Safe-In-Sound Award

The Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award is an occupational health and safety award that was established in 2007 through a partnership between the American National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the National Hearing Conservation Association. This award recognizes organizations that demonstrate measurable achievements towards noise control and hearing loss prevention in the workplace. Noise-induced hearing loss is a prevalent work related illness. A Cochrane Review on interventions to prevent hearing loss in the workplace reported that there is low quality evidence that implementation of stricter legislation can reduce noise levels in workplaces.[1] Even though case studies show that substantial reductions in noise levels in the workplace can be achieved, there are no controlled studies of the effectiveness of such measures. The effectiveness of hearing protection devices depends on training and their proper use. There is very low quality evidence that the better use of hearing protection devices reduces the risk of hearing loss, whereas for other initiatives did not have such an effect. Better implementation and reinforcement of is needed. Better evaluations of technical interventions and long-term effects are needed.

The award disseminates information of effective practices to a broader occupational safety and health community to encourage the adoption of evidence based hearing loss prevention.[2][3] The winner is chosen by an expert committee, and the winner must incorporate evidence of effectiveness and familiar benchmarks of hearing loss prevention.

There are two categories of Safe-in-Sound Awards. The Excellence Award is meant to recognize "exemplary hearing loss prevention programs", and the Innovation Award is meant to recognize individuals or organizations for their "dedication to fostering, creating and implementing new and unique advances in the prevention of hearing loss".

Specific practices and strategies common across award winners have been published in the peer reviewed literature. The Safe-in-Sound Award obtains field data; identifies practical solutions, disseminates successful strategies to minimize the risk of hearing loss, generates new partnerships, and shares practical solutions with others in the field.

See also

References

  1. ↑
    • Verbeek JH, Kateman E, Morata TC, Dreschler WA, Mischke C. Interventions to prevent occupational noise-induced hearing loss. INT J AUDIOL. 2014 MAR; 53 SUPPL 2:S84-96. DOI: 10.3109/14992027.2013.857436.
    http://ONLINELIBRARY.WILEY.COM/DOI/10.1002/14651858.CD006396.PUB3/ABSTRACT
  2. ↑
    • Meinke DK, Morata TC. "Awarding and promoting excellence in hearing loss prevention". International Journal of Audiology 2012; 51: S63–S70. doi: 10.3109/14992027.2011.633569
  3. ↑
    • Meinke D, Morata T, Hayden C. Noise Control Strategies: Lessons from Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards™ Proceedings of the NOISE-CON 2013, 2013 August 26–28 Denver, Colorado

External links

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