We know lots about noise, and we know plenty about how noise affects hearing. How can it be, then, that the World Health Organization calls work-related noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) "the #1 hidden disability in North America"?
Why, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), is NIHL the most common occupational illness in North America? And why does NIOSH say "we are seeing more hearing loss than we would expect if (hearing conservation) programs were effective"?