Surveillance of Hearing Loss Among Older Construction and Trade Workers at Department of Energy Nuclear Sites

Background Medical screening programs at three Departments of Energy (DOE)
nuclear weapons facilities (Hanford Nuclear Reservation, Oak Ridge, and the Savannah
River Site) have included audiometric testing since approximately 1996. This report
summarizes hearing evaluations through March 31, 2003.
Methods Occupational examinations included a medical history, limited physical
examination, and tests for medical effects from specific hazards, including audiometric
testing. Hearing thresholds by frequency for DOE workers were compared to agestandardized
thresholds among an external comparison population of industrial workers
with noise exposures <80 dBA. Multivariate analyses were used to explore the risk of
hearing impairment by duration of construction trade work and self-reported noise
exposure, while controlling for potential confounders such as age, race, sex, smoking,
elevated serum cholesterol, hypertension, solvent exposures, and recreational noise
exposures.
Results Hearing thresholds among DOE workers were much higher than observed in a
comparison population of industrial workers with low noise exposures. Overall, 59.7% of
workers examined were found to have material hearing impairment by NIOSH criteria.
Age, duration of construction work, smoking, and self-reported noise exposure increased
the risk of hearing loss. The risk of material hearing impairment was significantly elevated
for construction trade workers compared to the external comparison population (oddsratio
¼1.6, 95% CI¼1.3–2.1) and increased with the duration of trade work.
Conclusions These medical screening programs confirm worker concerns about risks for
hearing loss and the need for hearing conservation programs for construction workers,
with emphasis on the prevention of noise exposures. Am. J. Ind. Med. 48:348–358, 2005.

2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.