NIOSH Raising Awareness of Noise Induced Hearing Loss among Firefighters

July 10, 2013- The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) points to an article in Workplace Solutions, a publication of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), on recommended measures to protect hearing health.

Firefighters face dangerous conditions in the workplace, but high noise levels are less likely to come to mind. Firefighters have considered noise-induced hearing loss to be an unavoidable job risk and one that's certainly smaller compared to other hazards.

NIOSH studied two fire departments and compared noise levels to its own recommended exposure limit (REL). The report mentions a 2012 study where, for certain tasks, for example, using saws and pneumatic chisels, NIOSH's REL was exceeded in the first hour. NIOSH admits the need to adjust noise exposure limits for firefighters, given their 24-hour on/2-days off work schedules.

NIOSH recommends fire department hearing loss prevention programs include engineering and administrative controls to limit firefighters’ overall exposure to noise from equipment or in the work environment; training about harmful noise levels from various tasks and equipment, the effects of noise exposure, and hearing loss; training about appropriate hearing protection devices, especially electronic devices designed specifically for firefighters; and individualized training on the proper use of hearing protection devices using commercially available fit-test systems.

Read the full post here

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