Everyone should be able to conduct their jobs without fear of damaging their short or long-term health, and this extends to hearing. According to the Health and Safety Executive, there are 17,000 workers with work-related hearing problems in the UK, with 95 new cases reported in 2019. This is down from 195 in 2010, but the risk is still present.
In this article, we’re going to look at four jobs where it is crucial to wear ear protection, and how workers in those industries can keep their hearing safe.
Airport Staff
While not so much a problem for staff working on the concourse or within aircraft, any airport staff who regularly work outside on the runway should wear ear protection that can cope with the tremendous noise generated by aeroplane engines. This can equate to 120-140 decibels, compared to regular conversation, which is around 60 decibels.
People in the music industry
At festivals and concerts, people working or performing need to ensure their ears are adequately protected. That because, while it’s typically fine listening to loud music from time to time as an audience member when your entire career is enveloped in pumping decibels, you could be at risk of developing a long-term condition like tinnitus.
That said, it works the other way too. Sound personnel in recording studios should also be sure to turn their headphones down to a safe level, otherwise, they too could be at risk of damaging or losing their hearing – arguably their most valuable skill.
Tradespeople
If you work in noisy trades such as construction, demolition, or any that takes place on a building site, you must wear ear protection when on the job. Wearing professional equipment from reliable distributors means that your ears will be properly protected from any loud noises that are common on sites, including excavation, the noise of machinery, or even explosions. Commonly, construction companies will provide workers with noise protection, as hearing damage can lead to costly claims in the courts.
Landscapers
While working in gardens all day, planting shrubs and weeding beds, might seem like a nicely peaceful job, much like tradespeople, landscapers also work alongside some seriously loud equipment. Mowers, chippers, and diggers all operate with seriously high numbers of decibels, necessitating the wearing of strong ear protection.
Do you work in an occupation that requires you to wear ear protection? Let us know what it is and why in the comments section.