OSHA has developed this webpage to provide workers and employers useful, up-to-date information on occupational noise exposure.

Every year, approximately 30 million people in the United States are occupationally exposed to hazardous noise.  Noise-related hearing loss has been listed as one of the most prevalent occupational health concerns in the United States for more than 25 years.  Thousands of workers every year suffer from preventable hearing loss due to high workplace noise levels.  Since 2004, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that nearly 125,000 workers have suffered significant, permanent hearing loss.  In 2009 alone, BLS reported more than 21,000 hearing loss cases.  Read rest of article.