Mining occupations with high incidence rates for noise‐induced hearing loss

Abstract

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) requires that mine operators report to MSHA all cases of diagnosed or compensated occupational illness. Listed among the examples of reportable occupational illnesses is noise‐induced hearing loss (NIHL). All cases of occupational hearing loss reported to MSHA between 1986 and 1989 (1288 cases) were examined. After separating the hearing loss cases by causal factor, a population of 1264 cases of NIHL remained for retrospective study. This study was conducted to identify those occupations which had substantially larger numbers of NIHL cases or higher incidence rates of NIHL. The NIHL cases were separated by coal (1030 cases) and metal/nonmetal mining (234 cases). The population data were obtained from a Bureau of Mines database. Since this database only contained data on occupational groups, not individual occupations, the incidence rates were calculated for occupational groups. The continuous miner and related machine operator occupational group had both the most cases of NIHL and the highest incidence rate for coal mining. While for metal/nonmetal mining, the mechanic‐welder‐oiler‐machinist occupational group had the most cases of NIHL and the shuttle car‐tram operator occupational group had the highest incidence rate. The work location which had the highest incidence rate of NIHL was preparation facilities for coal mining and underground mines for metal/nonmetal mining.