Article Title: Decibel Dilemma
Author: Ron Chepesiuk
Noise is a problem because 120 million people worldwide have hearing difficulties. Population growth and urban sprawl contribute to the growing noise pollution problem. Other problems include lack of anti-noise regulations, noisy electronic gadgets, rising number of vehicles on the road, and busier airports. Sound intensity is measured in decibels (dB) and A-weighted dB (dBA) is used to indicate how humans hear a given sound. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) defines hazardous noise as sound that exceeds 85 dBA, which is the average noise exposure measured over a typical eight-hour work day. About 30 million people in the U.S. are exposed to hazardous sound levels on the job. Especially people working in construction, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, transportation, and military industries are exposed to loud sounds. The countryside is also exposed to noise pollution; 75% of farmers have hearing problems. Too much noise can result in hearing loss and can lead to increased blood pressure and heart rate, and labored breathing. Noise exposure has been linked to learning problems and excessive noise exposure in the uterus may cause high-frequency hearing loss in newborns. If noise exposure continues, hearing loss will continue to grow. But as soon as the exposure stops, the hearing loss stops. "A change in the environment can improve a person's hearing health", says William Luxford, medical director of the House Ear Clinic of St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles.
I've always known that loud noise causes hearing problems but I didn't know that excessive exposure can lead to increased blood pressure and heart rate. But of course, there will be noise pollution because of the number of vehicles on the road and all the electronics and boomboxes. But we can do something to reduce it. Houses and schools near airports and freeways could have soundproof walls and windows installed. Better education of workers, consumers, businesses, and citizens is critical because in some factories, workers don't wear hearing protectors. People who work in manufacturing companies or are miners and construction workers need to wear hearing protectors. Pregnant women need to know not to expose their fetus to high levels of noise to prevent hearing loss in their babies. If everyone followed these steps, we can reduce or even eliminate our noise pollution problem.
Author: Ron Chepesiuk
- Estimated that 120 million worldwide people have hearing difficulties.
- Evidence points to health effects from too much noise.
- Population growth and urban sprawl contribute to growing noise pollution problem. Other problems include lack of anti-noise regulations, noisy electronic gadgets, rising number of vehicles on the road, and busier airports.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified transportation - cars, trains, buses, motorcycles, trucks, and aircraft - as one of the most pervasive outdoor noise sources.
- More than 100 million people in the United States are exposed to noise sources from traffic near their homes.
- Noise can be defined as "unwanted sound" and called annoying but also pleasant or essential (boom boxes, car stereos, drag racing, lawnmowers).
- Sound intensity is measured in decibels (dB); A-weighted dB (dBA) is used to indicate how humans hear a given sound.
- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) level for hazardous noise is sound that
- exceeds 85 dBA, which is the average noise exposure measured over a typical eight-hour work day.
- About 30 million people in the U.S. are exposed to hazardous sound levels on the job.
- People working at construction, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, transportation, and the military industries are exposed to loud sounds.
- Secondhand noise is described as noise that is experienced by people who did not produce it. It is similar to second hand smoking because it's put into the environment without people's consent and has uncontrollable effects.
- The countryside has noise pollution too; 75% of farm workers have hearing problems.
- Certain levels of sound can damage hearing, prolonged exposure can change the structure of hair cells in the inner, resulting in hearing loss.
- 12 million Americans suffer from a ringing, roaring, buzzing or clicking in the ears.
- If noise exposure continues, hearing loss will continue to grow. But as soon as the exposure stops, the hearing loss stops.
- Effects of sound also include increased blood pressure, loss of sleep, increased heart rate, and labored breathing.
- Excessive noise exposure in the uterus may cause high-frequency hearing loss in newborns. Noise exposure has also been linked to chronic changes in blood pressure and heart rate and can cause learning problems.
- Noise can prevent people from getting a good night's sleep which causes health effects.
Noise is a problem because 120 million people worldwide have hearing difficulties. Population growth and urban sprawl contribute to the growing noise pollution problem. Other problems include lack of anti-noise regulations, noisy electronic gadgets, rising number of vehicles on the road, and busier airports. Sound intensity is measured in decibels (dB) and A-weighted dB (dBA) is used to indicate how humans hear a given sound. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) defines hazardous noise as sound that exceeds 85 dBA, which is the average noise exposure measured over a typical eight-hour work day. About 30 million people in the U.S. are exposed to hazardous sound levels on the job. Especially people working in construction, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, transportation, and military industries are exposed to loud sounds. The countryside is also exposed to noise pollution; 75% of farmers have hearing problems. Too much noise can result in hearing loss and can lead to increased blood pressure and heart rate, and labored breathing. Noise exposure has been linked to learning problems and excessive noise exposure in the uterus may cause high-frequency hearing loss in newborns. If noise exposure continues, hearing loss will continue to grow. But as soon as the exposure stops, the hearing loss stops. "A change in the environment can improve a person's hearing health", says William Luxford, medical director of the House Ear Clinic of St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles.
I've always known that loud noise causes hearing problems but I didn't know that excessive exposure can lead to increased blood pressure and heart rate. But of course, there will be noise pollution because of the number of vehicles on the road and all the electronics and boomboxes. But we can do something to reduce it. Houses and schools near airports and freeways could have soundproof walls and windows installed. Better education of workers, consumers, businesses, and citizens is critical because in some factories, workers don't wear hearing protectors. People who work in manufacturing companies or are miners and construction workers need to wear hearing protectors. Pregnant women need to know not to expose their fetus to high levels of noise to prevent hearing loss in their babies. If everyone followed these steps, we can reduce or even eliminate our noise pollution problem.