Hearing loss workers testing gun shots

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out in a military factory on workers testing gun shots, to determine the hearting acuity of 92 workers exposed to that type of impact noise. A control groups of 50 subjects not occupationally exposed to noise were examined. The exposed and control groups were interviewed according to a previously prepared questionnaire and were subjected to otological examination. Pure tone audiometry was done to both groups. The resulting hearing loss of the exposed subjects was asymmetrical, with the great amount of hearing loss in the Lt ear [the ear opposite to the side of shooting]. Asymmetry or hearing loss was found to start at 2KHZ frequencies and increased with increasing duration of exposure