NOISE AND HEARING. Advice to maintain good hearing your entire life!

The ability to hear.... Most of us are born with two good ears Good hearing is useful and pleasant

NATURAL NOISE... Our ears are adjusted to natural sounds in our surroundings -... speech, wind, waves, thunder, waterfalls, baby cry....

Høyere lydnivå kan skade ørene dine Our ears are not made for.... drillfloor, machine room and rock consert

A gradual process.... Loss of hearing happens slowly over time. Hearing impairment might not be noticeable until several years has passed.

Our hearing will naturally decrease with age – even without noise influence. But: a lot of sound and noise can highly increase this process. A gradual process....

Music example This example shows possible loss of hearing over time for a person working in noiselevel 95 desibel – without use of ear protection. Starting as a 20 year-old with normal hearing and expected hearing at: year Music is ”Louise” with Inside the Whale, from CD ”Lyd, støj og hørsel, Arbejdsmiljøfondet, 1998.

Consequences of loss of hearing Excuse me? You might understand why Grandpa has the TV on loud?! And why you have to repeat everything to him!

- I get so angry when people mumble when they talk to me. - I’m afraid to be taken for a a fool when I have to ask people to repeat. Consequences of loss of hearing

- Poor hearing reduces the joy of music, birdsong etc. - The most severe consequence is the reduced ability to communicate with others. - Reduced hearing might lead to social isolation. Consequences of loss of hearing

Simplified explanation of hearing 1.Vibrations in the air makes the ear drum vibrate. 2.The vibrations increases in the ossicles 3.Fine haircells in the inner ear (cochlea) tranforms vibrations to electric signals 4.The brain receives the electric signals as sound 1 Ear drum Øre- kanal 3 cochlea 2 ossicles 4 Electrical signal

Why we loose our hearing Noise damaged hearing is due to destruction of fine hair in the inner ear. Upper picture shows hair cells in an ear without damage. The lowest hair in severe damaged ear. NB! Destroyed haircells can not be fixed – destroyed forever! healthy hair cells Damaged haircells

TINNITUS A lot of people with loss of hearing, also experience tinnitus The is because the hair cells run idle – independent of sound or not. Tinnitus is annoying Some examples From CD ”Lyd, støj og hørsel, Arbejdsmiljøfondet, (Jason Rogers)

HØRSELVERN Recent research shows that you have to protect yourself if noise level is 80 dB or more. Follow the signs for use of ear protection around the rig

Use hearing protection all the time in noise zones To improve speaking to a person wearing hearing protection: Talk ”to the hearing protection” – makes it easier to listen Like this

Even some more advice... 1.Lower the radio level. 2.Move to a ”silent” area if you need to talk a lot. 3.Plan your stays in areas with a lot of noise. A good plan will reduce your stay in noisy environment.

- Do you have any good suggestions for noisereducing actions? - Tell it to your superior or safety delegate organisation !

Questions about... - noise at work - sound in your spare time - your hearing - tinnitus - Talk to medic! ? ? ?

Take care of your hearing!