Noisy workplace

When you think of a noisy workplace, your mind almost certainly goes to a construction site or a factory. You immediately think of a place where the workers wear hearing protectors and noise is far from the only hazard.

This is, of course, a common perception, but a noisy workplace can be somewhere completely unexpected. And that can affect workers, because many are not protected enough. For example, think about gym teachers. They spend their days in a gym, constantly hearing shoes squeaking on the floor, balls bouncing and children yelling.

I studied physical education teaching and did internships in schools and gyms. I remember I often had a feeling of being tired at the end of the day. I didn’t know then that I was experiencing auditory fatigue. At the time, I didn’t make the connection to the noisy environment where I was working. I have to say, I wasn’t as conscious of taking care of my hearing health back then. I didn’t realize how much the noise was affecting me. It was normal to me.

Through my role as ambassador of Lobe clinics and of hearing health, I often meet people who have worked in noisy workplaces. Many have told me about their experience in the wood industry, where noise is omnipresent. Others have told me about working in bars and restaurants. Do you find that the music is loud when you visit these places? Imagine if you had to work full shifts there, without any protection.

Even hair salons are considered noisy workplaces. Think of all the noise hairdressers have to put up with: not just hairdryers, but often background music as well. It may seem harmless, but such constant noise can have long-term consequences on hearing health.

The more I think about all the noisy workplaces out there, the more I believe that we’re greatly underestimating the noise levels in certain environments. To me, it’s clear that this can have long-term effects for workers. They’re the ones who suffer from being exposed to noise and not having enough protection for many years. Some will end up needing hearing aids, others will live with tinnitus.

In talking with so many people who have worked in noisy environments, I’ve found that awareness about workplace noise is recent, and that prevention wasn’t always a major concern. Fortunately, things are changing.

Recently, I ran into some young workers who were wearing hearing protectors and I was quick to congratulate them. I’m pleased to see that the new generation is more aware of how important it is to have proper protection. Naturally, I understand that habits can be hard to change for people who have been working in the same field for many years. However, we can still work together to change the mentality around hearing protection through awareness activities.

Of course, if we want to find concrete solutions, workers first need to be aware that they’re working in noisy environments. Employers and employees must follow suit by offering and wearing hearing protection. The first step might be to organize a hearing health information day at the workplace*. This will allow workers—and their employers— to understand the effects of excessive noise exposure. In terms of day-to-day operations, employers can alternate employees’ work stations to allowsound rest or actively create silence, for example by setting up a quiet room where workers can take a break or do certain tasks. Workers can also take responsibility themselves by using custom noise protectors to protect heir hearing.

Think of your friends and family who work in neighbourhood garages or with construction and maintenance companies. Let’s make it our duty to raise their awareness and encourage them to adopt good hearing habits at work.

Together, let’s change things.

All my love,