title: A retrospective analysis of noise-induced hearing loss in the Dutch construction industry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Noise exposure is an important and highly prevalent occupational hazard in the construction industry. This study examines hearing threshold levels of a large population of Dutch construction workers and compares their hearing thresholds to those predicted by ISO-1999.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, medical records of periodic occupational health examinations of 29,644 construction workers are analysed. Pure-tone audiometric thresholds of noise-exposed workers are compared to a non-exposed control group and to ISO-1999 predictions. Regression analyses are conducted to explore the relationship between hearing loss and noise intensity, noise exposure time and the use of hearing protection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Noise-exposed workers had greater hearing losses compared to their non-noise-exposed colleagues and to the reference population reported in ISO-1999. Noise exposure explained only a small proportion of hearing loss. When the daily noise exposure level rose from 80 dB(A) towards 96 dB(A), only a minor increase in hearing loss is shown. The relation of exposure time and hearing loss found was similar to ISO-1999 predictions when looking at durations of 10 years or more. For the first decade, the population medians show poorer hearing than predicted by ISO-1999.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Duration of noise exposure was a better predictor than noise exposure levels, probably because of the limitations in noise exposure estimations. In this population, noise-induced hearing loss was already present at the beginning of employment and increased at the same rate as is predicted for longer exposure durations.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Experimental Audiology, ENT Department, Academic Medical Centre (AMC), Room D2-211, P.O. Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.c.leensen@amc.nl
authors.forename: M C J
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Leensen
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: van Duivenbooden
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Dreschler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies