Lend me your ears
Going deaf? You could be suffering a noise-induced hearing loss and should have it checked immediately.

Exposure to loud noises, such as music at rock concerts, standing too close to F/A-18s, helicopters landing and mortars firing, can lead to permanent hearing loss.

What’s that? Decibel levels 180 Artillery fire and Carl Gustav 84mm 165 Machine gun, Steyr, shotgun 150 Pistol 140 Firecracker (Note: Impulse noise is acceptable up this level, however the exposure period may necessitate hearing protection. Instant damage to the structure of the inner ear may occur if exposure above this level occurs without protection.) 130 Pneumatic hammer, metal spraying 120 F/A-18 fighter jet, gamet blast unit, Anzac diesel module (Note: Threshold of pain for unprotected ears.) 110 Chinook, rock concert, power saw, pittwater fire pump 100 Disc sander, radio with volume above halfway 90 Medium truck, lawnmower, motorcyle 85 (Note: Danger when noise is above this level.) 70 Alarm clock 60 Noisy restaurant 50 Normal conversation 30 Whisper

Hearing loss caused by loud noise is a common long-term problem and noise is a common hazard that military personnel and civilians could face in the workplace or during training.

The most destructive occupational and recreational noise is from firing weapons and from aircraft.

The first clues of a noise-induced hearing loss may be turning up the TV, having to ask family members to repeat what was said in situations where previously you would have heard or having difficulty understanding conversations with a lot of background noise.

When and where noise can damage hearing

• At work, at home and at play.
• Anytime there is noise and you have to raise your voice to be heard at 1m – and this is not only when you are at work.
• At 85 decibels or more for continuous steady noise (eight hours a day) and at 140 decibels or more for impulse noise (of a short duration, such as an impact noise).

Why protect hearing

Hearing loss caused by noise can be permanent. Exposure to loud noise can cause a threshold shift of a brief (usually less than 24 hours) loss of hearing.

This is often experienced after a loud concert, for instance. Although this threshold shift is short lived, there is an accumulation of damage which contributes to permanent hearing loss.

Loud noise can cause ringing in the ears and increase stress and fatigue. Impaired hearing can cause serious or fatal mistakes in combat and at work.

Remember the four Ps:

Hearing loss from noise is painless, progressive, permanent and preventable.

How to protect hearing

• Seek and use equipment which produces low noise levels.
• Use noise reduction procedures and ensure they are effective. For example, close doors.
• Use properly fitted and maintained hearing protection, such as approved ear plugs, ear muffs or helmets.
• Avoid using cotton wool, tissue and fingers as they are not good hearing protectors.
• If you are about to start a noisy task, let people nearby know so they can either move or use hearing protection.

Who can help

• Audiologists, doctors, nurses, preventive medicine and environmental health personnel, industrial hygienists, advisors or a Defence occupational noise officer.
• The Defence Health Service Branch, the Defence Safety Management Agency and the Service Safety Management Groups can also assist.
• Information for this article came from the Defence Health Service’s noise and hearing loss fact sheet.

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