Total hearing health for preventing occupational hearing loss

Abstract

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) developed the Total Worker Health program that encourages health and safety professionals to consider more than just a particular exposure. Workers can suffer hearing loss due to both workplace, but due to a wide range of activities outside of work. Training workers in the proper use and application hearing protection can extend the effectiveness of hearing loss prevention efforts and promote the concept of Total Hearing Health. Awareness of hazardous activities such as the use of power tools, firearms, and chemical exposures, can instill a safety culture beyond the workplace. Hearing protector fit testing gives workers an increased self-efficacy and assurance that they can safely enjoy noisy activities without the need to sacrifice their ability to hear. This presentation will describe the work that NIOSH has undertaken to promote hearing protector fit-testing for the workplace and describe ways in which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has promoted hearing health.