Industrial Deafness Interacts With Factory Chemicals.
According to recent Spanish research, the presence of chemical contaminants in the workplace can interact with the surrounding noise and actually modify how work-related or industrial deafness can be experienced as markedly, more or less noticeable.
The study suggests that the workers exposed to noise whilst in the presence of metalworking fluids can experience a delay in hearing adjustment at a comparable level to those who are only exposed to noise, but still at the same intensity. However, there is an increase in hearing adjustment experienced by those exposed to noise in the presence of welding fumes
Analysis of the way in which various physical and chemical contaminants interact, and the impact this had on hearing alteration with over 500 Spanish metal workers seemed to show that the ear protection used was effective for reducing the intensity of noise and possible hearing damage, but not for reducing the effects of the chemical contaminant.
Observations show that cellulose masks or other types made of similar compounds have little effect, since their capacity to filter particles, such as charcoal, has no effect on toxic gas molecules, e.g. carbon monoxide. By contrast, in noisy environments with metalworking fluids, the advantage of wearing masks for respiratory protection combined with ear defenders ensures complete hearing loss protection.
By placing greater emphasis on the combined risk factors to workers exposed to high noise levels and chemical compounds, The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA, 2006) also draws attention to noise induced hearing loss as the most common industrial injury throughout Europe.
Other studies carried out in the United States, 2009, and New Zealand, 2008, show that deafness causes from environments with excessive noise levels are not only widespread in those countries but increasingly, affecting the young adult age group.