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SICK PARADE - Don’t turn a deaf ear
By Rebecca Codey
Volume 49, No. 14, August 09, 2007 |
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IS IT TOO LOUD?: When you listen to music through an MP3 player you could be putting your hearing at risk.
Hearing loss could reduce your quality of life in the future.
Photo by LS Yuri Ramsey |
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It’s 2am Saturday. You drag your weary body into bed after another night on the town. Thankfully you’re so exhausted that the persistent ringing in your ears doesn’t stop you drifting off to sleep the minute your head hits the pillow.
Sound familiar? If so, you are probably doing irreversible damage to your hearing. Sure, the ringing is usually gone by the time you wake the next day, and you feel like you’ve escaped from the tin can you were in last night. But don’t be lulled into a false sense of security. If you have to shout to be heard, then the noise around you is too loud.
Noise hazards are everywhere, and the effects of exposure to these hazards may not become obvious until a decade or more later, according to Jim Gilchrist, project manager of Defence’s Hearing Conservation Project.
By then, it’s too late. Mr Gilchrist said hearing loss would reduce your quality of life in ways you wouldn’t imagine. It can have a negative impact on every facet of your work and personal life. Communicating can become difficult, relationships may be strained, and your ability to enjoy everyday things such as music or movies can be diminished.
You may be doing the right thing at work – wearing personal ear protection when in the workshop or on the flightline – and that’s to be commended. What about in your own time?
“It’s not about stopping people having fun and enjoying themselves, rather it’s about encouraging them to think about the impact their recreational activities could have on their hearing and why they should protect it,” Mr Gilchrist said.
Consider the following examples and suggestions to help protect your hearing.
Music in pubs and nightclubs is an obvious noise hazard. After a few hours in this environment, your hearing can become dulled (that tin can feeling), or you may experience a buzzing or ringing in your ears that lasts well after you leave.
To minimise the damage, move away from the noise source, use protective barriers if possible (we need to eliminate the social stigma of wearing ear plugs) or chill out frequently in a quiet area.
By listening to your MP3 player through headphones, you could be putting your hearing at risk. The louder, longer and more frequently you use your MP3, the more damage you are doing.
If someone else can hear your music, it’s clearly too loud. And it’s best not to use it for extended periods – give your ears a break.
Defence has identified noise as a high priority OHS issue and in conjunction with Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), has developed a dedicated hearing conservation awareness project to
address it.
Jim Gilchrist completed an initial report on noise hazards and noise management in Defence which contributed to this initiative, promoted by Defence Health and DVA.
He said the Hearing Conservation Project aims to raise awareness of the nature and types of hearing loss and the way these are affected by lifestyle; identify opportunities to mitigate against these sorts of noise hazards by applying sensible lifestyle habits and practices; and show people that Defence cares about their health and wellbeing.
The project will also reinforce the OHS education and awareness programs regarding noise hazards in typical workplaces across the Defence environment and reduce the ongoing burden on financial and other resources to treat and compensate current and former personnel for hearing loss.
For more information, go to the OHSCB website, individual Service intranet sites or contact your local Defence health centre.
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