Noisy workplaces 'make employees deaf'

Washington, Mar 11 (ANI): Extra workplace decibels increase the risks of both work-related accidents and road collisions, says a new study.

The findings by the Universite de Montreal, the Universite Laval and the Institut national de sante publique du Quebec will be reported in three journals: Occupation Environmental Medicine, Accident Analysis and Prevention and Traffic Injury Prevention.

To reach the conclusion, researchers studied a sample of 53,000 workers.

"More than 60 percent were exposed to noises exceeding the norm of 90 decibels (dB) per day, which is equivalent to the sounds that emanate when a subway enters a station," says Michel Picard, a professor at the Universite de Montreal's School of Speech Therapy and Audiology, who conducted the study along with his colleague Tony Leroux.When a worker is exposed to noise exceeding 90 dB during a day's work, that worker is 6.2 percent more likely to have a work accident than colleagues working in the same environment with less noise.

If the worker suffers hearing loss, his risk of injury is 7 percent greater, the researchers found.

According to Picard, the study suggests that workplace noise levels are a problem neglected by authorities. (ANI)