3-6.
THE EFFECTS OF NOISE ON THE EAR
a. Exposure to excessive noise for extended periods of time over-activates the
hair and hair cells in the inner ear, causing injury or destruction. Such injury to the
organ of Corti usually leads to permanent loss of hearing. There is no known treatment
for such hearing loss. Depending upon the duration of the exposure to excessive noise,
hearing loss may be only temporary in nature. Table 3-2 shows some common noise
exposures that personnel encounter.
SOURCE: Sound Level Data of Military Noise Sources, US Army Environmental
Hygiene Agency, Edgewood Arsenal, MD.
Table 3-2. Some common military exposures to noise.
MD0165
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