ABSTRACT
When I have given hearing protection training in most industries, the younger workers frequently have a dif‰cult time believing hearing loss is something to worry about (unless they are musicians), and older workers often either say that it is too late for them or relate a story about a relative who worked without hearing protection for 40 years in a foundry or a bottling plant and never experienced any hearing loss. Regardless of the absolute truth of the latter, there is no doubt some people are affected more profoundly than others when exposed to the same noise levels. However, since we have no method to identify who is most susceptible, hearing protection programs involve everyone exposed at or above a speci‰c noise level.
