Construction Safety: Protecting Against Hearing Loss

Construction Safety

Have you heard of illnesses or injuries that occur because of lifestyle choices? For example, being sedentary as a choice has many unhealthy consequences. Aging rockers with hearing loss may regret standing near a concert speaker the size of a townhouse in 1976. Still, that was a lifestyle choice.

You shouldn’t need to worry about work-related hearing loss, but professional rock musicians are at-risk. So are construction workers.

There are many new-and-improved devices for construction safety. One of them can lower the risk of noise-induced hearing loss and even increase productivity, thanks to musician Jon Bon Jovi’s team of doctors and sound engineers at Bongiovi Acoustics.

Honeywell says the global market for hearing protection technology and devices is going to surpass $650 million by 2024. Not only will the newer devices protect against noise-induced hearing loss they may also offer advancements in hearing protection benefits.

Encourage Construction Safety Awareness

Working in a noisy environment puts personal and overall construction safety at risk. Being able to communicate by speaking and hearing nosedives, but the biggest safety risk (other than hearing loss) is reduced situational awareness. That can be deadly to you and others on a construction project jobsite.

Half of all construction workers are exposed to hazardous noise. One thing we should do is train workers and project supervisors to better understand the risks.

Any noise above 85 decibels (dB) can cause hearing loss:

  • Table saw – 93dB
  • Bulldozer – 100dB
  • Impact wrench – 102dB
  • Chop saw – 105dB
  • Chain saw – 110dB
  • Hammer drill – 115dB
  • Generator – 116dB
  • Hammer on nail – 120dB
  • Oxygen torch – 121dB
  • Jackhammer – 130dB

Blocking the noise doesn’t solve the problem. And most construction workers stop wearing protective devices exactly for that reason. They can’t hear what’s going on. The Bongiovi device (Clear 360 Pro) allows wearers to maintain communication with co-workers and hear – at safe decibel levels – what’s going on.

Too often, project workers are afraid to “speak up.” Developing and maintaining a construction safety culture encourages everyone to cite risks and seek solutions.

Our Construction Monitor marketing pros believe developing and maintaining a business growth culture can start with us. To learn how, contact Construction Monitor.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *