Noise is all around you, from televisions and radios to lawn mowers and washing machines. Normally, you hear these sounds at safe levels that don’t affect hearing. But sounds that are too loud or loud sounds over a long time are harmful. They can damage sensitive structures of the inner ear and cause noise-induced hearing loss.
More than 30 million Americans are exposed to hazardous sound levels on a regular basis. Hazardous sound levels are louder than 80 decibels. That’s not as loud as traffic on a busy street. Listening to loud music, especially on headphones, is a common cause of noise-induced hearing loss. You can protect your hearing by
- Keeping the volume down when listening to music
- Wearing earplugs when using loud equipment
NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Occupational health problems occur at work or because of the kind of work you do. These problems can include
- Cuts, broken bones, sprains, and strains
- Loss of limbs
- Repetitive motion disorders
- Hearing problems caused by exposure to noise
- Vision problems
- Illness caused by breathing, touching, or swallowing unsafe substances
- Illness caused by exposure to radiation
- Exposure to germs in health care settings
Good job safety and prevention practices can reduce your risk of these problems. Try to stay fit, reduce stress, set up your work area properly, and use the right equipment and gear.