The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that occupational hearing loss is the most common work-related injury in the United States. Approximately 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work, and an additional nine million exposed to ototoxic chemicals. An estimated $242 million is spent annually on worker’s compensation for hearing loss disability.

Additional facts on worksite hearing loss from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) website include:

• Four million workers go to work each day in damaging noise. Ten million people in the U.S. have a noise-related hearing loss.

• In 2007, approximately 23,000 cases of occupational impairment-causing hearing loss were reported.

• Cases of hearing loss accounted for 14% of occupational illness in 2007.

• Approximately 82% of the cases involving occupational hearing loss in 2007 were reported among workers in the manufacturing sector.

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