{"id":773,"date":"2019-04-12T11:36:45","date_gmt":"2019-04-12T18:36:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mthoodent.com\/?p=773"},"modified":"2019-04-11T15:04:46","modified_gmt":"2019-04-11T22:04:46","slug":"overcoming-hearing-loss-at-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mthoodent.com\/overcoming-hearing-loss-at-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Overcoming Hearing Loss at Work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

About one in five people in Portland has hearing loss. The majority\nare of prime working age, meaning they must deal with their hearing impairment\non the job. In fact, many of them can blame their hearing loss on work.\nOvercoming the challenges of a hearing impairment at work requires a team\neffort. <\/p>\n\n\n

Occupational Hearing Loss<\/h2>\n\n\n
\"Coworkers<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 22 million Americans experience hearing loss<\/a> as a result of noise exposure at work. People are most at risk in traditionally noise professions such as construction, manufacturing, mining, carpentry, law enforcement, music and the military. Hazardous on-the-job nose levels represent the top work-related injury and are responsible for $242 million in annual workman\u2019s compensation<\/a> claims, according to Department of Labor figures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to your audiologist<\/a>, you can develop hearing loss in Portland at any job \u2013 even if you aren\u2019t employed in a high-risk profession. One-time exposure to an extremely loud sound, such as a gunshot or explosion, can cause immediate and permanent hearing loss. The consequences are steep: impaired hearing has a negative effect on your productivity and can even hit you where it hurts the most \u2013 your wallet. <\/p>\n\n\n

Overcoming Hearing Loss at Work<\/h2>\n\n\n

48 million Americans have hearing loss to a certain degree; 60 percent\nof them are actively employed. In addition to the communication challenges\ntheir hearing impairment brings, those who have not sought treatment for their\nhearing loss earn an average of $20,000 less in salary per year compared to\nemployees who wear hearing aids, according to a study<\/a> by the Better Hearing Institute. Employers are\naffected, too; they must deal with lost productivity and higher health care\ncosts. Untreated hearing loss costs U.S. an estimated $18 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This doesn\u2019t mean workers with hearing loss in Portland<\/a> have no recourse but to grin and bear it. OSHA<\/a> has developed strict requirements for employers in noisy workplaces to implement hearing protection protocols to help prevent hearing loss impairment. For those already feeling its effects, the Americans with Disabilities Act stipulates that employers must provide a positive workplace environment that accommodates those with hearing loss. You have the right to request a quiet place to work that is free from noise and distraction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a coworker is suffering from hearing loss, you can help them out in\nthe following ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n