises. Source: HSE For more information call 01827 65999 or visit www.hamptonknight.co.uk

PPE - Hearing Part of the Health and Wellbeing Series The control of noise at work regulation 2005 require employers to prevent or reduce health risks to health and safety from exposure to noise at work. Employees have duties under the regulations too. The regulations require an employer to: • Assess the risks to employees from noise at work • Take action to reduce the risk of noise exposure • Provide employees with hearing protection if the noise exposure cannot be reduced by using alternative methods • Make sure the legal limits of noise exposure are not exceeded • Provide employees with information, instruction and training • Carry out health surveillance where there is a risk to health Hearing Protection 1. Exposure to noise can be permanently damaging. If there is hazardous noise polution in the working environment, the employee must be protected against the hazard by wearing ear defenders. 2. Reducing noise polution can be achieved by using different types of hearing protection which is covered by the European Standard EN352. 3. The first action level is 80 dB(A). Employers must provide information and training and make hearing protection available at this level. The second action is 85 dB(A). Employers must take reasonable measures to reduce noise exposure at this level. Legislation Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 both employers and employees have obligations which they must fulfill to minimise the risk of damage to hearing in the workplace. Source: HSE For more information call 01827 65999 or visit www.hamptonknight.co.uk

Causes of hearing loss Part of the Health and Wellbeing Series Age and loud noises are the most common causes of hearing loss. Age Loud Noises Age is the biggest single cause of hearing loss. Another common cause of hearing loss is damage Hearing loss that develops as a result of getting to the ear due to repeated exposure to loud older is often known as age-related hearing loss noises over time. This is known as noise-induced or presbycusis. hearing loss and it occurs when the sensitive hair cells inside the cochlea become damaged (known as sensorineural hearing loss). Most people begin to lose a small amount of their hearing when they are 30 to 40 years old. People who are at a particularly risk of developing noise-induced hearing This hearing loss increases as you get older. loss include: By the age of 80 most people will have significant • People who work with noisy equipment, such as hearing problems. pneumatic drills or compressed-air hammers Age-related hearing loss occurs when the • People who work in environments where there is sensitive hair cells inside the cochlea (the coiled, loud music, such as nightclub staff spiral tube section of the inner ear) gradually • People who regularly listen to music at a high become damaged or die. This type of hearing loss volume through headphones is known as sensorineural hearing loss. Hearing loss can also occur suddenly due to an As your hearing starts to deteriorate, exceptionally loud noise, such as an explosion. high-frequency sounds, such as female or children’s This is known as acoustic trauma. voices, may become difficult to hear. It may also be harder to hear consonants. Source: HSE For more information call 01827 65999 or visit www.hamptonknight.co.uk

Hearing Checks Part of the Health and Wellbeing Series Get your hearing tested. If you are worried about your hearing it is easy to get it checked. Quick hearing tests Quick hearing checks are a good first step to finding out how healthy your hearing is without having to visit your GP or a private hearing specialist. They are free, painless and take just five to 15 minutes. You can do some of them for yourself in your own home. Over-the-phone hearing checks Online hearing checks Online hearing checks are similar to Action An over-the-phone hearing check is available from on Hearing Loss's telephone hearing check, Action on Hearing Loss on except you hear the sounds through your 0844 800 3838 computer instead of your telephone. (local rate call). You can do a free online hearing check at Action This service is completely automated on Hearing Loss, the British Society (you will not have to speak to anyone) of Hearing Aid Audiologists (BSHAA), or and anonymous. Boots Hearing Care. Face-to-face tests There are two types of face-to-face tests. Either a short hearing test, or a full hearing test. Short hearing tests Full hearing tests Some GPs and private hearing aid dispensers The full hearing test appointment lasts up to offer to do a short hearing test. These tests are an hour, and can be carried out by your usually free, take about 15 minutes, and can GP surgery, hospital clinic, or by a private indicate if you have a hearing problem. hearing aid dispenser. As with online and over-the-phone hearing At the GP checks, short hearing tests are screening tests If you suspect you may have hearing loss and designed to alert you to the fact you may have want further testing on the NHS, make an hearing loss. They cannot tell for definite that appointment to see your GP. you have a hearing problem. Source: NHS Livewell For more information call 01827 65999 or visit www.hamptonknight.co.uk