The Right Hearing Protection for Every Line of Work
When people think of noisy jobs, most think of airports or construction. The list of the noisiest jobs holds a few surprises—and even in those fields, hearing protection is important and feasible.
May 1 is a legal holiday known as “Labor Day” and serves to draw attention to the rights and needs of workers. This stems from a general strike on May 1, 1886, in the United States. At that time, working conditions were abysmal—and occupational safety was still an unknown concept.
Undercover Hearing Protection – When Your Hearing Matters Despite the Noise
Fortunately, things are different today! Occupational safety measures to improve the safety and health of employees are clearly regulated by law—including in the area of hearing protection. This has long been standard practice at airports, in factories, and on construction sites. Conspicuous ear muffs—so-called “Mickey Mouses”—are a familiar sight in these settings. Things get more complicated when the job is loud, but it’s still crucial to be able to understand everything. Musicians, dentists, teachers, and childcare providers—as well as bartenders—have one thing in common: their hearing is exposed to noise—but they need to be able to hear what’s going on around them.
But even for such professions, there is special hearing protection available. While this reduces the volume, it still allows for normal communication. This is made possible by special frequency filters that specifically attenuate the harmful high-frequency ranges. These are particularly harmful to our ears. Loud children’s voices, as well as medical equipment at the dentist’s office, are often in this pitch range. Since high frequencies occur primarily when people are shouting, they are not necessary for good and optimal speech comprehension. As a result, educators can still understand and communicate well with others despite wearing hearing protection. There is also special hearing protection for musicians, which is recommended for concertgoers and nightclub patrons as well. More good news: The earplugs are barely visible and affordable.
List of the Noisiest Jobs
- Aircraft ground handling staff—that is, ground crew at the airport—must endure deafening noise levels of 140 dB.
- A road construction worker using a jackhammer or other heavy equipment is exposed to 120 dB.
- Bartenders are exposed to 110 dB of noise for hours on end at their workplace.
- Brewery workers operate in an environment with a background noise level of 100 dB.
- Orchestra musicians are exposed to music at an intensity of 95 dB as part of their job.
- In factories or on farms, 105 dB is not uncommon.
- Dentists and dental assistants work daily in an environment with a background noise level of 90 dB.
- Teachers and preschool teachers are exposed to 85 dB daily, as this volume is easily reached when several children are playing and running around.
This level of noise in the workplace has consequences: In Germany, for example, one in three people over the age of 50 suffers from hearing loss—and this is often related to their occupation. If you work in a noisy profession, you should have your hearing checked regularly by an ENT doctor or an audiologist. You can get an initial assessment of your hearing with our online hearing tests—including an evaluation and recommendations for action.
To learn about the effects of a noisy work environment, read our article “Getting Tired from Noise at Work.” And in our article “Succeeding at Work Thanks toHearing Aids,” you’ll discover why hearing aids can increase your chances of landing your dream job.
