Employer Benefits
An effective hearing conservation program costs money to implement, but the investment will produce many benefits:
- It promotes good labor relations because employees know that management is concerned, and this type of concern may translate to improved productivity and product quality.
- An effective program results in lower workers' compensation rates, and related injury and illness costs.
- For complex jobs and those requiring concentration, studies show that greater accuracy of communications is linked to lower noise levels.
- Research on workplaces with high noise levels that have implemented hearing loss prevention programs indicates a decrease in accident rates, illnesses, and lost work time.
- Higher morale is an important employer benefit that leads to greater employee satisfaction and retention.
- Employers who take the appropriate preventive action now will greatly reduce the risk of future claims.
- Companies that encourage employees to take their hearing protection home to use reduces the possibility of illegitimate work-related claims.
- Companies that place a high value on safety and health maintenance will reward the performance of managers responsible for hearing conservation programs.
Employee Benefits
Employees enjoy many benefits from an effective hearing conservation program, including:
- The hearing conservation program's most obvious benefit to employees is that it saves their hearing and ability to communicate.
- A good hearing conservation program can identify minor changes in hearing, and prevent deterioration to the point where it is permanent.
- Preventing hearing loss benefits employees all through life, not just in retirement, since the ability to communicate is critical.
- in all of our interpersonal relationships. When good hearing is a prerequisite for a job, an effective hearing conservation program will enable employees to sustain their hearing ability and thus continue to qualify for jobs (perhaps higher level) that have such requirements.
- Employees in companies with effective hearing conservation programs report they generally feel better and less tired or irritable.
- Employees also report that they are no longer bothered by temporary reductions in hearing ability at the end of the day, or by the tinnitus (ringing in the ears) that often accompanies the development of noise-induced hearing loss.
- Noise reduction and maintenance of hearing sensitivity help employees hear alarms and malfunctioning machines.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
5-2. What is the most obvious benefit of a hearing conservation program?
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