In an industrial work environment, at-risk behaviors such as poor posture and improper eye protectionย can be observed and corrected almost immediately.ย But another critical aspect of workplaceย safetyย often goes undetected– untilย the damage is already done. In the U.S.,ย 22 million workers per year are at risk of occupational hearing lossย [5]. Hearing damage typically occurs painlessly and progressively, but frequent and repeated exposure toย high noise levels in the workplaceย can result in permanent hearing loss.ย Due to numerous sources of noise hazards such asย heavy machinery and power tools, the mining, manufacturing, and construction industries experience the most incidences of work-induced hearing damage [1].ย Although completely preventable, it has remained one of the most prevalent occupational health concerns for nearly three decades.
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