Noise Exposure and Hearing Loss Among Landscape and Groundskeepers

Excessive noise exposure within the working population is a health concern that has received increased attention in recent years. Levels have been established by national organizations that reflect safe exposure, but many kinds of equipment used in the landscaping and groundskeeper industries still exceed them. While noise risks are often long-term in nature and occur with cumulative exposure, prevention and exposure methods can still be used by employers to protect their workers’ long-term health. Recalling the hierarchy of controls established by the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH), various strategies can be implemented without creating excessive supervisory burden and with minimal costs. Occupational health nurses can further help reduce excessive noise exposure by encouraging the use of an easy-to-use noise-level assessment app created by NIOSH.