Hearing loss is the third-most common chronic physical condition among adults after hypertension and arthritis.
Unfortunately, 24 percent of hearing difficulty among U.S. workers is caused by occupational exposures. Each year, about 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the recommended limit for occupational noise exposure is 85 decibels, A-weighted, as an 8-hour time-weighted average. Exposures at or above this level are considered hazardous.