The lowdown on workplace hearing loss

Workplace hearing damage is a widespread problem, with nearly a quarter of Australians knowing someone who suffers from this issue.

In addition, 11% of people have personally experienced hearing damage caused by workplace noise.¹ And yet despite this, one in three give little thought to protecting their own hearing, new research¹ from Hearing Australia shows.

“These statistics are a real concern,” said Hearing Australia Principal Audiologist Karen Hirschausen. “Hearing is such an important sense but more than 1.1 million Australians² are exposed to hazardous noise in their workplace. Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common occupational diseases³, but it’s also one of the most preventable.”

Hearing Australia’s national survey also revealed:

• Only one in four Australians think about hearing protection and use it at work or when undertaking noisy activities during their leisure time.
• About a quarter of respondents know someone who has experienced workplace noise-related hearing damage.
• Australian women appear to think less about protecting their hearing than men.
• Millennials (people in their late 20s to early 40s) appear to be more concerned about their appearance than their hearing, with one in four saying they’d be too embarrassed to wear earplugs or earmuffs in a loud environment like a concert.
   

Certain leisure activities can also be very noisy and potentially risk hearing damage. “What our research found is that many people don’t fully understand the risk to their hearing in a nightclub or concert, and they overestimate the length of time they can spend in these noisy environments without hearing protection before risking hearing damage,” Hirschausen said.

The businesses at risk of employee hearing damage

In its ‘Making a noise about hearing’⁴ report, the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL), Hearing Australia’s research division, found high noise levels in workplaces are associated with stress, headaches, tinnitus, fatigue and increased absenteeism — and have the potential to cause increased heart rate, higher blood pressure and a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.

In addition, NAL found mitigating noise exposure isn’t a high priority for employers, employees or regulators. “Small to medium-sized businesses appear to be at greater risk of noise exposure,” Hirschausen said. “Safe Work Australia research⁵ found that within SMEs, there’s insufficient knowledge of the effects and the impact of loud noise on people’s hearing and quality of life. There also appears to be little consideration given to the benefits of noise control.”

The main industries at risk of exceeding Australia’s noise exposure standard are mining, manufacturing, construction, farming and the Defence Force, according to NAL.⁴ “But there are other industries, such as hospitality, entertainment and retail, which are also exposed to loud noise,” Hirschausen said.

Sound solutions for improvement

Hirschausen said workplace laws that stipulate noise-exposed workers having their hearing tested when they start work — and then at two-yearly intervals — should be reinforced.

“More broadly, we also encourage people to use smartphone noise apps to track their own noise exposure,” she said. “These apps can be a powerful tool for behavioural change, as you receive real-time feedback if a noise is too loud, so you can adjust your behaviour or the noise. It’s likely to drive greater awareness of sound levels in general.

“If you’re in environments where you’re exposed to loud noise, you should have your hearing checked regularly. And if you have any concerns or experience changes in your hearing, you should also see an audiologist.”

^{1. Antenna, an independent consumer research agency on behalf of Hearing Australia, conducted an online AntennaPoll survey of n=1012 Australians. The survey was conducted from 5–8 September 2024. The survey data collection was national, and respondents were sourced using an accredited online research access panel. Data was weighted for representation against the 2021 ABS Census.}

^{2. Lewkowski K, Heyworth JS, Li IW, Williams W, McCausland K, Gray C, Ytterstad E, Glass DC, Fuente A, Si S, Florath I. Exposure to noise and ototoxic chemicals in the Australian workforce. Occupational and environmental medicine. 2019 May 1;76(5):341-8.}

^{3. Si S, Lewkowski K, Fritschi L, Heyworth J, Liew D, Li I. Productivity Burden of Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Australia: A Life Table Modelling Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Jun 29;17(13):4667. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17134667. PMID: 32610505; PMCID: PMC7369732}

^{4. National Acoustic Laboratories. Making a noise about hearing: Factors to consider when developing hearing health awareness messages for Australians. Revised September 2020. https://www.nal.gov.au/making-a-noise-report/}

^{5. Safe Work Australia (2010) Occupational noise-induced hearing loss in Australia: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1702/occupational_noiseinduced_hearing_loss_australia_2010.pdf}

Image credit: iStock.com/welcomia. Stock image used is for illustrative purposes only.