Noise-exposed male sheet-metal workers using hearing protectors. A longitudinal study of hearing threshold shifts covering fifteen years.
The hearing thresholds of male sheet-metal workers have been studied in a longitudinal investigation with pure tone audiometry during three periods covering 1972-1987. Using these data, the hearing threshold shifts were calculated in various age groups. When the annual rate of mean hearing threshold shift over the frequency range 2-8 kHz was considered, it was not possible to establish a difference in the threshold shift between noise-exposed groups and an otologically normal 'highly screened' male population from ISO 7029, database A. The correction for ageing in the noise-exposed group according to the empirical formula in ISO 1999 (1990) is discussed. The results show that a hearing conservation programme including effective use of hearing protectors and reduction of noise emission levels can eliminate noise-induced hearing threshold shifts and progressive hearing loss.
Brühl
P
P
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Lund, Malmö General Hospital, Sweden.
Ivarsson
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004430:Ear Protective Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016272:Occupational Health; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology