Approximately 22 million workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise at work each year. Over the past 20 years, government agencies have consistently identified noise-induced hearing loss as one of the top concerns of workers.

After 17 years of living and feeding underground, billions of Brood II periodical cicadas have emerged and are filling the air with the strange sound of their mating calls. Male cicadas use drum-like structures on their abdomen called tymbals to create a loud, high-pitched buzz to attract female companions, who respond with a quick flick of their wings together.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA), has announced the winners of the 2013 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards™.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA), has announced this year’s winners of the Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards™.

Anyone who's had a hospital stay knows the beeping monitors, the pagers and phones, the hallway chatter, the roommate, even the squeaky laundry carts all make for a not-so-restful place to heal. Hospitals need a prescription for quiet, and new research suggests it may not be easy to tamp down all the noise for a good night's sleep.

Hearing protection programs are designed to reduce the risk of long-term damage from repeated or prolonged exposure to noises. OSHA standards require a hearing protection program when workers are exposed to noise levels above 85 decibels (dB) based on an eight hour time-weight average (TWA).

Occupational and recreational noise exposures were evaluated at two sporting arenas hosting collegiate hockey games (Venue 1) and semi-professional hockey (Venue 2), according to the article, “Occupational and Recreational Noise Exposure from Indoor Arena Hockey Games, published in Volume 10, Issue 1, 2013, in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.

OSHA has cited COL-Pump Co. Inc., with 10 health and safety violations, including two willful, for failing to monitor workers’ exposure to noise hazards above 85 decibels at the Columbiana foundry in Columbiana, Ohio, a city of about 6,300 residents. Proposed fines total $56,880, according to the Norwalk Reflector.

From noise hazards in foundries and sports venues to sweating manikins, here are the week’s top EHS-related news stories from ISHN.com: