SAN ANTONIO, TX, Jul 06 (MARKET WIRE) --
"We could very well see hearing loss problems continue to increase into
future generations," Louise Vallee told a room full of safety
professionals meeting here.
Vallee, vice president, Chubb & Son, and executive research and
development specialist for Chubb's loss control unit, led a seminar, "Can
You Hear Me Now? Articulating Noise Assessments and Hearing Loss," at
Safety 2009, this year's American Society of Safety Engineers conference.
"Baby Boomers have attended rock concerts and engaged in noisy
recreational activities for nearly 50 years," she said. Recent studies
indicate that close to 40 million Baby Boomers are experiencing some
degree of hearing loss -- twice as many as expected. "Gen Xers and
Millennials who are constantly connected to their iPods and cell phones
may also be at risk," Vallee added. "Safety engineers need to educate
corporate executives on recreational hearing loss issues, which further
support the need for hearing conservation programs for the workplace."
Approximately 30 million American employees are exposed to excessive
workplace noise, according to the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration. In addition to causing communication difficulties between
coworkers, hearing loss affects personal relationships and creates
feelings of isolation. Particularly in industrial settings like
manufacturing and construction, employers need to be aware of regulations
concerning noise hazards and monitor workplace conditions accordingly.
"The rule of thumb is that if the environment requires somebody to 'speak
up' in order to be heard, there is probably a need to conduct noise
monitoring to ensure compliance with OSHA standards," said Vallee.
Vallee offered the following tips to employers to help reduce occupational
hearing loss and related workers compensation claims:
-- Conduct baseline audiogram hearing tests for new employees to detect
pre-existing hearing loss;
-- Implement annual hearing tests for employees exposed to noise
exceeding the OSHA action levels;
-- Use annual employee hearing conservation training as an opportunity to
educate employees about the potential risks associated with recreational
noise;
-- When purchasing new equipment, carefully evaluate noise control
features; and
-- Provide a variety of hearing protection devices and train employees on
proper fit.
"Chronic overexposure to noise can result in irreversible hearing loss
known as a Permanent Threshold Shift," said Vallee. "Workers compensation
benefits for hearing loss are determined by state, and could cost
employers from a few thousand to a few hundred thousand dollars. It is
imperative that employers recognize the hazards of noise exposure and
inform and protect their employees."
Chubb's Loss Control Services unit provides loss prevention and premium
audit services to more than 100,000 customers annually. With more than 400
risk engineers around the world, the unit offers Chubb customers
specialized assistance in disaster planning; fire prevention, detection
and suppression; employee health and safety; cargo security;
preventive-maintenance planning; and asset protection.
The member insurers of the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies form a
multi-billion dollar organization providing property and casualty
insurance for personal and commercial customers worldwide through 8,500
independent agents and brokers. Chubb's global network includes branches
and affiliates in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and
Australia.
Contact:
Jodi Dorman
(908) 903-2608
Email: jdorman@chubb.com
Chubb Group of Insurance Companies
15 Mountain View Road
P.O. Box 1615
Warren, New Jersey 07059
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