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Farms: one of the most common workplaces to cause hearing loss

A hearing specialist says hearing loss affects more than 70 percent of farmers.

“People don’t even realize they have hearing loss until it’s fairly well advanced.”

Marjorie McCullagh with the University of Michigan tells Brownfield hearing loss is permanent but steps can be taken to reduce exposure including reducing the generation of noise, distancing yourself from noise and wearing hearing protection.  “Noise exposure is also associated with high blood presser, heart attack, stroke, learning difficulties, behavior problems, headache, fatigue and much more.”

She says children who live on or near farms are exposed to noise from birth and are losing hearing at a young age.  “We know when we test high schoolers in agricultural communities, they show signs of hearing loss even before they’re out of high school.”

McCullagh’s work is now part of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation Safety Days which helps youth learn how to protect their hearing.

She says farming is second only to construction in noise-related hearing loss and farmers can still protect what hearing they have left.

 AUDIO: Interview with Marjorie McCullagh