Outdoor life too tough on ears

The Kiwi lifestyle can be hard on tender ears, occupational health experts warn.

Noise-induced hearing loss has surpassed occupational overuse syndrome (OOS) as the most common complaint investigated by Occupational Safety and Health (OSH).

New Zealand's outdoor lifestyle, a laid-back attitude to safety and outdated workplace machinery were all partly to blame, an Otago University senior lecturer on occupational health, David McBride, said yesterday.

"New Zealand machinery tends to be older - people can't afford to upgrade it as often as overseas - and the average New Zealander is fond of the outdoor lifestyle. They're into shooting and using chainsaws," Mr McBride said.

OSH investigated 326 hearing loss complaints in the year to June, down on the 353 complaints received in 1998-99. Occupational overuse complaints fell from 420 to 140.

OSH spokesman Justin Brownlie said the statistics showed that hearing loss was not taken as seriously as occupational overuse syndrome.

"Employers have identified that there is a problem with OOS but it is a good idea to fix it - not just because of the law but it is better for their business."

Noise dangers had less recognition, he said. And because hearing loss could be gradual, it could be hard to pinpoint the cause.

OSH had proven the link between keyboard use and muscle damage to successfully prosecute companies for occupational overuse, but there had been no prosecutions over hearing loss.

The complaints OSH received might represent only one in 10 cases of noise-related hearing loss because doctors often did not report hearing loss, Mr Brownlie said.

A 1996 survey of doctors showed that 27 per cent did not know of noise-related hearing loss.

As a result, OSH branches contacted doctors last year about the problem and were continuing to work on improving awareness.

OSH was also working with employers to try to improve noise levels at problem workplaces.

Noise can cause permanent hearing loss by destroying delicate nerve cells in the inner ear that transmit sound messages to the brain.

Of the 326 cases last year, 311 were men and 15 were women.

- NZPA