Petroleum workers exposed to hearing damage

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Published on 09 January 2013

The Norwegian hospital in the south of Norway, Sørlandet sykehus, has long waiting lists of hearing impaired people, and more and more experience tinnitus and hyperacusis, says Georg Træland from the hospital to NRK . no. The audiology department at the hospital experiences a great demand from patients, and many come from the offshore petroleum industry. There were actually more cases in 2011 than in 2009, with 200 more than the year before, 836 in total. Both the workplace at the platform and the transport to the platform in helicopters are noisy. The petroleum inspection’s investigation from 2009 to 2011 showed that 37% are often or very often bothered with noise in the workplace. Unfortunately, the ear protectors are not sufficient to protect the hearing, according to Knut Grove at Kokstand corporate health service. He says that the level of noise itself must be lowered. The Norwegian organization Norsk olje og gass is working to find solutions, they started off a noise project in cooperation with Ptil and Norwegian industry, to look at new design solutions, new technology and hand held tools, as possible alternatives to lower the level of noise.

Source: NRK.no