Health

Industrial deafness

Industrial deafness, also known as noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), is permanent.

It is also preventable.

NIHL is caused by excessive noise. It can be temporary or permanent, depending on the degree of a person’s exposure to noise. In the NSW coal mining industry, the noise hazards arising from equipment and processes leave workers exposed to risk. As a coal mine worker, you should be aware of workplace noise exposures and implement effective noise control strategies to minimise risk.

Physical effects	Social and work effects
Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)	Social isolation
Distorted, dulled muffled hearing	Lower self-esteem
Difficulty hearing in some situations e.g. telephone, crowded places	Depression
Increased blood pressure	Stress
Reduced ability to hear alarms or warnings	Anxiety
Disrupted sleep from tinnitus	Difficulty concentrating
Difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds	Increased absenteeism
Fatigue	Reduced productivity
Headaches	Difficulty communicating

If you experience any of the above symptoms, be sure to wear personal hearing protection and/or get your hearing tested. Hearing loss usually occurs gradually, so you may not realise it until it’s too late. The good news is that hearing loss can be prevented if noise is controlled and personal hearing protection is worn.

Statistics on underground noise

Longwall operators: 92.0 dBA is approximately equivalent to 1.6 hours for unprotected exposures; which is the same as an 8 hour dose of noise at 85 dBA. Continuous miner operators: 91 dBA is approximately equivalent to 2 hours of unprotected exposures; which is the same as an 8 hour dose at 85 dBA.

Coal Services provides hearing protection fit testing, which tests how much noise reduction is being offered by different types of hearing protection, specific to an individual worker. Contact CS Health for more information.