The Link Between Chemical Exposure and Hearing Loss
Date Posted: June 16, 2026
Posted In: News,
From EHS Today: Recently, NIOSH researchers studied how many workers are exposed to chemicals that damage hearing and identified the industries and occupations with the most risk.
Chemicals that can damage hearing are called ototoxic chemicals. Ototoxic chemicals can cause hearing loss and/or make the ear more vulnerable to loud noise.
Researchers found that about 22 million workers are exposed to ototoxic chemicals each year, which is about 13% of civilian workers.
Examples of these chemicals include:
- Engine exhaust and lead
- Industrial cleaners and glues
- Organic cyanides and tin compounds
- Paints, lacquers, and thinners
Occupations with the highest percentage of workers exposed to ototoxic chemicals are:
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair (43%)
- Farming, Fishing, and Forestry (39%)
- Construction and Extraction (35%)
- Production (30%)
- Protective Service (26%)
- Transportation and Material Moving (23%)