Hearing loss among construction workers in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Audiology
• Industrial Hygiene

Background:

• Occupational noise exposure is a significant risk factor for hearing loss in various trades.
• Construction workers, including electricians, plumbers, pipefitters, and boilermakers, often experience high noise levels.
• The long-term impact of occupational noise on hearing acuity requires ongoing investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare hearing acuity among different construction trades (electricians, plumbers, pipefitters, boilermakers) with long-term union membership.
• To assess the prevalence of hearing loss in these trades relative to telephone workers.
• To identify potential risk factors and recommend screening protocols for occupational hearing loss.

Main Methods:

• Utilized automated pure tone audiometry to measure hearing thresholds.
• Administered questionnaires to gather data on occupational noise exposure and hearing protection use.
• Compared hearing thresholds across different occupational groups with > or = 20 years of union membership.

Main Results:

• Electricians and telephone workers showed comparable median hearing thresholds.
• Plumbers and pipefitters exhibited higher, yet comparable to expected, hearing thresholds.
• Boilermakers demonstrated significant levels of hearing loss.
• A cohort effect was suggested by similar, elevated thresholds at 4000 Hz among older workers across all groups.

Conclusions:

• Boilermakers exhibit a high degree of hearing loss, indicating a need for targeted interventions.
• Elevated hearing thresholds at 4000 Hz across all groups suggest a potential cohort effect related to age and historical noise exposure.
• Routine audiometric screening is advisable for specific construction trades to mitigate occupational hearing damage.