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University of Washington

Hearing Loss

About Hearing Loss

Noise is one of the most pervasive occupational health problems. Exposure to high levels of noise can cause hearing loss and may cause other harmful health effects.

Noise-induced hearing loss can be temporary or permanent. It is preventable. Hearing conservation programs can protect workers with high occupational noise exposures from hearing impairment.

 

Our Involvement

Several research and outreach programs at the University of Washington's Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences are seeking better ways to understand and control occupational noise exposures and protect workers' hearing.

Faculty

Courses

  • ENV H 457 Industrial and Environmental Noise
  • Continuing education course: Current solutions to workplace noise hazards, May 15, 2007

Centers and Institutes

Services

News Coverage

What's that? Can't hear you, my iPod's too loud! Quotes research scientist Rick Neitzel.
KOMO TV news Feb. 8, 2006

Noise and hearing loss in construction

Safety culture: Hearing loss among carpenters, Environmental Health News, Autumn 2003

Constructing a safer workplace: Hearing conservation, Environmental Health News, Winter 2000

Noise in the workplace, Biennial Report 1997-1999

Research

Graduate Students

Maggie Trabeau, MS 2006
An evaluation of "train-the-trainer" vs. expert training modalities for hearing protection use in construction (Noah Seixas)
Jason Woodruff, MS 2006
Validation of task-based noise exposure predictions in the construction trades (Noah Seixas)
Jennifer Young, MS 2006
Hearing protection device use and attenuation among construction workers (Noah Seixas)
Bryan Berna, MS 2005
Occupational Noise Exposures Aboard Catcher Processors in the Bering Sea and Pacific Ocean (Noah Seixas)
Thomas Olenchock, MS 2003
Cross Shift Changes in Oto-acoustic Emissions in Relation to Occupational Noise Exposure (Noah Seixas)
John Olson, MS 2002
Non-Occupational Noise Exposure and Its Contribution to Noise Dose in Apprentice Construction Workers (Noah Seixas)
A. Nicole Irby, MS 2002
An assessment of noise frequency spectra associated with selected construction tasks (Noah Seixas)
Milton Eng, MS 2002
Evaluation of Hearing Conservation Awareness within High Noise Industries within Washington State (Bill Daniell)
Robert Leo, MS 2001
Systematic observation of noise exposure and hearing protector use in worksites in two noisy industries (Bill Daniell)
Carolyn Whitaker, MS 2001
Accuracy of construction worker recall of tasks for epidemiological exposure assessment to noise (Noah Seixas)
Douglas A. Badzik, MPH (2007)
Hearing loss in US Army aviators, comparing 2005 to 2001 (William Daniell)
Stephanie C. Griffin, MS (2007)
Indicators of hearing protection use: Self report and research observation (Noah Seixas)

Peer Reviewed Publications

Daniell WE, Fulton-Kehoe D, Cohen M, Swan SS, Franklin GM. Increased reporting of occupational hearing loss: workers' compensation in Washington State, 1984-1998. Am J Ind Med. 2002;42(6):502-510.

Daniell WE, Stover BD, Takaro TK. Comparison of criteria for significant threshold shift in workplace hearing conservation programs. J Occup Environ Med. 2003;45(3):295-304.

Daniell WE, Swan SS, McDaniel MM, Stebbins JG, Seixas NS, Morgan MS. Noise exposure and hearing conservation practices in an industry with high incidence of workers' compensation claims for hearing loss. Am J Ind Med. 2002;42(4):309-317.

Daniell WE, Swan SS, McDaniel MM, Camp JE, Cohen MA, Stebbins JG. Noise exposure and hearing loss prevention programmes after 20 years of regulations in the United States. Occup Environ Med. 2006;63(5):343-351.

Gershon RR, Neitzel R, Barrera MA, Akram M. Pilot survey of subway and bus stop noise levels. J Urban Health. 2006;83(5):802-812.

Neitzel RL, Berna BE, Seixas NS. Noise exposures aboard catcher/processor fishing vessels. Am J Ind Med. 2006;49(8):624-633.

Neitzel R, Seixas N. The effectiveness of hearing protection among construction workers. J Occup Environ Hyg. 2005;2(4):227-238.

Neitzel R, Seixas N, Goldman B, Daniell W. Contributions of non-occupational activities to total noise exposure of construction workers. Ann Occup Hyg. 2004;48(5):463-73.

Neitzel R, Seixas N, Olson J, Daniell W, Goldman B. Nonoccupational noise: exposures associated with routine activities. J Acoust Soc Am. 2004;115(1):237-245.

Neitzel R, Somers S, Seixas N. Variability of real world hearing protection measurements. Annals of Occup Hyg, 2006;50(7):679-691.

Neitzel R, Yost M. Task-based assessment of occupational vibration and noise exposures in forestry workers. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J, 2002;63: 617-627.

Neitzel R, Seixas N, Camp J, Yost M. An assessment of occupational noise exposures in four construction trades. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J, 1999;60: 807-817.

Neitzel R. "onstruction noise strategies."Occ Health Saf, 2002;71: 72-76.

Reeb-Whitaker CK, Seixas NS, Sheppard L, Neitzel R. Accuracy of task recall for epidemiological exposure assessment to construction noise. Occup Environ Med. 2004;61(2):135-142.

Seixas NS, Goldman B, Sheppard L, Neitzel R, Norton S, Kujawa SG. Prospective noise induced changes to hearing among construction industry apprentices. Occup Environ Med. 2005;62(5):309-317.

Seixas NS, Kujawa SG, Norton S, Sheppard L, Neitzel R, Slee A. Predictors of hearing threshold levels and distortion product otoacoustic emissions among noise exposed young adults. Occup Environ Med. 2004;61(11):899-907.

Seixas N, Neitzel R, Sheppard L, Goldman B. Alternative metrics for noise exposure among construction workers. Ann Occup Hyg. 2005;49(6):493-502.

Seixas NS, Sheppard L, Neitzel R. Comparison of task-based estimates with full-shift measurements of noise exposure. AIHA J 2003;64(6):823-829.

Swan S, Daniell W. Hearing conservation in industry. Occup Health Saf. 2002;71(6):78-80.

Conference Presentations

Croteau G. The theory and practice of using enclosures for controlling noise, American Industrial Hygiene Conference, May 21–26, 2005, Anaheim

Neitzel R. Noise levels and hearing protection use on large fishing vessels., National Hearing Conservation Association, Savannah, Georgia, February 15 - 17, 2007

Neitzel R. Variability of field-based hearing protection device attenuation measurements, Acoustical Society of America, Nov. 30, 2006, Honolulu

Seixas N, Goldman B, Sheppard L, Neitzel R, Norton S, Kujawa S. Prospective noise induced changes to hearing among construction industry apprentices, American Industrial Hygiene Conference, May 21–26, 2005, Anaheim

Other Resources

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