Loud noises on the job can threaten workers’ hearts

The risks of loud noises in the workplace for workers in South Carolina can extend far beyond hearing loss according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC’s research found a high association between loud, noisy workplaces and the development of high blood pressure and high cholesterol among workers regularly exposed to the loud sounds. As both symptoms are a significant risk for heart disease, the leading killer of people across the country, these conditions indicate that noisy workplaces can pose a major health risk for workers in mining, construction and other industries where such noise is common.

Exposure to loud noise on the job is common: Around one-quarter of the country’s workers, or 41 million people, commonly experience loud sounds while in the workplace. Some negative effects are well-known, including hearing loss or damage caused by workplace injuries, sleep deprivation and difficulty sleeping, cognitive issues and migraine headaches among those susceptible. However, noise protection can be important not only to protect workers’ hearing ability but also to protect their hearts from occupational disease.

Researchers found that 12 percent of the workers regularly exposed to noise had hearing loss while 24 percent had high blood pressure and 28 percent elevated cholesterol. When digging deeper, they attributed 58 percent of the hearing problems to workplace noise as well as 14 percent of the high blood pressure issues and 9 percent of the cholesterol problems.

Loud noise is only one of many dangers that workers may face on the job, from unsafe equipment to toxic chemical exposure. Workers may find that they have developed an occupational disease after years of exposure to toxins or negative stimuli, including loud noises. A workers compensation attorney may work with an affected employee to help them defend their rights and fight for the compensation they deserve.