Most Common Workplace Injury: Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is now the most common workplace injury in the United States—and those who work in the construction or manufacturing industries are often the most at-risk of suffering auditory damage.

Sometimes, people hear a high-pitched humming noise because of exposure to loud noises at work. Other times, people can't hear much other than muffled conversation following a shift operating loud machinery. Too often, workers subjected to sustained levels of moderate to loud noise suffer permanent hearing damage.

• 22 million – The number of workers exposed to damaging levels of noise at work each year.
• 4 million – The number of workers who are exposed to damaging levels of noise each day in the United States.
• $1.5 million – The amount U.S. businesses were forced to pay in penalties for not adequately protecting their workers from damaging levels of noise at work.
• $242 million – The amount of money spent each year on workers' compensation claims related to hearing loss.

The workers' compensation attorneys at Pisanchyn Law Firm know all too well how an on-the-job injury can have lasting—sometimes even lifelong—consequences. We've represented thousands of injured workers and we can tell you this: All too often, workers suffer on-the-job injuries that are absolutely no fault of their own.

Advanced technologies to help prevent hearing loss in the workplace already exist. However, because of cost and other considerations, many companies do not seek out that technology.

Worse, many workers in construction and manufacturing often work without protective equipment like earplugs. This is because their employers never trained them on the risks associated with being subjected to long periods of loud noise.

Do you work in construction, manufacturing or another field where you are subjected to loud noises during the course of your work day? If so, don't delay seeking treatment if you suspect you are suffering from work-related hearing loss.

You should contact a doctor if you:

• Find it increasingly more difficult to understand a conversation—especially when there is background noise or if you are in a crowded room.
• Sounds seem muffled and you can't make out consonant sounds.
• Find yourself cranking up the volume of your television, cell phone or radio to properly hear what's being broadcast.

If you or someone you love is the victim of a workplace injury, don't make a call to the doctor the only one you make. Call Pisanchyn Law Firm—our skilled workers' compensation attorney will answer all of your questions and help you through this difficult time.