PURPOSE: to investigate the occurrence of noise induced hearing loss in carpenters, characterizing the hearing loss for age group, time of total exposure to noise and regular use of hearing protectors during the total exposure time. METHOD: retrospective and descriptive study in a population of 80 construction carpenters, attended at a private clinic. 60 workers were analyzed, as data on medical history and record of audiometric testing. RESULTS: 49% of the workers shoed normal hearing, being 58% with normal bilaterally hearing thresholds and 35% with audiometric notch in 3 kHz, 4 kHz and/or 6 kHz. 44% showed suggestive audiometric profile of NIHL, of these 74% were classified as bilateral NIHL and 19% as unilateral NIHL. There were significant differences between the NIHL group and normal to the age variables (p=0.001), as well as the total time of exposure to occupational noise (p=0,002). CONCLUSION: the greater the age and length of employment as a carpenter were, the greater their hearing loss, mainly due to exposure to loud noise during the working day, and we also noted that measures taken in order to control the use of the auricular protector are insufficient to prevent hearing loss. Therefore, we suggest active preventive measures in hearing health in this studied population, in the field of civil construction.
Noise; Hearing Loss; Noise-Induced; Workers; Hearing
