Reduce Work-Related Hearing Loss

Every year, approximately 22 million people in the United States experience noise exposure in the workplace that is considered potentially hazardous. In fact, the most common work-related injury in the U.S. is noise-induced hearing loss. Excessive noise for workers is not only physically detrimental to workers, but it can also reduce productivity, interfere with communication, and cause psychological stress. 

As a result, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) instituted the "Buy Quiet" initiative which urged both manufacturers to produce quieter equipment and companies to invest in more quiet machinery. Today, companies can benefit from a myriad of web resources via NIOSH's Buy Quiet website. The site provides educational materials and highlights the advantages of providing a more noise-conscious workplace. 

If it's impossible to purchase quiet machinery or if noise levels in the work environment are hazardous, it is critical that hearing protection be used to prevent hearing loss. Ear plugs, ear muffs, and hard-hat mounted ear muffs are all viable means of preserving and protecting hearing. But NIOSH urges companies to take a proactive role in reducing the overall noise in the workplace. A quieter workplace is facilitiates communication between employees -- an essential factor a safe and productive work environment. For more information on Buy Quiet, go to the NIOSH Noise Topic Page.