A cross-sectional study with a retrospective component was conducted to evaluate occupational noise exposure as a potential risk factor for arterial hypertension among 775 workers from an oil-drilling industry. Hypertension was defined as >/= 140/90mmHg. Occupational noise exposure was measured as: (1) exposure to sound pressure levels >/= 85dbA for 10 years or more and (2) moderate-to-severe n...

This paper describes how exposures received during routine and episodic non-occupational activities contribute to total noise exposure in a group of occupationally exposed workers. Two-hundred and sixty-six construction apprentices enrolled in a longitudinal hearing loss study and completed questionnaires at 1 yr of follow-up to determine their episodic activities (e.g. concert attendance, powe...

INTRODUCTION  The various metabolic and circulatory alterations that are related to noise exposure may cause the onset of several symptoms, including tinnitus. OBJECTIVE  The purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence of tinnitus complaints in elderly individuals with and without history of occupational noise exposure. METHOD  This prospective study was conducted in a sample populati...

Hearing loss is a significant and unfortunately common occupational malady. Over the past several decades both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have initiated efforts to better understand and to limit the occurrence of occupational hearing loss, particularly as it relates to excessive noise exposure. T...

OBJECTIVES Although occupational noise is a well known risk factor for hearing loss, little epidemiological evidence has been reported on its association with hearing loss in the general population, in part, because of the difficulty in exposure assessment. This study introduced a quantitative occupational noise exposure assessment tool using the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) databas...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hearing loss (HL), self-reported occupational noise exposure, and hearing protection usage among Canadians. METHODS In-person household interviews were conducted with 3666 participants, aged 16 to 79 years (1811 males) with 94% completing audiometry and distortion-product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) evaluations. Occupational n...

The Japan Society for Occupational Health (JSOH) recommends the Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) as reference values for preventing adverse health effects on workers caused by occupational exposure to chemical substances, continuous or intermittent noise, impulsive or impact noise, heat stress, cold stress, whole-body vibration, hand-arm vibration and time-varying electric, magnetic and elec...

OBJECTIVES To review the evidence suggesting that occupational hearing conservation programs prevent noise-induced hearing loss; to describe the features, prevalence, and handicap associated with noise-induced hearing loss; and to describe the otolaryngologist's role in prevention of noise-induced hearing loss. DATA SOURCES Recent statements from the American College of Occupational Medicine,...