Many workers are exposed to high decibel levels on the job. Without proper hearing protection – often earplugs or earmuffs – these workers could suffer long-term damage. If they do have hearing loss, there is currently no way for the body to heal or repair this loss, so it is a permanent issue.
How loud does something have to be to actually harm your ears? Researchers note that any sounds that are at 70 decibels will not cause harm. You can listen to them for a short time or an extensive period without damaging your ears.
Once you get up to 85 decibels, that’s when the danger begins. Short-term exposure may not cause immediate hearing loss, but it can be a problem if you listen for more than eight hours in a row. This is why workers need to be aware of this risk. They may not immediately think that the noise levels are causing harm, but listening to those sound levels for their entire shift – potentially for years on end – certainly adds up.
The length of exposure
The length of the noise exposure continues to matter as sounds get louder. For instance, if the sound is at 88 decibels instead of 85, then you can only listen to that sound for four hours, rather than eight. If it is at 91 decibels, then you can only listen for two hours. The main three factors to consider are simply how loud the sound is, your own proximity to the source and how long that sound continues.
If you have suffered from hearing loss or other issues due to dangerous exposure on the job, be sure that you know about all of your legal options.
