October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). The NIDCD also developed the Noisy Planet campaign to increase awareness among parents of children ages eight to 12 of noise-induced hearing loss. However, children are not the only ones at risk of hearing loss due to noise exposure. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), approximately 22 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels each year.
Occupational Hearing Loss
Workers in the construction, farming, manufacturing, trucking and other industries are exposed to loud noise daily. Hearing loss can occur due to a single incident or it can develop gradually over time. In Pennsylvania, occupational hearing loss is compensable under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act. Workers who have more than a ten percent impairment may be entitled to specific loss benefits.