According to the CDC, occupational hearing loss remains one of the most common work-related illnesses in the United States. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that in 2019, approximately 22,000 occupational hearing loss cases were recorded among U.S. workers.  

 Audiologist Dr. Brian Taylor, AuD, talks about some of the health issues related to occupational hearing loss and offers his expert advice on how to prevent loss and reduce risk when working in industrial settings. Industries such as manufacturing, construction, mining, agriculture, and the military have higher rates of occupational noise exposure and subsequent hearing loss. Workers are in danger of damaging their hearing when exposed to more than 85 dBs of sound for eight hours on a time-weighted average.  

  The annual cost of occupational hearing loss in the United States is estimated to be around $242 million in workers' compensation payments, according to a study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine in 2019. 

 Dr. Taylor is Senior Director of Audiology for Signia. He is also the editor of Audiology Practices, a quarterly journal of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, editor-at-large for Hearing Health and Technology Matters and adjunct instructor at the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Taylor has authored several peer reviewed articles and textbooks and is a highly sought-out lecturer. Brian has nearly 30 years of experience as both a clinician, business manager and university instructor.