Hazardous decibels: hearing health of firefighters.
Noise-induced hearing loss ranks among the most significant occupational health problems. In the United States, more than 1 million firefighters are at risk for noise-induced hearing loss due to exposure to hazardous levels of intermittent noise from sirens, air horns, and engines of emergency vehicles and fire trucks. Although irreversible, noise-induced hearing loss is entirely preventable through both engineering controls and personal protective equipment. This article describes occupational noise exposure, hearing loss, and strategies to prevent noise-induced hearing loss among firefighters.
Hong
OiSaeng
O
University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Samo
Daniel G
DG
D004430:Ear Protective Devices; D006293:Health Promotion; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology