The deafening noise of wailing sirens puts emergency services’ workers at the highest risk of hearing loss, research has suggested, even more so than working in a noisy bar or nightclub.
The research by Boots Hearingcare has identified what it argues are the top 15 noisiest jobs that can put workers’ ear health at risk.
October is National Protect Your Hearing Month, and has already seen the Night Time Industries Association reboot its ‘Listen for Life’ hearing loss campaign, in partnership with Specsavers.
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The latest research found that being an emergency services professional is worst for hearing loss risk, with emergency sirens creating noise above 114 dB (decibels).
Anything above 70 dB can start to cause damage to hearing after two hours of constant noise, and any sounds measuring more than 120 dB can cause immediate hearing issues.
Being a police officer came second, for much the same reason (at 110 dB), followed by bar/nightclub staff (102 dB) and tree surgeons operating chainsaws (102 dB).
Construction workers using cranes, bulldozers or drills were next (99.3 dB), followed by nightclub DJs and demolition labourers (both (99 dB), paramedics inside an ambulance with its siren on (97 dB), and farmers, especially when working on combine harvesters or tractors (96.3).
Other noise-risk roles included electricians, ironworkers, gardeners using lawn mowers or leaf blowers, welders, waste disposal workers, cleaners (using noisy vacuum cleaners), and hairdressers (using hairdryers).
Feraz Ashraf, senior audiologist at Boots Hearingcare said: “We take our hearing for granted a lot of time. Because we are exposed to lots of sounds each day, we assume our hearing can process all these signals with ease and the effects are not always immediately noticeable.
“That’s why we’ve delved into the data to find out which jobs or hobbies are most likely to cause strain to the hearing, from short to long periods of time, hopefully creating a better awareness of the matter. It was interesting to see how many typical jobs made the list, including hospitality workers.”
The company has advised employees worried about potential hearing loss to take a hearing test, with Boots offering free ones; ask their employer to provide protection; and not to be afraid to ask for help if they feel they need it.
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