ear, nose, and throat disorders
Hearing Loss
Prevention of Hearing Loss
Prevention of hearing loss consists mainly of limiting duration and intensity of noise exposure. People required to expose themselves to loud noise must wear ear protectors (eg, plastic plugs in the ear canals orglycerin-filled muffs over the ears). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the US Department of Labor and similar agencies in many other countries have standards regarding the length of time that a person can be exposed to a noise (seeOSHA's occupational noise exposure standards). The louder the noise, the shorter the permissible time of exposure. 