A University researcher wants construction workers to hear her warning before it's too late: without proper precautions, the tools of their trade can damage their hearing.
Noise is the most common hazard facing American workers, and continuous exposure to the noise from power tools and other equipment puts construction workers at particular risk of hearing loss, according to Sally Lusk, a Nursing professor.
"We know that general noise in the construction industry is hazardous to hearing. We know it's a high enough noise level that it is harmful and will have an impact on hearing," said Lusk, an award-winning occupational health researcher and a specialist in preventing noise-induced hearing loss.
Lusk's recent study on noise-induced hearing loss among Midwestern construction workers will appear in the July issue of the American Association of Industrial Hygiene Journal.
The study focused on operating engineers, carpenters, plumbers and pipefitters who were asked if they used hearing protection devices such as ear plugs or ear muffs.
04-20-98
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