Loud Machines & Ear Problems

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) can occur as a result of one-time exposure to very loud noise or repeated exposure to elevated noise levels. Machines in the workplace can produce levels of sound that can cause hearing loss. Sound is measured in decibels (dB), a measure of sound pressure. An "A-weighted" scale of decibel (dBA) measurement is used to record sound as the human ear hears it. Safe levels of sound exposure have been set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Defining Noise

• Noise is an unwanted level of sound that can interfere with hearing. Exposure to elevated levels of noise can result in temporary or permanent hearing loss. Loud machinery is capable of generating these elevated levels.

Noise Limits

• The limits of sound detection range from a lower threshold of 10 dBA and an upper pain threshold of 140 dBA. Exposure to levels above 90 dBA requires implementation of a hearing conservation program.

Ear Problems

• Exposure to loud machines can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Damage to the hairs in the inner ear (cochlea) that detect sound or the auditory nerve that carries signals to the brain can result in a loss of hearing ability.

Temporary Problems

• Blast or impulse noise from explosion or impact can cause temporary hearing loss and ringing in the ears (tinnitus).

Long-Term Damage

• Continuous exposure to loud machines, generating noise above 90 dBA, can cause permanent hearing loss. The exposed person may experience continuous ringing in the ears or a loss of the ability to hear high and low frequencies.

Hearing Assessment

• A professional assessment can determine levels of hearing loss

  Hearing tests, performed by a hearing specialist (audiologist), can measure the amount and type of damage that exposure to loud machinery has caused.