Canadian Occupational Safety

38 Canadian Occupational Safety www.cos-mag.com By Amanda Silliker F ifteen per cent of workers who have been exposed to occupa- tional noise at some point in their careers have tinnitus, a debilitating often high-pitched ring- ing in the ears, found a new study from the National Institute for Occu- pational Safety and Health (NIOSH). This is compared to fi ve per cent of workers who have never been exposed to occupational noise. "Tinnitus is prevalent and very common; especially common among noise-exposed workers," says Eliza- beth Masterson, lead author and epidemiologist at NIOSH in Cincin- nati. "Hearing loss prevention and early detection and intervention to stop the hearing loss is critical." Tinnitus, which can be constant or intermittent, is the term used to describe noises or sounds heard by an individual that do not come from an external source. While ringing is the most common, it can also be described as buzzing, hissing, pulsing, whistling or roaring. Tinnitus can be very mild in loudness and only noticeable in a quiet room or it can become extremely loud and annoying to the point where the sufferer hears nothing else. Health and safety managers are likely unaware of how big the problem really is within their own workforce, says Carolyn Wisdom, industrial hygienist and owner of Wisdom Con- sultants in Edmonton. "It could be huge… Health hazards are always minimized in the work- place. When I go in to do a noise survey, it's always worse than people think," she says. "A lot of businesses have safety professionals but they don't have anyone to look after health issues, and the safety professionals are not trained in this." And as with any other form of occupational hearing loss, workers can fi le a workers' compensation claim for tinnitus. Workers in agriculture, forestry, fi shing and hunting have a signifi - cantly higher risk of tinnitus, found the NIOSH study, with 13 per cent of workers in this sector suffering from the condition. Nearly one-half (43 per cent) of workers in this industry are exposed to hazardous noise on the job. In agriculture, farmers need to contend with loud sounds from machinery and animals. They are also not regulated by health and safety reg- ulations — although this is changing in Alberta and P.E.I. "It was always thought to be a family affair. Many believed the government had no place on farms," says Wisdom. "There was no education and nobody coming to let them know about this hazard or put any emphasis on it." In forestry, workers are cutting down trees with chainsaws and other equip- ment, which generate tremendous amounts of noise. The equipment also generates carbon monoxide, which further increases the risk of hearing loss as it is an ototoxic chemical. Oto- toxic chemicals include solvents, heavy metals (such as lead and mercury) and asphyxiants (carbon monoxide). "These chemicals can either cause the hearing problem or they can make your ear more susceptible to noise. In which case, in concert with noise, you are more likely to have a hearing loss or have tinnitus," says Masterson. Some fi shing occupations also have high noise exposure, such as working near the engine or boiler room. The wind and other noises on deck can be very loud as well, says Masterson. Additionally, these workers may not be wearing hearing protection as the safety culture may not be as strong as some other industries. In commercial hunting, which includes the exploitation and man- agement of game preserves, workers are exposed to gunshots, which can lead to tinnitus. "Acute but loud noises can cause tin- nitus, just from one experience," says Michael Chrostowski, president and CEO of Sound Options Tinnitus Treat- ments in Toronto. "I have met people who have been to a fi ring range or who used a fi re arm and didn't take any steps to protect their hearing and that one incident caused permanent tinnitus." Manufacturing also has a signifi - cantly higher risk of tinnitus, found the NIOSH study, with 11 per cent of work- ers in this sector having the condition. The manufacturing industries that typi- cally have a higher risk are metal, wood products, apparel, petroleum and coal products and machinery. The report cited other research that found 70 per cent of drop-forge opera- tors and 22 per cent of meat-packers had tinnitus. "When you have this machine coming down and hitting metal as it's hot, when it hits, that's like 145 decibles — that's about what a gun shot is," she says, noting manufactur- ing workers can be exposed to both constant noise and impulse noise (a very quick, loud sound). Architects and engineers also have a signifi cantly higher risk of tinnitus, found the study. "They are out doing reviews of the sites and giving advice, but they are probably not wearing hearing protec- tion," says Wisdom. "They think 'I am only going there for an hour, it won't be a problem.' But without hearing protection, people don't understand they don't need to be out there long to be overexposed." It's likely architects and engineers do not have the same training or awareness in terms of noise exposure and hearing protection as the primary workers on the sites they are visiting, says Chrostowski. "They might not know how to use their hearing protection correctly. They may have fewer incidents but it may be more risky for them because they are not as trained as other workers." While constant noise, impulse sounds and ototoxic chemicals can contribute to the development of tinnitus, trauma to the head or neck, such as concussion or whiplash, can also cause long-lasting tinnitus, according to the Canadian Academy of Audiology. Tinnitus can potentially increase the risk of accidents, found the NIOSH study. The constant ringing in the ears can be very distracting on the job and prevent workers from hearing important warning sounds or communications. "If you are on the job and you have to pay attention to important cues, the forklift is backing up or you are in a Tinnitus too common among noise-exposed workers

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