Top 10 worst jobs for your hearing

Post on 26th October 2015

At Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care we see a number of people who come to us with noise-induced hearing loss caused by their profession.

Although never top of the check list when thinking about career choice, there are certain jobs that regularly expose you to high levels of noise, that over time have an impact on your hearing.

Anything above 85dB puts your hearing at risk. So here are the ten worst jobs for your hearing:

1. Hairdresser: Noise from hairdryers can collectively reach or even exceed 85dB, which over time can have an affect your hearing

2. Nursery school teacher: From singing to temper tantrums a class of toddlers can be a noisy environment. Teachers are recommended to break up their day with quiet time activities – this is probably good for their sanity too!

3. Motorcycle courier: If you regularly deliver pizzas or parcels via motorbike, your ears could be in trouble. Engine noise, coupled with wind noise can produce an ear-ringing 103 decibels of sound! If you ride a bike, be sure that you’re wearing a helmet that covers your entire head as these offer better protection than the skullcap type.

4. Gardener: This might come as a surprise but mowing lawns can generate up to 107dB of noise – so don’t forget to plug your ears!

5. Working in a bottle plant: The constant clinking of glass against glass and the whir of the machinery make working in a bottle plant one of the most dangerous factory jobs as far as your hearing goes. At 88db, it exceeds the safe levels the Government sets and requires employees to wear protection of some kind. Safe exposure without protection is 4 hours at a time – only half the working day!

6. Musician, DJ, nightclub staff: It is well reported that loud music is one of the most common causes of hearing loss, with famous sufferers including Phil Collins and Coldplay’s Chris Martin. To avoid the same outcome, wearing some form of ear protection is a must. For nightclub staff the noise level is usually above 115 dB and this prolonged exposure can cause serious damage to their hearing, yet it is uncommon for staff to protect their hearing.

7. Carpenter: For carpenters, whose work involves building things such as furniture out of wood, a level of noise from electric saws and other machinery is an unavoidable part of the job. Noise from a rotary hammer can measure up to 120dB.

8. Builder: Like carpentry, construction is another very noisy industry. Drills, jack hammers and compactors can be heard from quite a distance away so imagine how loud the noise can be when you’re actually operating the machinery! A jack hammer measures on the higher end of the decibel scale at a whopping 130dB.

9. Formula One driver: Watching Formula One races is a noisy affair, so actually sitting in the cockpit of the car can be, quite literally, deafening! Fortunately, Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel and other drivers are equipped with top of the range protective gear to protect them from sounds that can reach up to 135dB.

10. Airport ground control staff: Being an air traffic controller has the potential to be the absolute worst job for your ears. If you’re part of the team working on the ground at the airport, you’re definitely at a high risk of noise-induced hearing loss. The noises from planes landing and taking off can measure up to a whopping 140dB.

If you’re concerned about your hearing visit our home page to find your nearest Scrivens branch.