How Employees Can Protect Their Hearing at Work

There are various types of hearing loss – however, one of the most common is related to prolonged exposure to loud noise in the workplace. While this occurs most frequently in factories or places where loud machinery is used, it can also occur in a range of different work environments.

For example, musicians can also experience hearing loss of this nature as a result of their profession. In fact, a recent report has found that over one million workers are exposed to levels of noise that puts their hearing at risk each day.

While a bit of noise may not seem like much of a problem, over time, these sounds can cause damage to your hearing health. As a result, it’s important that employees know what steps they can take to protect their hearing at work.

Be Aware of the Dangers

The first step towards protecting your hearing health is understanding hearing loss and its causes – as this enables you to put practical, preventative steps in place. For example, you might want to ask your employer to reduce the amount of time you are expected to use specific machinery for. You should also encourage your employer to incorporate hearing health into their health and safety plans, as it’s their responsibility to ensure that all aspects of employee health and safety are catered to in the workplace.

Wear Protective Equipment

While those working in factory environments may already wear protective gear at work, such as high-visibility jackets and goggles, it’s also important that you wear protective earwear too. For example, this could include earmolds, earplugs and high-definition hearing protection and sound enhancement plugs. For example, industrial workers may benefit from wearing sound gear plugs, which are designed to protect your ears from loud, industrial noise such as machinery and power tools.

Don’t Forget to Wear Your Earplugs

Whether you were given protective earwear from your employer or purchased it yourself, it’s important to remember that it’s only effective when you actually use it. This means that you should not forget to wear them because you are busy or too consumed with your work to grab them on your way in. You should also ensure that you keep them in good working condition, as they may not work as well if they are damaged or broken.

Meet with an Audiologist

In order to maintain good hearing health, it’s recommended that you meet with an audiologist at least once every three years – or whenever you notice a significant change in your hearing. Those over the age of 60 should meet their audiologist every year. Not only will they be able to assess your overall hearing health, but they’ll also be able to provide you with further guidance on the steps you can take to improve your hearing health at work and beyond.

Address Any Hearing Problems as Soon as Possible

Many hearing problems occur gradually, meaning that we may not notice them right away. However, when we do notice these changes, it’s essential that we reach out and get help sooner rather than later – if only to make your day-to-day life more manageable. For example, you may need to look into tinnitus treatment or even hearing aids – through your audiologist will be able to advise you on which options are best for you.

Despite their benefits, most adults who need hearing aids do not actually get them – and it’s crucial that you do not become part of this statistic if you want to take care of your hearing health. Furthermore, hearing aids are one of the most practical steps we can take to reduce the signs of symptoms of hearing loss as we get older and can be a great way to improve your quality of life – especially if you feel as though you have become more withdrawn due to your hearing loss.

If you’d like to find out more about protecting your hearing or would look to seek treatment for any issues you are dealing with, look no further than Baker Audiology & Hearing Aids. You can reach out to us at (605) 610-3466. We provide our customers with a range of services, whether you’re dealing with tinnitus or want to arrange to have hearing aids fitted. We’re also on hand to answer any questions you might have or put any worries at bay – so please do not hesitate to get in touch!