WVU hearing loss expert urges yard warriors to protect their ears

by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition

Photo credit: Nam Phong Bùi

WVU Today, a news outlet from West Virginia University in Morgantown published an article about the dangers of commonly-used landcare equipment for hearing. Audiologist Eric Johnson, also an assistant professor at WVU, warns that noise from tools like lawn mowers and leaf blowers can cause hearing loss in as little as 15 minutes. He also warns about the dangers of attending motor sports events and concerts, and advises using hearing protection.

My only quibble is that Johnson mentions the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recommended noise exposure level of 85 A-weighted* decibels (dBA). The NIOSH REL doesn’t prevent hearing loss in exposed workers and needs to be revised downwards. The only evidence-based safe noise level is a time-weighted daily average of only 70 decibels, calculated by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1974.

The actual safe noise exposure level to prevent noise-induced hearing loss may be much lower, only 55 dBA for a single noise event and a daily average of 55-60 decibels. Impulse noise may have a disproportionate impact on auditory health.

I would only add to this article my usual, easy-to-follow advice: If something sounds loud, it’s too loud and one’s auditory health is at risk. Turn down the volume, leave the noisy environment or use hearing protection and one’s ears should last a whole lifetime.

*A-weighting adjusts unweighted sound measurements to approximate the frequencies heard in human speech.