How to Select & Use Headsets
  
     
 

Aging, some drugs, head injuries and excessive noise can all cause lasting damage to hearing. The most common type of permanent hearing loss results from excessive noise.

What causes noise-induced hearing loss?

  • Loudness of a sound (decibels)
  • Pitch of a sound
  • Length of exposure

The loudness of a sound and the length of exposure are directly related. The louder the sound, the shorter the time it takes to damage hearing. Sound levels of less than 75 decibels are unlikely to cause permanent hearing loss. Sound levels above 85 decibels can be dangerous after prolonged exposure. Repeated, prolonged exposure (more than eight hours) to noise above 90 decibels (motorcycles and lawn mowers) can cause gradual hearing loss. Rock concerts generate sound levels between 110 and 140 decibels and can cause damage in less than 15 minutes. Some of the hearing damage is reversible, but repeated and prolonged exposures to excessive noise can result in permanent damage.

What are the danger signs of noise-induced hearing loss?

  • Ringing or buzzing in the ears
  • Difficulty understanding speech
  • Slight muffling of sounds
  • Difficulty understanding speech in noisy places or places with poor acoustics.
  • Shouting to communicate

Are headphone users at risk of hearing loss?

Normal conversation measures around 60 decibels. If you listen to headphones and keep the volume at a normal conversational level, you are not at risk of hearing loss. Your headphone volume should be kept low enough so no one else can hear it.

Headphone users are susceptible to a decreasing sensitivity to sound levels over time, as the ears adapt to loud sounds. The listener perceives a gradual drop in loudness even though the volume is the same. It is important to avoid listening fatigue when working by taking hearing breaks and resting the ears. Otherwise, there is a danger of increasing the volume to dangerous levels.

How can I make sure my headphone is at a safe level?

  • Keep your headset volume as low as possible without straining to hear.
  • Co-workers should not be able to hear sounds from your headset.
  • With open-air headphones, you should be able to hear normal conversation through the headphones.
  • Normal conversation may not be audible with closed-ear headphones. Lift one earpiece off an ear and compare the level in the other earpiece with that of normal conversation to set a safe volume level.

What can I do to prevent hearing loss if I use headphones for my work?

  • Set your headphone volume at a conversational level.
  • Avoid hearing fatigue. Take a 1-2 minute listening break after working for 30 minutes. A 5-10 minute break is recommended every few hours. After four hours, take a sixty-minute lunch or dinner break, preferably in a quiet environment.
  • Reduce ambient noise in your environment. Use curtains and carpeting to reduce indoor noise. Turn off background music and isolate noisy equipment (i.e. printers) by increasing the distance or moving to another room.
  • Have your hearing tested during your annual physical.

References:

  • Headwize, “Preventing Hearing damage when Listening With Headphones”, Multimedia Library, www.headwize.com.
  • Noise and Hearing Loss, NIH Consens Statement Online 1990 Jan 22-24;8(1):1-24.
  • Noise Induced Hearing Loss, NIDCD Information Clearinghouse, National Institute of Health.
  • Williams, Rebecca, “On the Teen Scene: Enjoy, Protect the Best Ears of your Life”, FDA Consumer, May 1992.