Stopping smoking and regularly checking your hearing are some ways to protect your hearing and prevent hearing damage if you work in a loud environment.

Picking up from How to Prevent On-the-Job Hearing Damage (Part 1), the following provides some additional tips on how to protect yourself from hearing damage and hearing loss if you work in a particularly loud environment – such as on a construction site or in a manufacturing plant. In addition to wearing noise protection gear and possibly even noise-cancelling headphones, workers who want to protect their hearing can:

• Avoid being in loud environments when not working: While you may not be able to avoid being in a loud environment when working, when you are not at work, do your best to avoid especially boisterous environments when possible. Think of your off time from work as also being an “off” time for your hearing, and try not to expose your ears to loud noise when it’s avoidable.
• Regularly get their hearing tested: If you work in a loud environment, it’s a good idea to get your hearing tested once a quarter (i.e., once every three or so months). Regularly testing your hearing can help you identify the signs of hearing damage or hearing loss early on, which can, in turn, spur you to take extra care to protect your hearing while on the job.
• Stop smoking and monitor your blood sugar: While most people know that smoking can seriously damage their lungs and heart, they may not be aware of the fact that it can also constrict the blood vessels and cells within their ear canals. Similarly, imbalanced blood sugar levels can also cause significant damage to a person’s inner ears. By not smoking and keeping your blood sugar levels well balanced, you can do your best to protect the health of your inner ear and, therefore, your hearing.
• Do NOT stick foreign objects in your ears: If you have a buildup of wax in your ears, see a doctor who will flush out this excess wax safely. Do NOT try to get this wax out yourself by sticking foreign objects in your ears, as you may not only damage your ear drums, but you can also pack in the wax or even add more debris to your ear canal.

Colorado Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

If you have sustained a workplace injury and are considering (or in the process of) filing a workers’ compensation claim, you cannot rely upon your employer or insurance companies to look out for your best interests. In fact, both your employer and insurance companies will be more focused on their own bottom lines instead of your current and future wellbeing. This can make the system adversarial for injured workers and potentially even put them in situations in which their legitimate workers’ compensation claims are undercut or even flat-out denied.

In such cases, it’s essential that injured workers contact the Colorado workers’ compensation lawyers at the Law Office of Michael P. Dominick. Our legal professionals are experienced at going up against corporate lawyers and insurance companies, and we have a proven track record of success when it comes to securing our Clients the maximum possible compensation for their injuries and financial losses. For a thorough evaluation of your case, along with expert advice on the best manner in which to move forward, call us at (303) 447-2644.