Cincinnati — Utility workers have the highest occurrence of hearing loss among noise-exposed workers in all industries, results of a recent NIOSH study show.
Researchers examined more than 1.3 million hearing tests from noise-exposed workers at organizations that took part in the NIOSH Occupational Hearing Loss Surveillance Program from 2010 to 2019. The sample included nearly 14,000 utility workers. Of them, 25% had hearing loss – higher than all other industries combined (20%). The subsectors with the highest occurrence of hearing loss were hydroelectric power generation (37%) and steam and air-conditioning supply (29%).
“While often overlooked, noise-exposed workers in this sector have among the highest prevalences of hearing loss and significantly higher risks,” the study abstract states. “Increased attention and better hearing conservation strategies are needed.”
The study was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
