LONDON UNDERGROUND NOISE LEVELS REVEALED
In April 2019 the EAVE team set themselves a challenge to break the World Record of the fastest time to visit all 270 stations on the London Underground. They did this while using EAVE’s innovative technology to monitor noise levels in each station.
Explore Eave's tube map to see what noise levels you are exposed to while traveling on the London Underground.
FIGHTING THE CAUSES OF HEARING LOSS WITH THE EAVE TUBE CHALLENGE
The Eave Tube Challenge raised awareness of environmental deafness while raising funds for five key hearing loss charities
466 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss, costing an estimated US$750 billion
Eave protective headsets collate noise data while defending the ears against environmental noise
Wednesday 3rd April 2019 saw a challenge like no other being undertaken on and under the streets of London. Not only was there an attempt to beat the Guinness World Record for visiting all the London Tube stations in the fastest time, but participants wore special ear protectors that recorded the noise levels encountered on the route. This was the 2019 Eave Tube Challenge.
What was the Eave Tube Challenge?
In 1960, a Guinness World Record began, with people racing to visit all of London’s tube stations in the fastest possible time. The current record for fastest completion of the challenge is 15 hours, 45 minutes and 38 seconds. That was set on 21st May 2015. On April 3rd 2019 Eave representatives set out to best that time. Rather than just racing against the clock, however, they also collected sound data from the tube network. The underground system exposes commuters to some of the highest noise levels in London.
What was the purpose of the Eave Tube Challenge?
In a recent study, the BBC revealed that on a tube journey between Liverpool Street and Bethnal Green, the noise peaked at 109 decibels – louder than a helicopter taking off nearby. Prolonged exposure to noise above 85 decibels is enough to compromise hearing.
While this is a currently unavoidable side-effect of tube travel, Eave was hoping to raise awareness with commuters, so that they can take action to protect themselves. 466 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss. 34 million of these are children. Many of these cases could have been avoided had appropriate care been taken in noisy surroundings.
As well as raising awareness, Eave raised money for five major deafness charities: Action on Hearing Loss, Sound Seekers, The British Tinnitus Association, The British Society of Audiology, and The National Deaf Children’s Association.
Who are Eave?
Eave is an organisation created to help with the prevention of avoidable deafness through the monitoring of, and protection against damaging noise levels. Founded by clinical and research audiologist, Dr. David Greenberg, Eave’s mission is to prevent noise induced hearing loss, while raising awareness of the isolating – and sometimes debilitating – impact of deafness.
As part of their work, the organisation has created a ground-breaking smart ear defender, which collects noise data while protecting the ears. The purpose of these is to help employers see where they need to be taking more care of their staff, while providing researchers with the information they need to develop better solutions for auditory care.
Eave founder and CEO, Dr. David Greenberg, comments:
“We are undertook the Tube Challenge to raise awareness of disabling hearing loss and to support those great charities working tirelessly to support those impacted by it. Hearing loss doesn’t just present a personal tragedy/hardship, but also a huge economic drain. WHO (The World Health Organisation) estimates that unaddressed hearing loss poses an annual global cost of US$750 billion. And yet most people remain unaware of the factors that could lead to deafness. While advancing technology has led to huge improvements in the effectiveness of hearing aids in recent years, there is no denying that prevention is better than cure. The work of Eave is to provide the protection to help facilitate that prevention, as well as gathering information and raising awareness so that people can begin to start helping themselves.”
View the Eave Tube Map here.
EXPOSURE RATES
Noise exposure is the single largest contributor to deafness.
Over 46 million people in Europe work in harmful levels of noise.
Occupations most at risk of harmful levels of noise exposure include construction, metal, electrical and textile processing. The highest-risk occupation is metal processing with exposure rates three and a half times the average. Repetitive assembly and inspection and other transport and machinery operatives have rates nearly three times the average. Construction and electrical processing have rates which are more than double the average.
The higher the level of noise, and the longer individuals are exposed to it, the greater the risk they have of suffering harm from it. Hearing damage can occur when the level of noise a person is exposed to is over 80dB(A). Eight hours of workplace noise exposure at 85dB(A) is the legal limit of noise ‘dose’ in the UK, as defined in the 2005 Control of Noise at Work regulations. If the noise level is higher than 85dB(A) then the legal limit will be reached in a shorter period of time. For each 3dB increase in noise level, half the exposure time is allowable. For example, four hours of noise exposure at 88dB(A) and two hours at 91dB(A) are considered equivalent, in terms of noise exposure dose, to eight hours at 85dB(A).
The Health and Safety Executive has estimated the number of people that are exposed to a range of noise levels:
These exposure rates and the occupational diseases that can result are preventable if employers are able to apply effective noise control measures. The best way of reducing exposure rates is by controlling the noise at source while a combination of methods is normally appropriate. This can include redesigning the layout of workstations, re-organising work processes, managing noise transmission pathways and providing hearing protection.
INSURANCE CLAIMS
£360 million was spent by insurance companies on Occupational Deafness claims in 2014.
There are many new cases of people receiving compensation for hearing damage each year, through both civil claims and the Government disability benefit scheme, with considerable costs to industry, society and, most importantly, the people who suffer the disability.
Claims for hearing damage are on the increase.
In 2010, there were 24,352 Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) claims notified. This increased to 85,155 in 2013, an increase of almost 250% with a total estimated cost of over £400 million.
According to a study of the costs and funding of occupational diseases in six European countries (excluding the UK), the cost of hearing loss due to noise represents on average just over 10% of the total cost of compensation of occupational diseases.
A significant proportion of the cost of NIHL claims is made up by claimant lawyer legal fees. In 2013 the average compensation payment for a NIHL claim was £3,100, while average claimant legal costs were £10,400. This means that for every £1 paid to the claimant over £3 was paid to their lawyer.
But not all NIHL claims are successful.
Whilst insurers and compensators are experiencing a significant increase in the number of NIHL claims being reported, many claims are not successful. NIHL claims fail for a variety of reasons, including the absence of any NIHL, a lack of proof that the hearing loss was due to exposure to noise in the claimant’s workplace or because the claim falls outside the limitation period for making a claim.
NIHL claims feature a number of distinct issues which leave them open to abuse for financial gain by claimant lawyers and claims management companies including poor quality medical evidence, unmerited claims for tinnitus and claims outside the limitation period.
In order to make a claim, a claimant who believes they may have suffered NIHL will be required to obtain medical evidence to show the extent of their NIHL. The claimant will be sent to an audiologist, usually arranged by the claimant lawyers or the claims management companies, to conduct a hearing test. The audiologist should test the claimant’s hearing in clinical surroundings and produce the results in the form of an audiogram. However, the results can be distorted where hearing tests are conducted in non-compliant conditions, e.g. noisy environments.
ABI data demonstrates that some 58% of successful NIHL claims include a claim for tinnitus, which increases the average damages paid by over 20%. Like whiplash, there is no objective test for tinnitus, making it susceptible to exploitation for financial gain. Also like whiplash, the diagnosis of tinnitus is solely dependent on the history supplied by the claimant. Medico-legal reports rarely go beyond recording the history of symptoms given by the claimant making it very challenging to dispute a claim for tinnitus.
The current limitation period for making an NIHL claim is three years from when the claimant became aware, or ought to have been aware, that exposure to noise in the work place has led to NIHL.
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE
Occupational Deafness is the most commonly reported occupational disease in the EU.
The Health and Safety Executive estimates that over 2 million people in the UK are exposed to noise levels at work that may be harmful. The number of people in the UK suffering from hearing damage as a result of exposure to noise at work was estimated at 509,000 in a Medical Research Council survey.
According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the most common occupational disease in Europe. NIHL is permanent and incurable and has been recognised as an occupational disease since the 18th century, among copper workers hammering metal, blacksmiths, and shipbuilders.
Today, NIHL is regularly found in the manufacturing, construction, mining, agriculture and transport sectors. The construction sector and the manufacturing sector have the highest percentage of workers exposed to loud noise in the workplace and the highest percentage of workers reporting work-related hearing problems.
Graph shows percentage of workers reporting work-related hearing problems by sector (European Survey on Working Conditions)
Hearing damage gradually increases with exposure to noise. Often it can take a number of years of damage from noise for a person to realise they have become deaf. Hearing damage can also be caused immediately by sudden, loud noises.
What is Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) ?
NIHL represents excessive ‘wear and tear’ on the delicate inner ear structures of the Cochlea, the sensory organ of hearing. The symptoms of NIHL that occur over a period of continuous exposure increase gradually. Early stages of hearing loss will make it difficult to hear children’s voices, followed by women’s voices and speech in background noise. Sounds will become distorted or muffled, the individual may not be aware of the loss, but it can be detected with a hearing test.
How does it affect workers?
Hearing loss can affect workers in ways they may not have considered, such as:
ringing or buzzing in the ears or head (called tinnitus)
elevated blood pressure
fatigue
stress
social isolation from co-workers, family and friends.
Hearing impairment can be a major cause of psychological fatigue in the workplace. Particularly in work situations with high communication demands, such complaints should prompt an examination to assess noise levels and hearing ability.
What is the impact of NIHL?
An extensive Danish survey among 1,600 hearing impaired people aged between 16 and 60 examined the impact of hearing loss at work and in education. The survey was conducted by the Danish Institute for Social Research and resulted in the following conclusions.
People with hearing loss leave the labour market sooner than their normal-hearing colleagues; 18% receive disability pension compared with 7% in the general population.
It is harder for hearing impaired people to find work; 7.5% are unemployed compared to the general 4.8% unemployment rate.
Hearing loss leads to loss of employment; 8% of hearing impaired employees are either terminated or choose to resign.
More than one quarter (27%) believe that their hearing loss makes it hard to find a job; 9% find it impossible.
Hard of hearing people often feel mentally or physically exhausted at the end of the workday: 47% say they are mentally exhausted as compared to 36% in the general population; 51% of hearing impaired people say they are physically exhausted as compared to 31% in the general population.
Hearing problems at work affect leisure activities too; 13% find that they are so drained of energy from their work that they are unable to pursue leisure activities.
Hearing impaired people who want to pursue an education must make an extra effort: 40% say they must prepare better than other students in order to keep up in the classroom, 80% say they are mentally exhausted after a long day in school.
Exposure to occupational noise can also cause a number of additional negative health effects:
inability to sleep, fatigue and other sleep problems
a sense of isolation and interference with general workplace communications
inability to hear warnings of imminent safety hazards
temporary hearing loss
permanent hearing loss
tinnitus — a ringing or buzzing in the ears or head;
increased blood pressure and stress
hearing damage to an unborn child
high blood pressure
increased levels of stress hormones
digestion issues.
These conditions are entirely preventable if:
employers take action to reduce exposure to noise and provide personal hearing protection and health surveillance to employees
manufacturers design tools and machinery to operate more quietly
employees make use of the personal hearing protection or other control measures supplied.
LOUD ENVIRONMENTS
Noise regulations dictate that loud environments require control at source by employers.
The World Health Organisation identify some of the sources of occupational noise as rotors, gears, turbulent fluid flow, impact processes, electrical machines, internal combustion engines, pneumatic equipment, drilling, crushing, blasting, pumps and compressors. Furthermore, the emitted sounds are reflected from floors, ceilings and equipment. The major sources of noise that damage hearing are impact processes, material handling and industrial jets.
Employers are required to control risks at source, eliminating or reducing noise risks to a minimum, taking account of technical progress and of the availability of preventive measures. Workers should be consulted and participate in the risk assessment and the risk elimination/reduction process. There should not be a reliance on personal hearing protection when there are other measures available to remove or control the risk.
2003 Noise Directive
The 2003 noise directive identifies factors to consider when controlling noise risks:
Working methods that require less exposure to noise
The choice of appropriate work equipment, taking account of the work to be done, emitting the least possible noise
European directives exist that set out how to deal with noise in the workplace
Manufacturers have requirements under European directives to ensure that machinery is designed and constructed to reduce noise emissions
Standards exist to complement the directives, giving detailed information on topics, from noise measurement to acoustics
The general principles of prevention:
Avoiding risks
Evaluating the risks which cannot be avoided
Combating the risks at source
Adapting the work to the individual, especially as regards the design of workplaces, the choice of work equipment, and the choice of working and production methods
Adapting to technical progress and new innovations
Replacing the dangerous by the non-dangerous or the less dangerous
Developing a coherent overall prevention policy which covers technology, organisation of work, working conditions, social relationships and the influence of factors related to the working environment
Giving collective protective measures priority over individual protective measures
Giving appropriate instructions to the workers
The design and layout of workplaces and work stations
Adequate information and training to instruct workers to use work equipment correctly in order to reduce their exposure to noise to a minimum
Noise reduction by technical means
Appropriate maintenance programmes for work equipment, the workplace and workplace systems
Noise reduction by better organisation of work
Limiting the duration and intensity of the exposure and/or by organising appropriate work schedules with adequate rest periods.
Noise Regulations
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 are based on the European Union Directive requiring similar basic laws throughout the Union on protecting workers from the risks caused by noise. They do not apply to members of the public exposed to noise from their non-work activities, or making an informed choice to go to noisy places. They replace the Noise at Work Regulations 1989, which have been in force since 1990.
The duties in the Noise Regulations are in addition to the general duties set out in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. These general duties extend to the safeguarding of the health and safety of people who are not your employees, such as students, voluntary workers, visitors and members of the public. Employees also have duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to take care of their own health and safety and that of others whom their work may affect; and to co-operate with employers so that they may comply with health and safety legislation.
Source: ‘Managing noise risks’ from The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 – Guidance on Regulations
FERROVIAL CONSTRUCTION AT HEATHROW
Eave's technology transforms noise on site
As part of their ‘Time for Change’ health and safety improvement initiative, Ferrovial Construction worked with Eave on site at the Heathrow Airport expansion project.
The Eave system enabled Ferrovial to access data on the wear-rate of hearing protection, noise levels and locations. It also provided simple, actionable insights to tackle noise at source and evaluate noise management interventions.
“Until now the risk assessment of noise has relied on ad-hoc noise monitoring giving just a snapshot of what’s happening on site. This technology operates in the background for as long as it’s being worn giving data specific to the individual and locations on site in a much more accessible way. The technology is proving beneficial in all the ways we hoped for.”
COSTAIN SKANSKA AT HS2
HS2 partnered with Eave to prevent occupational deafness
Eave partnered with HS2 and its Euston early works contractor CSJV (Costain SkanskaJoint Venture) to take major steps towards eliminating work-related hearing damage.
We used HS2’s London construction sites as a testbed to perfect the latest version of our hearing protection technology, the Eave FocusLite, which uses smart technology to locate and measure noise across a construction site.
“Sixty-eight per cent of all claims against employers are for occupational deafness, which underlines the importance of Eave’s innovation for improving employee health in the sector. As the largest infrastructure project in British history, employing tens of thousands of people and stretching across the 2020s and 2030s we can use HS2’s scale to introduce improvements to working conditions and employee wellbeing that permanently changes the industry for good.””
Read more here.
VOLKERLASER A3 PILING WORKS
The Eave system protects operatives from hazardous noise
Our clients at VolkerLaser trialed the Eave system which allowed operatives on site to work safely in noisy environments. They used our advanced ear defenders and software platform to provide accurate and real time noise data for managers.
Piling works are taking place on the side of the A3 Guildford University Interchange, where there are consistent levels of noise from the road and intermittently, extremely loud levels of noise from the pilings works taking place.
Noise on the VolkerLaser project was assessed as a significant risk to operatives and the Eave system provided an opportunity to effectively protect the hearing of their workforce.
Operatives working on the piling works used Eave’s new FocusLite ear defenders which allow the wearer to hear normal conversation whilst omitting harmful and ambient noise. The ear defenders utilise multiple microphones built both internally and externally, to gauge the levels of noise being produced where works are taking place.
“I am really pleased we are ‘raising the bar’ in terms of protecting against potential hearing loss. The Eave system provided us with an opportunity to effectively protect the hearing of our workforce. Their software platform, Peak, allowed me to know exactly where harmful noise levels were coming from and whether or not hearing protection was being worn correctly.”
Read more about how Eave transformed noise on the VolkerLaser Guildford project here
THE CONTROL OF NOISE AT WORK REGULATIONS
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll highlight the crucial requirements from The Control of Noise at Work Regulations and the implementation guidance, recently updated in 2021.
According to UK Research and Innovation, the true cost of hearing loss in the UK is £30bn a year – attributed to life-long treatment, mental health issues and lost economic productivity. Therefore, it’s extremely important to follow all regulations to protect against hearing loss.
Complying with noise at work regulations is vital for preserving staff’s hearing health. Regular exposure to high decibel (dB) sounds can cause tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).
Specific noise regulations in the UK have evolved over the years since the first ones were written in 1989; therefore, it’s crucial for employers to stay up-to-date with the latest guidance.
Read on to learn about the history of The Control of Noise at Work Regulations and the changes made over time to better protect against hearing loss.
The Noise at Work Regulations 1989
The first HSE Noise at Work Regulations were published in 1989 and came into force a year later.
Key points from this original legislation included requirements for employers to:
Conduct a “noise assessment” if employees are likely to be exposed to 85 dB or more
Give “adequate information, instruction and training” about the risk of hearing damage to employees and how they can minimise this
Provide “suitable ear protectors” to reduce “the risk of damage to that employee’s hearing”
Make sure that hearing protection equipment is “fully and properly used” as well as being “maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair”
A key citation at the heart of the legislation was:
“Every employer shall reduce the risk of damage to the hearing of his employees from exposure to noise to the lowest level reasonably practicable.”
Every employee also had a responsibility to “fully and properly use personal ear protectors when they are provided by his employer”.
The Noise at Work Regulations 1989 were revoked in 2006 following the introduction of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005.
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005
A crucial change made in the HSE Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 was the lowering of the exposure limits.
In this current legislation, the noise exposure limits were reduced from the 85 dB and 90 dB action levels in the Noise at Work Regulations 1989 to:
The regulations also introduced:
Restrictions on permitted “weekly personal noise exposure levels”
Requirements for employee “health surveillance, which shall include testing of their hearing”
Research informing these new regulations included the report Occupational exposure to noise and hearing difficulties in Great Britain, prepared for the HSE by the University of Southampton in 2001.
Its conclusions were concerning, reporting that:
“Significant hearing difficulty and tinnitus are quite common, especially in men in the older working age range. Both are strongly associated with years of exposure in a noisy occupation, and these exposures arise largely in men. The burden of hearing difficulties attributable to occupational noise exposure in Great Britain is substantial.”
Controlling noise at work: supplementary guidance
To help employers understand their duties under The Control of Noise at Work Regulations, the HSE has provided an easy-to-read short leaflet outlining:
The harm that noise can cause
The legal duties of employers
How to identify if there is a problem with noise in the workplace
How to control noise and prevent harm
For staff, there is also a separate leaflet which runs through employees’ responsibilities according to The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, stressing their legal duties to:
Cooperate with employers to protect their hearing
Wear any hearing protection provided
Look after their hearing protection
Attend hearing checks
Report any problems
The instructions also list the different types of personal hearing protection that staff can use.
After all, while The Control of Noise at Work Regulations place a legal duty on employers to protect their employees’ hearing, employees themselves also have a part to play.
We now know that deafness is the largest modifiable risk factor for dementia, so it’s incredibly important for staff to also take responsibility for looking after their hearing.
Controlling Noise at Work Guidance: Third edition (2021)
To assist employers with the implementation of The Control of Noise at Work Regulations, accompanying guidance is available.
The third and latest edition, released in October 2021, can be found here. It was updated to leverage experience and take into account technical advances since 2005.
The third edition is divided into six parts:
Legal duties of employers concerning noise at work
Management and control of risks from noise
Practical examples of noise control
Hearing protection
Health surveillance for hearing damage
Selecting quieter tools and machinery
There is no fundamental change to HSE policy on the noise regulations of 2005 in the guidance but there is a clear emphasis on the control and management of risk or exposure.
It stresses the importance of suitable, sufficient risk assessments to identify everywhere with a risk of noise and everyone it is likely to affect.
Due diligence is essential to estimate likely noise exposure levels and evaluate the measures needed to control or manage them.
Summary: The Control of Noise at Work Regulations
In short, The Control of Noise at Work Regulations establish legal requirements around:
Exposure limit values
Health and safety risk assessments
Eliminating or controlling noise exposure
Hearing protection
Maintaining and using equipment
Health surveillance
Informing, instructing and training the workforce
Guidance is also freely available to employers – providing thorough advice on how to assess risks, control noise, select and use hearing protection, choose appropriate equipment and develop health surveillance procedures.
Noise exposure is the single largest contributor to deafness, so it’s crucial to control as well as reduce workers’ exposure to harmful levels and rates.
Protect your workforce from hearing loss with EAVE
At EAVE, we believe that NIHL has been far too common in the UK for far too long. As a starting point, it’s vital for employers to adhere to The Control of Noise at Work Regulations.
In particular, if you’re responsible for other people’s hearing, you should make sure staff are aware of the risks and have access to suitable protective equipment. It’s also essential for staff themselves to use this equipment consistently and correctly.
To see how EAVE’s noise management and intelligent hearing protection solutions support compliance with The Control of Noise at Work Regulations, please contact us or book a demo today.
TYPES OF HEARING LOSS
Hearing loss is a very serious issue, with RNID reporting that one in five adults – 12 million people – have at least mild hearing loss in the UK. This article describes in detail the three main types of hearing loss and some of the key differences between them.
We’ll also explain what causes hearing loss in one ear only and sudden hearing loss.
The three main types of hearing loss are:
Sensorineural hearing loss
Conductive hearing loss
Mixed hearing loss
For each of these types of hearing loss, we’ll also outline the different treatment options.
Please note that if you want to take a hearing loss test, they are available for free on the NHS. However, it may take weeks to see a specialist.
Alternatively, several charities such as The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), or pharmacies such as Boots, offer a quick and free hearing loss test online.
Though it is a fairly prevalent condition, hearing loss can often be prevented or managed. Therefore, it’s important to be aware of its causes and how to reduce the risk of developing it.
Hearing loss: a growing problem
By 2035, RNID estimates that hearing loss will affect 14.2 million adults. Worryingly, it also reports that people wait 10 years on average before seeking help for their condition.
Having mild hearing loss means you can’t hear sounds of 25-40 decibels (dB) and would struggle to hear speech in noisy situations.
The other levels of hearing loss – as defined by the British Society of Audiology – are:
Moderate hearing loss: unable to hear sounds between 41-70dB and finding it difficult to follow speech in general
Severe hearing loss: unable to hear sounds between 71-95dB and struggling to follow speech without a hearing aid
Profound hearing loss: unable to hear sounds of more than 95dB and in need of a hearing aid, cochlear implant, sign language and/or lip-reading.
Moreover, research has shown that there is a link between deafness, dementia and a decline in brain cognitive abilities. For hearing loss, prevention is better than cure, and there are ways of minimising your chances of developing it, or managing the condition.
Here are the differences between the three main types of hearing loss, as well as how they can be managed or treated:
#1 Sensorineural hearing loss
Out of the different types of hearing loss, the most common form is sensorineural hearing loss and it is usually permanent. It is caused by damage to auditory nerves or stereocilia cells in the inner ear.
The most frequent causes are noise-induced hearing loss, often from work, or age-related hearing loss.
Sensorineural hearing loss cannot normally be cured medically or surgically, but it can be treated and managed with a hearing aid or a cochlear implant. If you think you may need a hearing aid or an implant, the NHS provides further information.
Both the loudness and clarity of sounds are affected by sensorineural hearing loss, meaning that you may be able to hear people speaking, just not very clearly.
Tinnitus, which is typically when you perceive some form of ringing noise in the ears, is also a symptom of sensorineural hearing loss.
As well as noise-induced hearing loss, deafness can be inherited or caused by rare genetic syndromes. Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder, for example, is a rare form of sensorineural hearing loss.
In order to reduce the likelihood of developing sensorineural hearing loss, it’s important to take precautions to manage and limit exposure to loud noise. By adopting measures to monitor noise exposure, for example in a loud work environment, you can be proactive in protecting yourself and other employees from noise-induced hearing loss.
#2 Conductive hearing loss
Out of these first two types of hearing loss, this one is less common.
Conductive hearing loss is usually due to an obstruction or damage to the middle or outer ear, such as the ear canal or drum.
The specific causes of conductive hearing loss are wide-ranging; they can include earwax, fluid, infections, or tumours preventing sound from reaching the inner ear. In some cases, it could be due to the ear’s formation.
In contrast to sensorineural hearing loss, this condition primarily impacts the loudness of sounds, rather than the clarity. Other symptoms can include feeling pain or pressure in the ear.
Conductive hearing loss can sometimes be treated medically or surgically, or otherwise managed by a hearing aid if it is permanent. The NHS provides further information on hearing aids, how they can help, and how to get the necessary support.
#3 Mixed hearing loss
This is a combination of the above two types of hearing loss. With sensorineural hearing loss and conductive hearing loss, one can lead to the other.
For example, someone with conductive hearing loss could begin to experience age-related hearing loss too.
Alternatively, someone with sensorineural hearing loss could then also have their hearing affected by earwax or an infection.
Mixed hearing loss typically occurs when the ear sustains some form of trauma.
Symptoms are a mix of those associated with sensorineural hearing loss and conductive hearing loss.
Similarly, the most suitable form of treatment will depend on whether the cause is more associated with sensorineural hearing loss or conductive hearing loss.
Hearing loss in one ear
These three types of hearing loss can also take place in just one ear rather than both.
This is also known as unilateral hearing loss, as opposed to bilateral hearing loss.
Hearing loss in one ear can alternatively be referred to as single-sided deafness, usually when the damage is profound.
Once again, the best form of treatment depends on whether the symptoms are more related to those of sensorineural hearing loss or conductive hearing loss.
Symptoms which are particular to hearing loss in one ear include:
Muffling of higher-pitched sounds: also known as the ‘head shadow’ effect
Struggling to locate sounds: this is due to the impact on your sound localisation
Feeling disoriented in a crowd: this is due to the effect on your selective listening
Detecting sounds off-kilter: the brain senses sounds louder than normal
Hearing loss in one ear can build gradually over time, but in more serious cases it develops very quickly. This is why it’s important to monitor and limit your exposure to noise, particularly if you work in an industry where loud environments are common.
Sudden hearing loss
If you experience sudden hearing loss in one ear, this is an emergency and it needs urgent medical attention.
The NHS’ advice, if this happens, is to ask for a GP appointment immediately or use its 111 phone and online service.
There are a range of potential causes for this; these include head trauma, physical damage to the ear, infections, or Ménière’s disease – which can also cause feelings of dizziness and vertigo.
With sudden hearing loss, you may also experience ‘double hearing’ or diplacusis. This is the often troubling perception of the same sounds at two different pitches.
If you ever think you’re experiencing sudden hearing loss, it’s crucial to get treated as soon as possible in order to prevent further damage or maintain your hearing.
Summary: types of hearing loss
There are three main types of hearing loss:
Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common and is often age-related or caused by noise-induced hearing loss
Conductive hearing loss is less common and is usually caused by an obstruction or damage to the ear
Mixed hearing loss is a combination of these and one can cause the other
There are also different severities which affect how many dB you can hear; these range from mild hearing loss to profound hearing loss.
Hearing loss in one ear only is also possible and if this happens suddenly, urgent medical attention is required. Partial deafness can be managed by wearing a hearing aid, or a cochlear implant can be fitted to manage profound hearing loss.
It is possible to treat conductive hearing loss medically or via surgical procedures. However, sensorineural hearing loss is usually permanent, which is why it’s important to take precautions to mitigate the risk of developing it in the first place.
If you’re experiencing hearing loss, we recommend that you seek advice from a medical professional.
Protect your hearing with EAVE
In many cases, hearing loss can be prevented, so it’s vital for employers to follow important measures. These include adhering to The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 and ensuring employees wear effective protective equipment for hearing.
With noise-induced hearing loss such a common cause of partial and total deafness, it’s vital to take steps to control environmental noise and reduce exposure to it. At EAVE, we believe that prevention is always better than cure.
To find out more about how EAVE’s noise management and intelligent hearing protection solutions can help you to reduce the risk of hearing loss in your workplace, contact us or book a demo today.
WHAT IS TINNITUS?
You may think you’re familiar with it, but what is tinnitus exactly and what causes it?
Before getting into the details, for any employer with responsibility for noise management under The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, it’s important to know about tinnitus.
It can be a symptom of hearing loss, which is a growing problem – by 2050, one in four will live with some degree of hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization.
So, what is tinnitus? And what is it caused by? Moreover, is there such a thing as a tinnitus cure?
Here is our comprehensive guide, with answers to these questions and many more.
What is tinnitus?
In most cases, having tinnitus means that you perceive noises when no matching external sounds are present.
While there is some evidence that it can be genetic, much more often there are underlying causes, meaning that it is an overall symptom rather than a disease.
How common is tinnitus? According to the British Tinnitus Association (BTA), it’s very prevalent, with approximately 30% of people experiencing it at least once in their life.
However, persistent tinnitus is something which about 13% – more than one in eight people – have to live with.
What causes tinnitus?
The primary causes of tinnitus are mental or physical changes in the amount of information sent to the brain.
When this happens, the brain responds by attempting to receive more information from the ear – this creates the perception of sounds.
What is tinnitus caused by? Well-established reasons for these mental or physical changes include:
Hearing damage
Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss
Ear infections
Head injuries
Emotional stress
Side effects of certain medications
Tinnitus sounds aren’t always experienced in the head or both ears. Sometimes, it only occurs in one ear – this is unilateral tinnitus.
One of the most common causes of tinnitus in one ear only is the build-up of too much earwax, which can be straightforward to remove.
However, other causes of tinnitus in one ear only include:
Eardrum perforation
Ménière’s disease
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Infections
Regarding COVID-19 and tinnitus, recently ‘long COVID’ has been recognised by the NHS as a cause of tinnitus and earaches.
Tinnitus symptoms
What does tinnitus sound like? It varies, but often it’s the following types of noises:
Ringing
Humming
Buzzing
Hissing
Throbbing
Whooshing
These sounds can be continuous, or more intermittent.
If you think you may be hearing a noise like this regularly or constantly, you should see a GP. They may refer you to a specialist or audiologist who will conduct a tinnitus test.
Long-term, the frustration of experiencing tinnitus can lead to disturbed sleep, anxiety and depression.
What are the different types of tinnitus?
The two main types of tinnitus are typically classed as:
Subjective:The sounds which the individual hears, either in their head or ears, are not audible to anyone else
Objective:These sounds may also be heard by others
Objective tinnitus – sounds produced by functions in the blood flow and musculo-skeleteal movement systems – is much rarer, representing under 1% of total casesaccording to the American Tinnitus Association.
While most cases are subjective, there are other sub-categorisations:
Neurological tinnitus:
Caused by disorders affecting the brain’s auditory functions
Somatic tinnitus:
Caused by changes in sensory information from the cervical spine or jaw
Pulsatile tinnitus:
Caused by a change in blood flow; the sounds produced are rhythmic, matching the heartbeat
One other subtype is musical tinnitus, which is the experience of hearing a melody with no external source. Also known as musical hallucinations or musical ear syndrome, it tends to occur amongst those who have had hearing loss or tinnitus for a long period of time.
Is there a cure?
Does tinnitus go away by itself? For most minor cases, it often disappears naturally. In some persistent cases, it may become much less noticeable over time. However, is tinnitus curable?
Sadly, the answer is no – there is no scientifically proven tinnitus cure. That’s why it’s so important to take preventative measures, to stop it from becoming something you may have to live with permanently.
For anyone wanting to know how to get rid of tinnitus, while that may not always be possible, there are several management and treatment options to alleviate the experience.
You can read about these in detail on NHS Inform and to summarise, they are:
Treating the underlying health condition:
For example, when it’s a build-up of earwax. However, in many cases, the cause is not detectable
Correcting even minor hearing loss:
To avoid straining to listen and worsening the tinnitus – in some cases, this could mean having a hearing aid fitted
Self-help:
Hobbies, relaxing with deep breathing or yoga, listening to music, avoiding caffeine or alcohol and attending support groups can all help manage the condition
Sound therapy:
Also known as sound enrichment, this is the act of filling silence with background noise – that could mean leaving the window open or TV on, or alternatively using a specially-designed noise generator
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT):
This treatment aims to retrain your way of thinking, with the goal of reducing any anxiety and depression associated with this condition
Counselling:
A healthcare professional, such as a hearing therapist or audiologist, can work with the patient to help understand and find ways of coping
Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT):
A more specific version of CBT, featuring more intensive sound therapy and counselling
The BTA also has several helpful resources, including its online Take on Tinnitus initiative.
Conclusion: what is tinnitus?
Common symptoms include hearing ringing, humming or buzzing noises. What is tinnitus exactly? Technically it’s the brain attempting to receive more information from the ear, producing sounds in the process.
However, for those who have to live with it persistently, it can be more than the noise; it can be an anxious and depressing experience – unfortunately there is no proven cure, but there are several ways of treating or managing the effects.
One of the most common causes is noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), which has been linked to a decline in brain function and dementia.
Protect yourself from hearing loss with EAVE
Here at EAVE, our CEO David Greenberg has experience in tinnitus research and we believe in fighting NIHL via preventative measures.
Our research is based on information from the British Tinnitus Association and World Health Organization. If you are experiencing any symptoms, we recommend that you seek medical attention.
For more information about how to prevent tinnitus using EAVE’s workplace noise management solution, please get in touch with us.
NHS TO ENTREPRENEUR
The journey from tolerating hearing loss to preventing it
The journey from tolerating hearing loss to preventing it
Dr David Greenberg, CEO and founder of Eave, an Internet of Things startup which has designed the world’s first smart ear defenders with integrated noise monitoring, tells the story of leaving the NHS to set up his own company as an entrepreneur.
When I left my career as an audiologist to be an entrepreneur and start Eave, people would often look askance at me, as if it was somehow unworthy moving from healthcare to business. And I can understand that. But to survive in a highly stressful environment you have to feel like you’re achieving something, and what they hadn’t realised at the time was that I would be able to help more people outside of the NHS than in.
For me, as an audiologist, clinical work became frustrating. Not through any political, financial or hierarchical concerns. But because the work was so limiting. The truth was that there was little I could do to help my patients within the field. The research simply wasn’t – isn’t – there. So, I left the NHS to start Eave in an attempt to counter that. Being an entrepreneur is not how I saw my career panning out. But it’s been a fascinating and rewarding learning curve so far.
The trouble with clinical audiology
Imagine you have a patient who is beginning to lose their hearing. They’re in denial because, well – who wants to face up to that? It’s isolating, frustrating, frightening, life-limiting. And for a huge number of people, it’s also sadly embarrassing. Eventually, they give in and admit they need help. As a clinician, the main solution you can offer is a hearing aid. And it takes some persuasion. In the quiet environment of the consultation room your patient feels restored. But when they step out into the real world, their ability to listen and communicate drops away because the tech can only do so much. Thus, your patient is disappointed and feels let down. You are frustrated because you’ve spent time, effort and money to produce a result that is little more than a half measure.
This is the trouble with clinical audiology. And that is why, after practising clinical audiology I embarked on a PhD in auditory neuroscience – this was the first step towards Eave.
The path to entrepreneurialism
Studying auditory neuroscience showed me why the existing tech simply can’t cut it in the real world. But university life opened other, unexpected avenues. I was encouraged to engage with business development and entrepreneurship programmes. As my academic and scientific understanding increased, so too did my commercial knowledge, and I began to think that what patients needed didn’t exist, so maybe I could create other solutions.
The progression from the NHS to Eave
While, on paper, clinical audiologist and CEO seem like disparate roles, my progression from the NHS to Eave felt very natural to me. The NHS provided me with a strong foundation of skills, knowledge, methodology and ethics upon which to build my business. Eave will return that investment with equipment that will help the NHS, reducing the drain on resources by reducing the occurrence of unnecessary hearing loss.
The NHS taught me many things, but there are two that have really been pivotal. Firstly, the importance of evidence-based best practice. All of Eave’s work is built around evidence. It doesn’t matter what people think or what people’s opinions are. It’s the hard facts that really matter. And it’s the ethos of the NHS that has instilled that in me.
Secondly, the importance of communication and teamwork. In the megastructure that is the NHS these things aren’t always possible. And that’s where frustration begins. When you’re working in a far smaller team, as with Eave, communication is critical. You have to build cohesion, motivate and instil best-practice. Open communication and teamwork are necessary to success.
The development and future of Eave
Since 2015, Eave has been in a constant cycle of development and production. We’ve moved from our minimum viable product, an IoT hearing conservation system using ear defenders and noise monitoring software that prevents Noise Induced Hearing Loss, to a revised and upgraded product enhanced through end-user testing and feedback.
This year we’ve focused on the Construction Industry, where the need to protect workers from noise is paramount. Our second generation product, the Eave FocusLite has proved successful on construction sites, and is now being rolled out across the industry. In fact in the last month two major Construction firms, Galliford Try Highways and CSjv, mandated our unique form of hearing protection with integrated noise monitoring across their supply chains. This is a game changer for Health & Safety in the industry and one I’m incredibly proud to be a part of.
In the future, we have new product ranges and new features planned for different demographics and industries. While our primary concern has been – and will remain – the prevention of hearing loss, we’ve discovered other things that our tech could assist with: augmented hearing; pre-existing hearing loss; and a full range of products that we can take to the industrial, medical and consumer sectors.
The years since I made the decision to leave the NHS have been a period of intense learning for me. Both about what it takes to be an entrepreneur and about the rich value of the NHS as an institution. I could not have founded Eave without the foundation of knowledge and evidence-based approach that I accrued in clinical practise. But equally, it’s my belief that the NHS cannot be sustainable without the work of organisations like Eave. It’s totally symbiotic and positive because of that, and an example of how business and government can work together.
CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES TO MANDATE ACTIVE HEARING PROTECTION WITH NOISE MONITORING
By Dr David Greenberg, Eave Founder and CEO
Noise induced hearing loss is the number one occupational disease in Europe because traditional solutions are failing. So why are we still largely silent on the issue?
Over 46 million people in Europe work in harmful levels of noise. Occupations most at risk of harmful levels of noise exposure include construction, metal, electrical and textile processing. The higher the level of noise, and the longer individuals are exposed to it, the greater the risk they have of suffering harm from it. According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is the most common occupational disease in Europe and the Health and Safety Executive estimates that over 2 million people in the UK are exposed to harmful noise levels at work.
The number of people in the UK suffering from hearing damage as a result of exposure to noise at work was estimated at 509,000 in a Medical Research Council survey. NIHL is permanent and incurable and has been recognised as an occupational disease since the 18th century, among copper workers hammering metal, blacksmiths, and shipbuilders. We can’t stay silent about noise induced hearing loss and the failure of traditional solutions any longer.
Why is the adoption of Active hearing protection with noise exposure monitoring so critical?
We already know what harmful levels of noise exposure can mean for an individual. The dangers of conventional solutions are perhaps less well understood as the alternatives have until now been limited. The 2018/19 RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) statistics show that of the 147 reported fatal injuries to workers in Great Britain, the largest percentage came from the construction industry (30 people) and 48.3% (71 people) of all fatal injuries are linked to a failure in situational awareness. It is not known how many of those killed were wearing conventional passive hearing protection at the time of the fatal accident.
Aside from the immediate, physical danger of working on a construction site with compromised auditory sensing and perceptual abilities, exposure to harmful levels of noise can have long-term, “silent” implications that include stress, fatigue, isolation, elevated blood pressure, dementia, hearing loss and tinnitus. Hearing damage gradually increases with exposure to noise and it can take a number of years of damage from noise for a person to realise they have become deaf. What is the current legal requirement? ‘Passive hearing protection’.
The protection and preservation of operatives hearing against noise exposure is already a legal requirement and therefore, the use of hearing protection is required whenever there is a risk of noise exposure. However, this mandate means there is widespread adoption of conventional passive hearing protection such as:
foam ear-plugs
custom moulded ear-plugs
passive ear-muffs
While well-meaning, these approaches to hearing protection actually degrade auditory aspects of task performance while not providing the necessary or expected levels of protection. Any impairment, impediment, or distortion of normal hearing raises the risk of the operative not detecting, identifying, recognising or localising a hazard. He or she might not hear a hazard warning signal or approaching vehicle, or not adequately understand communications from other personnel.
What is the solution? ‘Active hearing protection’.
Those required to operate in noisy environments should rely on Active hearing protection if the source of noise cannot be managed in another way.
Active hearing protection uses an electronic sound transmission circuit to provide a dynamic level-dependant degree of sound to the wearer, using a battery-powered series of integrated speakers and microphones. By controlling the level of noise exposure, it resolves the issues presented by conventional passive hearing protection.
The benefits of active hearing protection, compared to conventional passive hearing protection, include:
more natural hearing for the user
improved speech communications
improved signal detection
reduced noise-induced annoyance
protection from loud noise
Active hearing protection applies the correct level of protection automatically. Level-dependent, electronic hearing protection is specifically designed to maintain or even enhance one’s auditory capabilities as compared to conventional passive hearing protection. It is important to remember that noise exposure and the occupational diseases that can result are preventable if employers are able to apply effective noise control measures.
Can occupational deafness be prevented?
The harm caused by noise exposure at work is entirely preventable if:
employers take action to reduce exposure to noise and provide personal hearing protection
manufacturers design tools and machinery to operate more quietly
employees make use of the personal hearing protection and other control measures supplied
The UK Construction sector is already beginning to shift away from using passive hearing protection and towards active hearing protection with integrated noise monitoring as an effective tool to prevent occupational deafness. Galliford Try Highways for example has made the decision to no longer carry the risk of conventional passive hearing protection and has implemented a policy mandating the use of Active hearing protection with noise monitoring on its work sites. It is no longer a question of if the shift to Active hearing protection will take place, only how fast will it happen.
NOISE CONTROL FOR HIGHWAYS WORKERS – MEASURING AND REPORTING THE BENEFITS
By Dr David Greenberg, Eave Founder and CEO
In life and at work we use our eyes and ears to communicate and to stay safe. This is especially true for highway workers who are always operating with the risk posed by the unpredictability of civilian drivers. The standard approach to protecting our eyes when they are at risk at work is to wear see-through protective glasses. However, the modern approach to protecting our ears at work is to block them with pieces of plastic that we can’t hear-through – this is completely illogical.
When working on the highways, operatives are often forced into choosing to protect their hearing or protect their lives, removing their hearing protection in order to maintain awareness of their environment. This is untenable because, not only do employers have a legal duty to protect the hearing of operatives (under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005), noise exposure can be devastatingly harmful to both our hearing and overall health. It is the most common preventable cause of hearing loss deafness, which we now know is the number one preventable risk factor for dementia. £360 million was spent by insurance companies on occupational deafness claims in 2014 and it is still the most commonly reported occupational disease in the EU.
Despite advancements in our understanding of the life-long negative health consequences of noise exposure, there are cross-sector failings in our ability to manage noise at work effectively. A key reason for this is that measuring and reporting the benefit of noise control interventions has traditionally been the domain of experts in acoustics or simply deemed to be too difficult. My background as an NHS Audiologist left me appalled at the state of the UK’s hearing health and its impact on relationships and safety at work, suggesting that something more needed to be done to prevent noise exposure at source.
There is no single technique or solution that is appropriate for every noise control requirement on the highway, so a good understanding of operations and work processes is necessary in order to determine the most effective intervention.
The hierarchy of noise control
Occupational safety and health professionals should follow the hierarchy of noise control, a widely accepted model of hazard control promoted by the Health and Safety Executive, when deciding what risk management mechanisms they will use to tackle noise-related issues during highway works:
Elimination of the noise source is the most effective way to prevent risk to workers. Examples include avoiding the use of noisy processes or machinery, elimination of impacts between hard objects or surfaces, outsourcing the noisy work processes and moving the noisy operations away from other work activities.
Substitution by replacing noisy machinery or equipment with quieter alternatives, when elimination is not possible, is often the next-best alternative to protect workers from exposure to noise. Performing a task differently can also protect the workers from noise.
Engineering controls involve making changes to processes, machinery or equipment to reduce exposure to noise. Some engineering measures include separating noisy areas from other workspaces, avoiding metal-to-metal contact by using plastic bumpers, replacing loose parts, worn bearings and gears and undertaking regular maintenance of equipment.
Administrative controls can be applied to the way the work is organised to reduce either the number of workers who are exposed to noise or the length of time they are exposed to noise. Some administrative controls include identifying hearing protection zones and clearly sign-posting noisy areas, organising schedules so that noisy tasks are performed when as few people as possible are present, limiting the time workers must spend in noisy areas and providing sufficient information and training to workers for the proper use of equipment.
Hearing protection is then the final option in the hierarchy of noise controls and should be used as a last resort after all efforts to eliminate or reduce noise levels have been exhausted. While hearing protection is the least effective intervention in reducing the risk of noise exposure, it is the most critical because it is the last line of defence.
The most common reasons that hearing protection fails are cited as: the interference it causes to communication, to hearing speech and warning signals; its effect on job performance was; incorrect use with other safety equipment; deterioration of the protection; and discomfort when wearing.
Hearing protection must be capable of reducing the noise reaching the wearer’s cochlea to a sufficiently safe level. However, it is when workers are over-protected that communication becomes difficult and individuals can find themselves working in isolation. Active or level-dependant hearing protection is therefore required to ensure the right level of protection is provided at all times.
From this point, how do you measure if your interventions have been effective?
Measuring and reporting the benefits of your noise control
To report the effectiveness of your noise control initiatives, you should gather data to answer the questions:
How has the control measure changed the level of noise present?
How has the control measure affected hearing protection wear-rates?
How has the control measure affected an individual’s noise exposure dose? (100% dose is equivalent to 85dBA for 8 hours)?
Historically it would be near impossible to answer these questions with any level of accuracy, which means that managing noise has typically been seen as too difficult to do well. Today however, there are digital technologies that can be used to quickly and simply provide accurate answers, enabling industry wide reduction in exposure to noise. Ear defenders within-built noise monitoring capabilities, such as the FocusLite from Eave, can measure each individual’s dose of noise, taking employers from guessing exposure levels to accurate knowledge of risks.
Being able to pinpoint who is being exposed above a specific dose allows occupational health professionals to focus on those people most at risk, rather than a blanket approach of screening the entire workforce. Combining the personal noise exposure data with noise mapping software, such as Peak from Eave, which visualises and analyses the data based on geographical location, provides the fastest, most accurate and cost effective way to evaluate noise exposure levels. This process makes reporting the benefits of the noise controls you have put in place simple and accurate.
The key here is that accurate knowledge of noise exposure is vital in order to address it and data from the source is critical to measure and report the benefits. Once understood, the necessary controls can be implemented without difficulty and continually improved.
More articles can be found on the Safer Highways Blogs here.