What happens if I don't wear hearing protection?
Exposure to loud noise is one of the most common health and safety risks in New Zealand. According to the National Foundation for Deaf & Hard of Hearing’s 2021 report, around one in six cases of hearing loss in New Zealand is caused by noise exposure.
Early signs of noise-induced hearing loss can include:
- Ringing or buzzing in the ears (tinnitus) after noise exposure
- Trouble hearing conversations in busy places
- Frequently asking people to repeat themselves
- Turning the TV up louder than normal
What causes noise-induced hearing loss?
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss happens due to the combination of how loud the noise is and how long you are exposed to it: the louder the sound, the shorter the amount of time it takes for hearing loss to occur.
Like most types of hearing loss, noise-induced hearing loss is permanent. Once the delicate hearing cells inside the inner ear are damaged, they don’t grow back.
The good news is that in most cases, noise-induced hearing loss is entirely preventable with the right hearing protection, lowering the volume on your headphones, removing yourself from the source of loud noise and checking that your employer has provided the correct PPE. Visit WorkSafe here to find out more.
When should I wear hearing protection?
Some loud noises can damage your hearing almost instantly, such as fireworks, gunshots, or explosions close to the ear. More often, however, hearing loss develops slowly over time through repeated exposure to noise, such as:
- Lawnmowers and leaf blowers
- Power tools and DIY equipment
- Farming machinery and tractors
- Construction sites
- Hunting and shooting sports
- Motorbikes
- Live concerts and sporting events
- Music played through headphones or earbuds at full volume
A good rule of thumb is that if you need to raise your voice to speak to someone standing a metre away, the noise is likely loud enough to damage your hearing, even if your ears seem “fine” afterwards.
For more about when to wear hearing protection and protection for brief loud sounds, our companion articles cover this. You can also browse the Hearing Protection category page for more.
