Australian Hearing & Balance Centre

Industrial Deafness is the most common injury suffered by workers in Australia and it occurs as a result exposure to loud noise in the workplace.

People are often exposed to loud noise at work from machinery and other equipment.  There are many different occupations which can expose workers to noise levels loud enough to cause or contribute to hearing loss.  Unfortunately hearing protection, such as earmuffs and earplugs, are not always effective in protecting people against loud noise which is often over a long period of time.

Industrial deafness causes problems for people communicating and hearing in their day-to-day lives. People often have difficulty hearing when there is a lot of background noise. Many people also suffer from tinnitus, which presents as a high-pitch ringing in the ears. Unfortunately, the damage caused by loud noise is permanent and irreversible. The only ‘treatment’ available is hearing aids.

The symptoms of a worker suffering from industrial deafness include but are not limited to:

• Difficulties hearing in open spaces, such as shopping centres;

• Difficulty talking on the telephone;

• Listening to the television on a higher volume.