142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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303785
Solvent Exposure Associated with Hearing Loss in Department of Energy Workers

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Jonathan Corbin, MPH , Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Ali Akhund, MPH , Barry Commoner Center for Health and the Environemeny, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Jessica Krieger, B.A. , Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Daniel Schooler, M.A. , Center for Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Jennifer Imasuen, BA , Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Lewis Pepper, MD, MPH , Environmental Health, Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, Flushing, NY
Background: Noise and solvents are common hazards among Department of Energy (DOE) workers. While noise is recognized as the leading cause of sensorineural hearing loss (HL) in an occupational setting, organic solvents have also been shown to contribute to HL. DOE workers with solvent exposures who are diagnosed with HL may qualify for federal Workers’ Compensation, while those with strictly noise exposures do not. In the general workforce, OSHA estimates two million workers face hazardous noise exposures and that millions more are exposed to solvents.   

Objective: Analyze the effect of solvent exposures on HL in former DOE workers.  

Methods: Participant audiometry and work-history were reviewed for three DOE facilities.  Workers were employed for at least ten years and reported exposures to noise, chlorinated or aromatic solvents.    

Results: 580 audiometry exams were performed during initial exams for former workers at the Lawrence Livermore, Lawrence Berkeley and Sandia-California National Laboratories. Overall, 49% (287) met OSHA criteria for material HL.  Of the 369 people who reported exposure to both noise and solvents, 54% (200) had HL. In the 163 workers reporting noise exposure only, 37% (60) had HL, while of the 48 reporting solvent exposure only, 56% (27) had HL.  We will present additional data regarding types of solvents used, age, other exposures and job titles affected.

Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that the risk of HL in DOE workers appears increased for those who worked with solvents, both in noise exposed work environments and for those with no reported work-related noise exposures.

Learning Areas:

Occupational health and safety

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the role solvent exposure has on occupationally induced hearing loss in DOE workers.

Keyword(s): Occupational Health and Safety

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I work as an Outreach and Clinical coordinator for the Worker Health Protection Program, a medical screening program for former Department of Energy workers. The audiometry and work-history analyzed for this presentation was collected from participants of the medical screening program.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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