Understanding Hearing Loss Among Hairdressers: Causes, Prevention, and Solutions

Hearing loss is a significant yet often overlooked issue among hairdressers and barbers. While the beauty industry is synonymous with creativity, fashion, and style, it also exposes professionals to potential health risks, particularly concerning their hearing.

The Decibel of Loudness: What Level Is Too High?

Hair salons are lively places where people are always talking, cutting hair, and listening to music. Despite the environment’s seeming innocuousness, hearing damage may result from constant exposure to loud noises. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that noise levels higher than 85 decibels (dB) have the potential to harm hearing gradually.

This barrier is quickly reached in a regular salon, especially when many hair dryers and clippers are used simultaneously. For example, hairdryers may reach up to 90 dB, and clippers can go higher. This continuous noise exposure can cause noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) throughout a workday.

The Effects of Hearing Loss Over Time

There is more to hearing loss than merely difficulty following conversations. Both a hairdresser’s personal and professional lives may be significantly impacted. Repeated exposure to loud noise levels over time might cause:

• A continuous buzzing or ringing in the ears that can be upsetting and disturbing is known as tinnitus.
• Communication Problems: It might be difficult to hear clients and coworkers, which can cause misconceptions that affect the quality of services and client happiness.
• Social Isolation: Hearing loss may make social situations difficult, which might result in depressive or isolated sentiments.
• Cognitive Decline: Untreated hearing loss is associated with a higher risk of dementia and cognitive decline, according to a recent study.

What Level of Hearing Loss is Considered a Disability?

Prevention: How to Keep Your Hearing Safe Without Having to Give Up on Your Craft

Hearing loss is a serious concern for hairdressers due to the constant exposure to high noise levels in salons. However, with the right strategies, it is possible to protect your hearing without compromising your craft. Here’s a more in-depth look at how you can safeguard your hearing while continuing to excel in your profession:

1. Invest in High-Quality Equipment

The tools you use daily, such as hair dryers and clippers, are among the primary sources of noise in a salon. Investing in modern, high-quality equipment with built-in noise-canceling or noise-reducing features can significantly lower the overall sound level in your workspace.

• Quiet-Performance Tools: Look for hairdryers and clippers that are specifically designed to operate more quietly without sacrificing power or efficiency. Many brands now offer professional-grade tools that maintain performance while minimizing noise output.
• Routine Maintenance: Regularly servicing your equipment ensures it operates efficiently and quietly. Worn-out or poorly maintained tools can become louder over time, so keeping them in top condition is not only good for your work but also for your hearing health.
• Staff Training: Train your team on the proper use and maintenance of these tools to ensure they are getting the maximum benefit from noise-reducing features. This also helps to prolong the lifespan of the equipment.

2. Wear Ear Protection

Ear protection is a critical aspect of preventing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Many hairdressers hesitate to use ear protection out of concern that it might interfere with their ability to communicate with clients or perform their tasks effectively. However, with the right type of ear protection, you can protect your hearing without compromising on service quality.

• Custom-Fitted Earplugs: These earplugs are designed to reduce harmful noise levels while still allowing you to hear conversations and important ambient sounds. They are commonly used by musicians and can be a perfect solution for hairdressers.
• Daily Use: Make it a habit to wear ear protection during peak hours when noise levels are highest. This small change can make a significant difference in preserving your hearing over time.
• Encourage Use Among Staff: Salon owners should not only provide high-quality ear protection but also actively encourage its use. Staff should feel comfortable wearing earplugs without fear of looking unprofessional.

3. Schedule Frequent Hearing Exams

While the risks associated with prolonged exposure to loud noises are more well acknowledged, there are currently few specific studies conducted on hairdressers and other salon workers. Research on occupational hearing loss frequently concentrates on industries like manufacturing or construction where noise levels are more commonly recognized as hazardous. However, the beauty business, and hairdressing in particular, poses unique challenges since stylists are often subjected to long hours and constant noise.

• Annual Screenings: Make hearing tests a routine part of your annual health check-up. Early detection of hearing loss allows you to address the issue before it starts to impact your work and personal life.
• Onsite Testing: Salon owners can arrange for a hearing health professional to conduct screenings on-site. This not only makes it convenient for staff but also highlights the salon’s commitment to employee well-being.
• Monitor Over Time: Keep a record of your hearing tests to monitor any changes over time. This data can be invaluable in identifying trends and taking action as needed.

4. Establish a Quieter Environment

The physical layout and design of your salon can play a significant role in noise levels. By making strategic changes to your environment, you can create a more acoustically friendly space that reduces noise exposure for everyone in the salon.

• Sound-Absorbing Materials: Incorporate materials like acoustic panels, carpets, curtains, and upholstered furniture to absorb sound. These materials help to reduce the overall noise level by preventing sound waves from bouncing around the room.
• Smart Layout Design: Position noisier activities, such as blow-drying, away from quieter zones where consultations and conversations take place. This spatial separation helps to create pockets of quiet within the salon.
• Background Music: If you play music in your salon, keep the volume at a moderate level. While music can create a pleasant atmosphere, it should not contribute significantly to the overall noise level. Choose soothing, lower-decibel tracks to maintain a calm environment.

5. Education and Awareness

One of the most effective ways to prevent hearing loss in the salon industry is through education and awareness. When salon owners and managers take the initiative to educate their staff, it fosters a culture of safety and health consciousness.

• Training Programs: Offer regular training sessions on the importance of hearing protection, proper equipment use, and strategies to reduce noise exposure. These sessions can include demonstrations on how to properly fit earplugs and use quieter tools.
• Ongoing Communication: Keep the conversation about hearing health ongoing. Regular reminders, posters in staff areas, and updates on the latest best practices can help keep hearing protection top of mind for your team.
• Lead by Example: Salon owners and senior staff should lead by example by consistently using ear protection and following noise-reducing practices. When leadership demonstrates a commitment to hearing health, it encourages others to do the same.

Types of Hearing Protection

Hearing Damage: Compensation Benefits for Hairdressers

Hairdressers who have suffered hearing loss due to their working conditions may be entitled to compensation benefits.

Long-term exposure to loud noises in salons, such as the constant hum of hairdryers, clippers, and other salon equipment, can lead to permanent hearing impairment. This type of hearing damage can significantly impact both the physical and emotional well-being of hairdressers.

Compensation benefits related to hearing loss typically cover medical expenses associated with the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of the condition. These benefits ensure that affected hairdressers receive the necessary care, including hearing aids, ongoing audiological evaluations, and any other related medical services.

Additionally, hairdressers who experience a decrease in their earning potential due to hearing impairment may be eligible for financial assistance through workers’ compensation. This compensation acknowledges the impact that hearing loss has on their ability to perform job duties effectively. In some cases, it may also include provisions for vocational rehabilitation, which can help the individual transition into a role better suited to their condition.

If a hairdresser experiences hearing loss, they must report it to their employer as soon as possible and seek legal counsel to understand their rights to workers’ compensation benefits. Access to these benefits not only facilitates the recovery process but also reflects the industry’s commitment to the well-being of those who contribute to creating a vibrant and dynamic atmosphere in salons.

By ensuring that hairdressers are supported through compensation benefits, the industry can help mitigate the long-term effects of hearing loss and promote a healthier work environment for all professionals.

All About Workers’ Compensation

Suffered Hearing Loss While Working? Contact Us!

The Workers Compensation Program was established in 1911 to encourage employers to make the workplace safer by requiring safety programs and the use of safety devices.

Since 1911, there have been over 2.5 million workers’ compensation claims filed. Hearing loss workers’ compensation claims now rank #3 in the number of occupational disease claims filed.

Hearing loss workers’ compensation benefits are largely undiscovered benefits covering hearing health care, which is often uninsured. Many health insurance policies and programs like Medicare do not cover hearing aid purchases but workers’ compensation can.

It also pays for the disability of hearing loss just as it does for the loss of eyesight or other injuries.

Aging populations, advances in technology, and greater sensitivity to hearing loss are bringing more attention to financing hearing health care. For the most part, those who qualify for hearing loss workers’ compensation benefits are retired hearing-impaired workers who live on fixed incomes.

Always feel free to ask Johnson Law Offices about the process, the law, or an individual case. The legal, medical, and audio-metric questions that come into play in a hearing loss workers’ compensation claim can be complicated.

Sources

1. https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/31611658/Salim-libre.pdf?1392425214=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DAWARENESS_AMONG_BARBERS_ABOUT_HEALTH_HAZ.pdf
2. http://dspace.muhas.ac.tz:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/640/DISERTATION%20REPORT%20RAPHAEL%20K%20NSHUNJU%20MA-HPM%202010%202012.pdf?sequence=1