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spectrum conference supplement National Hearing Conservation Association • www.hearingconservation.org
NHCA LEADERSHIP
2020-2021 Executive Council
President: Theresa Schulz Member Delegate: Elizabeth Masterson Copyright 2021 by the National Hearing Conservation Association. All rights
President Elect: Gayla Poling Member Delegate: Bankole Fasanya reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced or utilized in any
Immediate Past President: Amy Blank PSP Member Delegate: Teah Richey form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
Secretary/Treasurer: Theresa Small Commercial Member Delegate: Heather Malyuk
recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without
Director of Communication: Pegeen Smith Associate Member Delegate: David Stern
Director of Education: Vishakha Rawool Student Member Delegate: Christina Campbell permission in writing of the publisher. ISSN 1083-7388.
Director of Marketing & Public Relations: Kathy Gates Historian: Elliott Berger
Director of Membership: Don Finan Executive Director: Kim Gill Spectrum is a publication of the National Hearing Conservation Association
(NHCA), P.O. Box 3406, Englewood, Colorado 80155 which is published
3 times yearly around April, July and October. A Spectrum Supplement is
2021 Program Committee provided prior to each year’s Annual NHCA Conference. The information
Chair: Lynnette Bardolf Foundation President: James Jerome
Committee Members: John Allen, Director of Marketing: Kathy Gates contained herein is designed to promote action and discussion among
Heather Malyuk, Kichol Lee, Madi Monlezun President: Theresa Schulz members. The information has been obtained from sources believed
AV Coordinator: Caleb Kronen President Elect: Gayla Poling reliable, and the editors have exercised reasonable care to assure its
Director of Education: Vishakha Rawool Past President: Amy Blank accuracy. However, the NHCA does not guarantee that the contents of this
CEU Task Force Chair: Sridhar Krishnamurti CIVICA Staff – Exec Director: Kim Gill publication are correct and statements published do not necessarily reflect
Historian: Elliott Berger CIVICA Staff – Conf Coordinator: Dani Korth
the opinion or official position of the NHCA.
Leadership Advisory Team Spectrum is available without charge to NHCA members in all categories.
Amy Blank - Chair Vickie Tuten Anyone interested in publishing in Spectrum should contact Kim Gill at
Colleen LePrell Elliott Berger - Ex Officio the NHCA office.
James Jerome Kim Gill - Executive Director
Jennifer Tufts
Editorial Staff
NHCA Vision:
Nancy Wojcik - Chief Editor Laurie Wells - Reviewer To prevent hearing loss and other auditory
Elliott Berger - Technical Editor
Mary McDaniel - Reviewer
Deanene Hightower - Reviewer
Susan Cooper - Reviewer
disorders due to noise and secondary
environmental factors in all sectors
E-Newsletter Editorial Staff of society.
Susan Cooper - Editor Elliott Berger
Task Forces NHCA Mission:
Conference CEU: Sridhar Krishnamurti
IJA Supplement: Colleen Le Prell
Prevention of NIHL from Firearms: Michael Stewart
Program Chair: Lynnette Bardolf
NHCA provides leadership, expertise,
Marketing: Kathy Gates Program Chair-Elect: Madi (Saunders) Monzelun and education on hearing loss prevention
Material Content Review: Cory Portnuff
Music-Induced Hearing Disorders: Michael Santucci
Social Media: John Byram
Webinars: Vickie Tuten strategies and services to the broader
Nominations: Gayla Poling Website Content Management: Elliott Berger professional community and empowers
and supports members through
Liasons
American Academy of Audiology (AAA): Richard Danielson networking and advocacy.
American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN): Marjorie McCullagh
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM): Bruce Kirchner
American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA): Laurel Davis
Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO): Colleen Le Prell
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): Christa Themann
American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE): Robert Anderson
Audiology Quality Consortium (AQC): Sharon Beamer
Council for Accreditation in Occupation Hearing Conservation (CAOHC): Pamela DuPont
Dangerous Decibels: Deanna Meinke
Hearing Center of Excellence (HCE): Kathy Gates
Institute of Noise Control Engineering of the USA (INCE/USA): Jeffrey Komrower
International Ototoxicity Management Guideline Working Group (IOMG): Thais Morata
Military Audiology Association (MAA): Amy Blank
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH): Elizabeth Masterson
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): William Murphy
Public Inquiry Response: Laura Kauth
The National Hearing Conservation
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
Safe in Sound: Thais Morata
Association
Representatives to Standards Groups P.O. Box 3406
American National Standards Institute (ANSI S3): Eric Fallon, Richard Danielson (alternate)
American National Standards Institute (ANSI S12): Laurie Wells, Vishakha Rawool (alternate)
Englewood, CO 80155
(303) 224-9022 • (303) 200-7099 Fax
NHCA Scholarship Foundation Leadership
President: James Jerome Director: Tim Swisher nhcaoffice@hearingconservation.org
President Elect: Lynnette Bardolf Director: Jennifer Tufts
Secretary: Susan Cooper Student Delegate: Brandy Hollins www.hearingconservation.org
Treasurer: Robert Ghent
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
NHCA Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Student Award Winners . . . . . . . . 16
President's Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 NHCA Media Award . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Program Chair's Welcome . . . . . . . 5 Live Sessions Abstracts . . . . 19-20
2021 Schedule of Events . . . . . 6-7 On-Demand
Sessions Abstracts . . . . . . . . . 21-27
List of On-Demand
Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 On-Demand
ePoster Abstracts . . . . . . . . . . 28-29
List of On-Demand ePosters . . . . . 9
Presenter Biographies . . . . . . 30-37
How to Attend the NHCA
Virtual Conference . . . . . . . . . 10-11 Conflict of Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
2021 Annual Sponsors . . . . . . 12-13 CEU Information . . . . . . . . . . . . 39-40
Safe-in-Sound Award™ . . . . . . . . 14 2022 NHCA Conference . . . . . . . . 41
Benson Cloud
Services
Access hearing conservation
data anywhere there is an
internet connection.
www.bensonmedical.com
612-827-2222
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
3
PRESIDENT'S WELCOME
The Presidents Message in the NHCA Conference Supplement traditionally begins
with welcome to destination and facts about the locale. So here we go…
Welcome to Virtual NHCA Conference, airport code VNC. Actually, that code is
already taken by Venice, FL Municipal Airport so it’s okay to virtually transport your-
selves there. Or you could use the airport codes listed below or make up your own!
Virtual Airport Codes
LVG living room OFC office
DNR dining room WNC wine cellar
BKY back yard FRY front yard
PAT patio DRV driveway
MBR master bed room FRP front porch
I hope your virtual travel is pleasant!
I’d like to recognize and thank the Program Task Force (see page 2). And a special thank you to Lynnette Bardolf who
both stepped in early as Program Chair AND agreed to serve in the role for next year (until the 2022 conference).
Thanks also to Dee Hightower for getting us off to a running start with this year’s conference.
Thanks to our Annual Sponsors, TSI Inc., Starkey, ASHA, Benson Medical Devices, Moldex-Metric, Inc., NIDCD –
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, SHOEBOX Ltd., Tremetrics.
We have combined conference sponsorship with commercial membership to create more value and greater interac-
tion between our sponsor organizations and NHCA members.
As you can tell by the variety of airport codes that we can use, this year’s conference offers more flexibility than
ever! The virtual conference allows flexibility to attend by blocking off 2 ½ days (don’t forget our Thursday after-
noon roundtables and Thursday evening happy hour) OR to attend part of each day OR to consume all content on-
demand. Whatever works for you!
Please see pages 8-9 of this Supplement for more info on how to attend.
Whichever virtual airport you land at, you’ll find your fellow NHCAers and lots of first-time attendees there to
welcome you!
Theresa Schulz
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
NHCA President
4
PROGRAM CHAIR'S WELCOME
Hi Everyone!
I am Dr. Lynnette Bardolf, and I am this year’s Program Chair for the first (and hope-
fully only) 2021 NHCA Virtual Conference. The Conference is being held right in the
comfort of your own homes this year! We are very excited about this year’s Virtual
Conference, and what NHCA has to offer the Conference attendees. Even though
this year’s Conference will be quite unusual compared to what we have been used
to in the past, we are still coming together virtually, via Crowdcast and Zoom, and
doing our part to help everyone stay healthy this year. And with that, we plan to do
our best to make this Virtual Conference a rewarding experience for all.
To kick things off starting Thursday afternoon (since we aren’t having workshops
this year), we have several interactive “hot topic-Zoom rooms” planned, each last-
ing 20 mins each. These will give attendees the opportunity to engage with others
in relevant topics that are current in the world of Hearing Conservation. And the best part about the Zoom rooms is
that you will be able to attend any, or all, that you wish to attend on Thursday afternoon.
Following the interactive Zoom rooms will be a Thursday evening “Meet and Greet,” which is a “happy-hour” social
event (note: as you have probably suspected, you will need to provide your favorite beverage). The Thursday evening
meet and greet will allow Conference attendees to engage with others who will be attending the Conference, as well
as to meet the students who are attending the Conference this year. Other social events and happy hours will also be
made available during the conference.
Not only are we going to have some great live session lectures by several of our NHCA favorites, but we also have
great breakout session lectures planned, and a Gasaway lecture brought to us this year by the one and only Don
Finan. In addition, we will be wrapping up the conference on Saturday with the ability to earn additional CEUs by inter-
acting with the poster presenters as well, and with a Ted Talk. The Ted Talk is called “The Birth of a Word,” by Deb Roy
and will include a moderated discussion time for interaction after the talk.
During this Conference, we have planned for you a fun Vendor event on Saturday, which will feature some trivia! Who
doesn’t like a little trivia?
So, get comfy, put on your slippers and your patience, and enjoy the Conference this year. And even though we can’t
do the things we would normally do together at an NHCA Conference in person this year, we can still have some
Crowdcast and “Zoom-time” fun together, to make this the best virtual experience ever – and at a fraction of the cost!
Those of us on the NHCA Program Task Force Committee and on the Executive Council have all worked hard to make
this Conference engaging for all, despite the challenges of COVID-19, and it being virtual. With this in mind, we would
all like to thank you in advance for your support and we hope that everyone enjoys their Virtual Conference experi-
ence this year! And as you attend the Conference this year, please keep in mind that these are new waters we are all
traversing together for the first time! So, let’s all hop in the boat together, grab your paddles, and let’s navigate these
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
Virtual Conference rapids together for a successful 2021 NHCA Virtual Conference!
Lynnette Bardolf
Program Chair
5
2021 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday • February 25 • 2021
2:00pm – 5:20pm Hot Topic Roundtables
Licensing and Ethics Issues in Hearing Conservation
Moderated By: John Allen
2:00pm COVID has also highlighted the demand for telehealth, remote, and mobile health services, to include hearing conserva-
tion. Issues surrounding licensing, working across state lines, and ethical challenges now, and as we go forward, will be
the topics of this roundtable. Please come with your experiences, knowledge, and questions and let’s talk about this.
Military Issues in Hearing Conservation
Moderated By: Amy Blank
2:30pm Whether a member of the military, a DoD civilian working in hearing conservation, or just curious, in this session partic-
ipants will delve into what it means to be a hearing conservationist in the US military, Come discuss the complexities of
managing large DoD hearing conservation programs. Please come with your knowledge, your questions, your curiosity,
and your enthusiasm.
COVID-19 Issues in Hearing Conservation
Moderated By: Theresa Schulz and Andy Merkely
3:00pm The current pandemic has impacted our lives in many ways. That impact has been keenly felt in the way we administer
hearing conservation programs. Join us for this roundtable to learn from one another how we have adapted to this situa-
tion, from scheduling, to PPE, to sterilization of facilities and more.
PSP Hot Topics
3:30pm Moderated By: Teah Richey
This session is meant for sharing the hot topics in the area of Professional Service Providers. Come prepared to discuss
those issues you and others find are of most importance today and in the future.
Occupational and Industrial Hearing Conservation
Moderated By: Jim Jerome
4:00pm If you have extensive background or just want to learn about this challenging and rewarding field of hearing conservation,
come and share challenges, frustrations, solutions and successes! Come with questions and learn from each other. You
will be sure to leave with new tools to use and resources you can tap.
Careers in Hearing Conservation
Moderated By: Jim Jerome and Madi Monlezun
4:30pm This session will allow students and those early in their careers to learn about and discuss the variety of directions one can
go in hearing conservation, from audiology, to occupational medicine, acoustical engineering and more. Please come
with your knowledge, your questions, your curiosity, and your enthusiasm.
The Role of Hearing Conservation in the Music Industry
Moderated By: Heather Malyuk and Laura Sinnott
5:00pm This session is meant for sharing the issues that arise when “music” becomes “noise” and threatens the hearing of those
working in the music industry and the recipients of their work. Come discuss situations you encountered, solutions you
have found, and the joy of working in this field.
5:30pm – 6:30pm Meet and Greet Happy Hour with Trivia and Prizes
*All Times Central Time (CT)
Our mission: Advancing
best practice in occupational
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
hearing conservation
worldwide, through
credentialing, standards,
education, & advocacy.
Visit us at our NHCA booth
or on our website:
www.caohc.org.
6
2021 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday • February 26 • 2021
Session 1: Welcome Remarks - Speakers: Theresa Schulz and Lynnette Bardolf
9:30am – 10:30am
and Opening Keynote - Speaker: Elizabeth Masterson, PhD, CPH, COHC
Session 2: The Need for a Re-Examination of ISO 1999
10:30am – 11:00am
Speaker: Alice Suter, PhD
11:00am – 12:00pm Sponsor Ignite Session
Session 3: A New Noise Exposure Criteria is Needed for Complex Noise
12:00pm – 12:30pm
Speaker: William Murphy, BS, MS, PhD, MEng
12:30pm – 12:45pm Break
Session 4: The Association Between Hearing Loss and Hearing Protector
12:45pm – 1:15pm Attenuation Among Miners
Speaker: Richard Neitzel, PhD, MS, CIH, FAIHA
Safe in Sound Award and Closing Remarks
1:15pm – 1:45pm
Speaker: Dennis Driscoll and Jason DeStories
2:00pm – 3:00pm Network Opportunity with Sponsors
*All Times Central Time (CT)
Saturday • February 27 • 2021
9:30am – 10:30am Welcome Remarks and Awards Ceremony
Session 5: Hearing Conservation Strategies for a Mobile Workplace
10:30am – 11:00am
Speaker: Jeffrey Winget, CIH
11:00am – 11:15am Break
Session 6: Turning Angst into Action During COVID-19 Challenges!
11:15am – 11:45am
Speaker: Vivianne Wersel, AuD
11:45am – 12:05pm NHCA Business Meeting
12:05pm – 12:15pm Break
Gasaway Lecture: This Sound’s Important
12:15pm – 12:45pm
Speaker: Donald Finan, PhD
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
Session 7: TED Talk with Discussion Moderated by Elliott Berger,
12:45pm – 1:45pm
and Conference Closing Remarks
Live Poster Session
1:45pm – 2:45pm
See page 9 for the full list and more information
*All Times Central Time (CT)
7
ON-DEMAND SESSIONS
Audiovisual Training Rapidly Reduces Hazardous Perceptual Errors Caused by Earplugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Audet
Managing Auditory Sensitivities in Autism: The Potential of Smart Hearing Protection . . . . . . . . . . . Danielle Benesch, BSc
Virtual Health - Audiology & Hearing Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Georgina Blasco, AuD
Crossing Barriers to Reduce Occupational Hearing Loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ursula "Asha" Brogan
Please Don't Stop the Music – I Mean Outreach: Healthy Hearing Outreach in the COVID-19 Era . . . . . . Kellsie Busho, AuD
Hearing Protectors Fit-Testing: Preliminary Results of Earmuff Instrumentation on Manikin . . . . . . . . . . . Arthur Colombier
Evaluation of Hearing Protection Device Effectiveness for Musicians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathryn Crawford, PhD
Leadership Lessons for New and Seasoned Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Angela Day, AuD
Tablet-Based Alternatives to Field Attenuation Evaluation Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coral Dirks
An Update From the CDC NIHL Workgroup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Eichwald, MA
Working with Musicians: From Booth to Fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brendan Fitzgerald, AuD, MM
Between-Subject Differences in Middle-Ear Energy Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gregory Flamme
Certification in the Time of COVID-19:
DOD/VA Hearing Technician Distance Learning Course Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marjorie Grantham, PhD, CPS/A
Threshold Shift Susceptibility Correlated with Pre-Cochlear Amplification in Chinchilla . . . . . . . . . Sarah Grinn, PhD, AuD
Characterization of Noise Injury and Blast Exposure in Military Populations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Quintin Hecht, AuD
Hearing Protection Device Performance Requirements in Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Magnus Johansson, PhD
Safer Choir Rehearsals in the Period of COVID-19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mead Killion, PhD, ScD
Audiometric Outcomes,Machining Processes, and Noise Control Materials in Manufacturing . . . . Sridhar Krishnamurti, PhD
The New Age of Professional Supervision: Technology as an Asset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Renee Lefrancios, MSc
Consequences of COVID-19 on the Sound Exposure of Entertainment Industry Professionals . . . . . Heather Malyuk, AuD
Building Synergy Among CAOHC and NHCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Raul Mirza, DO, MPH, MS, CPS/A, FACOEM
Exposure to Ototoxicants in the Workplace:
Recent Developments Towards Prevention of Potential Hearing Disorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thais Morata, PhD
Acoustic Standards for High-Level Impulse Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William Murphy, BS, MS, PhD, MEng
Cpt. Schad Goes to Prison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maggie Schad, AuD
noisehelp.auburn.edu: A Resource for Noise Abatement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Richard Sesek, PhD, CPE
Injuries, Near Misses, and Noise Exposures Among Miners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lauren Smith, MPH
Hearing Conservation Program in the Agriculture Sector: An Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ravinder Thaper, MS, AEP
Progress in Preventing Hearing Loss: Healthy People 2020 and Beyond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christa Themann, MA, CCC-A
HOW TO ACCESS ON-DEMAND SESSIONS:
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
• Navigate to the Learning Center Dashboard - All On-Demand Sessions are 30 minutes
• Click on the Icon for “Virtual Conference – On-Demand Session Library”
• Choose the session you would like to view from the list
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and you will be able to “watch this session”
• Complete the whole video recording and it will unlock the evaluation for your CE credit
• You DO NOT need a code for the on-demand sessions as you will not be able to take the evaluation
without completely watching the video provided
8
ON-DEMAND ePOSTERS
Hearing Protection Device Evaluated Products List (HPD EPL):
Solving the Competing Issues of Hearing Protection and Situational Awareness .LIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kari Buchanan, MPH, MA
Measurement of Industrial Noise Using a Smartphone-Based Sound Level Measurement Application . .LIVE . . . . . . . . Wei Gong
Can You Tell Me How Loud This Is?:
Audiological Verification of Non-Hearing Aid Amplifying Technologies . .LIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth Grieggs
Review of Musician Hearing Health Care in the US . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathryn Ideker
The Influence of Tinnitus and Hearing Loss
on the Functional Status of Military Service Members and Veterans . .LIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . M. Samantha Lewis
Prevalence of Hearing Protection Device
Non-Use among U.S. Workers in 2007 and 2014 . .LIVE
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth Masterson, PhD, CPH, COHC
COVID-19 Focused Guidance for Audiometric Booths . .LIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kimberly Parks, PE
Influence of Earplugs on the Loudness
and Dynamic Range of Music Played by Caucasian and Filipino Musicians . .LIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vishakha Rawool
HOW TO ACCESS THE ePOSTER SESSIONS:
• For the poster session you will be able to find that at the end of the session list on Saturday once you click on the icon
• Each poster has an individual evaluation and you have to have the CODE from the live poster session to take the evaluation
• Once you complete 4 poster session evaluations you will have to complete the final attentions form to receive your certificate
• You have to attend the live poster session for ASHA credits but for AAA credits you may watch the Pre-Recorded versions
that are provided for some of the posters
• Interact with each poster presenter live for 15 minutes each through Q&A and discussion (you must do this with a minimum of 4
for CE and to receive the live code) or view 4, 15-minute pre-recorded posters to fulfill credits for AAA.
Wherever
sound is a
problem,
SoundGear
can help.
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
©2021 SoundGear. All Rights Reserved. 2/21 TJAD3147-00-EE-XX
Starkey and SoundGear logos are registered trademarks of Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
9
HOW TO ATTEND THE NHCA VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
#1 TIP TO SUCCESS: Make Sure You Are Using Google Chrome As Your Browser
STEP 1: Login to the Learning Center
• Find the big blue button in any of the below locations that links to the Learning Center
° Know Before You Go Email arriving February 22nd
° On the Conference Website
° The Association Website ACCESS
LEARNING CENTER
° https://nhc.mclms.net/en/
• Click LOGIN in the top Right Corner of the Learning Center
° Your login credentials are the
username and password you use
to login to the Association website
° Reference the know before you
go email for your username
STEP 2: Navigate to the Icon that says “Virtual
Conference – Day 1 – Friday” and click DETAILS
to join us for the welcome remarks and opening
keynote!
STEP 3: Click on the Welcome Remarks and Keynote session
• Scroll down the page to the live
streaming box and click the GREEN
BUTTON that says “Let me In” or
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
“Save My Spot”
• Enter Your email address and
Name and wait for the session
to begin!
Sometimes crowdcast needs you to validate your email so check your inbox if you aren't put right into the meeting!
Make sure to type your name as you’d like it to be visible to other attendees.
10HOW TO ATTEND THE NHCA VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
STEP 4: Sit back, relax, and enjoy the presentation! We are using a
one-way streaming platform which means you as an attendee will
not be able to unmute or come on camera without NHCA inviting
you, this is done in order to make sure there are no interferences
with the live presentations.
• Don’t forget to take advantage of the “ask a question” feature to ask session specific
questions to the live speakers and use the chat feature to interact and communicate
with other conference attendees.
TIPS AND TRICKS
FOR PREPARING TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY:
• When you receive the know before you go email on February 22nd, make sure to follow the
above steps early in the week so you may familiarize yourself with logging in and accessing
the sessions. It will make the day-of much smoother!
• Always make sure to use the GOOGLE CHROME internet browser for the best experience
° Make sure you have the Learning Center open in only ONE tab.
If you have multiple tabs open, you will hear a lot of echoing.
• Make sure you have a strong internet connection, if your wi-fi is unreliable we recommend that
you hard-line/direct ethernet into your computer for the best streaming experience
° To help increase your wi-fi bandwidth, disconnect other devices such as an Alexa,
Google Home, Smart TV, etc. and exit as many tabs and open applications (Teams, Slack, etc.)
• The TED Talk and its associated discussion, and the poster session are intended to be more
interactive. Therefore they will be will be hosted on Zoom and you will be provided with a link to join
these meetings within the learning center
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
• In the event that a broadcast ends entirely, please refresh your browser and attempt to rejoin via
the live stream. If you’re unable to rejoin, keep an eye on your inbox. If we experience any major
difficulties, we will contact all attendees with next steps via email.
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rations and governments. The company operates four business units, known as Stra- opportunity to hear their very best.
tegic Business Units™ Honeywell Aerospace, Home and Building Technologies, Safety
and Productivity Solutions, and Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies.
BRONZE SPONSOR | www.asha.org BRONZE SPONSOR | www.bensonmedical.com
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the national pro- Benson Medical designs and manufactures audiometers, earplug fit testers,
fessional, scientific, and credentialing association for 218,000 members and affil- spirometers, and software to manage hearing conservation and occupational
iates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and spirometry programs.
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology support personnel;
and students.
BRONZE SPONSOR | www.caohc.org
CAOHC's mission is: advancing best practices in occupational hearing conservation worldwide,
through credentialing, standards, education, and advocacy.CAOHC offers three different certifications
in occupational hearing conservation and is continuously developing additional courses, webinars and
materials to assist in teaching hearing conservation. CAOHC currently has a significant reach through-
out the US, South America, Europe and China with goals to expand to other regions.
122021 ANNUAL SPONSORS
BRONZE SPONSOR | www.emoyo.net BRONZE SPONSOR | www.moldex.com
We’re a team of passionate engineers, designers, clinicians and dreamers working to With over 70 patents, our innovative respiratory and hearing solutions are de-
make the world a better place by creating the technology that gives the world access signed to increase compliance by maximizing worker comfort and convenience,
to quality healthcare. This includes advocating for policy change, health implementa- while at the same time reducing overall costs through greater durability and ex-
tion science and the development of technology that empowers healthcare providers tended product life spans.
to reach further and do more. Founded by Dr Dirk Koekemoer, eMoyo is an ISO-13485
company renowned for producing high quality, innovative technology and services.
BRONZE SPONSOR | www.shoebox.md BRONZE SPONSOR | www.tremetrics.com
For nearly half a decade, SHOEBOX has been leading the evolution of hearing test- Tremetrics offers a complete line of hearing health conservation equipment. Our
ing solutions for Occupational Hearing Conservation. We were the first to put an RA660, a PC based audiometer is a fully integrated Bio-acoustic simulator. We
easy-to-use automated hearing test on an iPad, optimized for testing outside of a specialize in audiometers, software and sound rooms. Visit our virtual booth, www.
sound booth. We’ve helped 1000’s of customers from some of the most recogniz- tremetrics.com or call (800) 825-0121.
able brands globally. Employers and HCP’s rely on SHOEBOX to bring their Occupa-
tional Hearing testing programs in house.
WAYS TO INTERACT, SUPPORT AND VISIT
WITH NHCA SPONSORS:
VISIT THE VIRTUAL MARKETPLACE:
• Navigate to the Learning Center Dashboard
• Enter the Icon that is labeled “Virtual Marketplace”
• Click the sponsor name to enter the virtual booth
• Check out the Links and Videos that they have provided
• Reach out to the contact with questions and to request more information
• Visit 6 or more virtual booths and take their surveys at the bottom of the booth to receive an NHCA
Starbucks Reward!
ATTEND THE SPONSOR IGNITE SESSION:
• The Sponsor Ignite Session takes place Friday, February 26th from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm (CT)
• This is a fun session meant to give attendees a quick intro to all of our partners
• Come with questions ready to ask them and interact with them in the chat feature once they finish
their presentation
• Make sure to stay through this whole session for a chance to win a $50 Amazon Giftcard (must be present to win)
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
• These partners support NHCA in many ways, help us support them!
SPONSOR NETWORKING HOUR:
• The Sponsor Networking Hour is on Friday, February 26th from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (CT)
• Grab a cocktail or mocktail and join NHCA and all the sponsors for some fun trivia and a chance to win a prize!
• Come ready to compete and network with your fellow NHCA friends to show your support
to the sponsors that help us bring the conference to you!
13Safe-in-Sound Award for Innovation Winner TM
Jason DeStories
for the Vertical Lift Team, AH-64 Apache Helicopter,
the Boeing Company, Mesa, Arizona
Jason DeStories has been an engineer for Boeing Research and Technology (BR&T) in the Manufacturing Research and
Development (MR&D) group since 2011. He holds a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Arizona State University.
The group is charted to perform core research and development in the manufacturing realm as well as production sup-
port. They focus on the development of emerging technologies, beta testing, and implementing applicable technologies
in production. Jason’s focus is in manufacturing for process improvement related activities. This mostly includes: safety,
ergonomics, cost reduction, right sized equipment, productivity improvements with technology, and design for manufac-
turing. In his free time, he is a father, runner, carpenter, tinkerer, and builds smart electronic devices.
Left to Right: Dylan Bacon, Industrial Engineer; Chris Allen, Apache Delivery Center; Jason Destories, Manufacturing Research & Development
Engineer; Israel Limon, Manufacturing Research & Development Technician; Parvin Wallum, Industrial Hygienist, Hearing Conservation Program
Coordinator; Eric Knutesen, Experimental Flight Test; Stuart Lange, Production Manager Flight Test; Talmadge Ryan III, Repair/Mod Technician
(Safety Champion). Photo taken pre COVID-19 protocols.
Safe-in-Sound AwardTM Committee:
Thais C. Morata, PhD John Franks, PhD
Safe-in-Sound AwardTM Director Lytlesound
National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health
Stephanie Griffin, PhD
Scott Schneider, MS, CIH University of Arizona
Safe-in-Sound Award Committee Chair
Ted Madison, MA
Laurie Wells, AuD University of Minnesota
3M
Rick Neitzel, PhD, CIH
Dennis P. Driscoll, PE University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI
Associates in Acoustics, Inc.IN MEMORIAM BETTER INFORMED MEANS BETTER PROTECTED HAZARDOUS NOISE MONITORING SOLUTIONS FROM TSI TSI’s Quest™ noise dosimeters and sound level meters protect workers from hazardous noise in a variety of industrial environments, from oil and gas to food processing to distribution warehouses. A single software solution allows you to manage data across Quest instruments to analyze and report on workplace noise hazards. The new Edge dB app makes monitoring worker noise exposure easy and safe for safety professionals. Visit tsi.com/NHCA to learn more about solutions for monitoring hazardous noise.
STUDENT AWARD WINNERS
The National Hearing Conservation Association Scholarship Foundation (NHCASF) is an independent
extension of the National Hearing Conservation Association and encourages students in university
programs to participate in graduate studies and activities directly related to hearing loss prevention and
hearing conservation. NHCASF provides a means to recognize these endeavors through two awards:
the Student Conference Award (SCA) and the Student Research Award (SRA).
2021 STUDENT CONFERENCE AWARD WINNER
Danielle Benesch, BSc
Danielle is a first year research master’s student at the NSERC-EERS Industrial Research Chair in In-Ear Technol-
ogies (CRITIAS) in Quebec. She completed her bachelor's degree in cognitive science at Osnabrück University in
Germany. Her research is centered around the development and evaluation of a wearable technology that removes
distressing sounds in real-time. You can hear her presentation, Managing Auditory Sensitivities in Autism: Poten-
tial of Smart Hearing Protection, at the Saturday pre-recorded platform.
2021 STUDENT RESEARCH AWARD WINNER
David Audet, Jr., AuD
David is a recent AuD graduate form the University of Washington and is now a first year PhD student at the same
university. He is a recipient of the UW Auditory Neuro-science Training Grant funded through the NIH. You can hear
his presentation, Audiovisual Training Rapidly Reduces Hazardous Perceptual Errors Caused by Earplugs, at the
Saturday pre-recorded platform.
2020 STUDENT RESEARCH AWARD WINNER
Kathryn Crawford, PhD
Kathryn is the 2020 SRA recipient and could not attend the Destin, Florida conference to present her topic. Fortu-
nately, she is able to do so at this year’s conference. Since last year, Kathryn graduated with a PhD from the Depart-
ment of Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of Iowa. She is currently in a post doctoral position
as a research associate at the university, working with the Great Plains Center for Agriculture Health and Safety. You
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
can hear her presentation, Evaluation of Hearing Protection Device Effectiveness for Musicians, at the Saturday
pre-recorded platform.
The Foundation congratulates all three on being chosen and wishes them the best in their
respective careers. We hope that you make a concerted effort to hear their presentations.
16Communicate
from a distance.
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clear, hands-free conversations
in noisy environments.
Visit https://engage.3m.com/PELTORHeadsets
to connect with a 3M Hearing and Communication Specialist.
3M, PELTOR, and WS are trademarks of 3M.
Used under license in Canada. ©2020, 3M.
All rights reserved. The Bluetooth wordmark
and logos are registered trademarks owned
by Bluetooth SIG, Inc.
PSD products are occupational use only.MEDIA AWARD WINNER
2021 NHCA MEDIA AWARD
AWARDED TO THE CDC NIHL WORKGROUP
John Eichwald, MA
(Lead; accepting on behalf of the group)
CDC National Center for Environmental Health
Lauren Benet Patrick Breysse, PhD, CIH
Yulia Carroll, MD, PhD Robin Ikeda, MD, MPH
Other honorable mentions who significantly contributed to the CDC NIHL Workgroup communication efforts include:
Bryan Beamer • David Byrne • Eric Cahill • Chucri “Chuck” Kardous
Thais Morata • William Murphy • Christa Themann
The NHCA Media Award was established to recognize the efforts
of writers and/or producers of news features that serve to heighten
public awareness of the hazards of noise. The award is also available
to NHCA members who take the time and effort to bring hearing
conservation related issues into public light. The NHCA is pleased to
announce this year’s recipient the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) Workgroup
for their contributions to raising the public awareness for the risks of
hearing loss and how to prevent it.
The CDC National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) led a
collaborative effort across several centers within CDC (National Center
for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health; NIOSH) to communicate the risk
of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) to the greater public in the U.S.
NCEH has developed several unique communication products and
Photo Credit: John Eichwald have been able to reach diverse audiences with this information.
NHCA is conferring this award to the CDC NIHL Workgroup for their recent high-profile activities. They include: From 2018 to 2019 CDC’s NCEH group
worked to develop unique communication tools highlighted as part of the Superbowl and posted throughout the Atlanta Jackson-Hartsfield Airport
to raise the awareness of travelers regarding the hazards of high levels of noise. Similar advertisements were featured in the programs for NBA’s Allstar
game, NASCAR and Indy-car racing events, and the NHL games in Atlanta. In the fall of 2019, animated images to instruct people about how to properly
fit an earplug and a short video about NIHL were developed. These formed the basis of two communication products featured on the large displays in
Times-Square in New York City during the 2019 Thanksgiving Day festivities and the 2019 New Year’s Eve celebration. More than a million persons had
opportunity to learn about how to protect their hearing because of these efforts!
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
Previously, the CDC NIHL Workgroup has also been active. In 2017, they published the Vital Signs article NIHL Among Adults – United States 2011-
2012 in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Several infographics were created to accompany this article to communicate the magnitude of NIHL
in the U.S. Also in June 2017, they organized and hosted the Public Health Grand Rounds: It’s Loud Out There: Hearing Health Across the Lifespan.
NCEH, NIOSH, Dangerous Decibels and the World Health Organization each presented reaching more than 90,000 persons worldwide!
The CDC’s Noise Induced Hearing Loss Workgroup is an outstanding example for the 2021 NHCA Media Award.
18LIVE SESSIONS
Opening Keynote Session: A New Noise Exposure Criteria
Where We Have Been and Where We are is Needed for Complex Noise
Now: Occupational Hearing Loss in the Presenter: William Murphy, PhD
United States Co-Presenters: Wei Qiu, Meibian Zhang,
Alice Suter
Presenter: Elizabeth A. Masterson, PhD, CPH,
COHC From the earliest standards for occupational noise exposure, impulse
noise has been recognized as presenting an increased hazard for
It has been an incredibly challenging year. It has been challenging for
developing hearing loss. Animal research has focused primarily on
the field of hearing conservation and occupational hearing con-
the chinchilla as a surrogate for the human ear due to the similarity
servation. Audiometric testing for noise-exposed workers has been
of sensitivity and frequency range of hearing. Research from the
interrupted, research field studies and surveillance activities have
SUNY-Plattsburgh has demonstrated that hearing loss in chinchilla
been halted or postponed, time and resources have been diverted,
and the kurtosis of the noise exposure are monotonically related
and the priority of hearing loss prevention has been eclipsed by pre-
for a given equivalent noise exposure level, LAeq. The risk of hearing
venting disease transmission in the workplace. This is in addition to
loss increased with higher kurtosis to a point where the amount of
losses in business and personal losses among those who work in this
noise-induced hearing loss plateaued. SUNY-Plattsburgh, NIOSH,
field. Now is a good time to assess where we have been and where we
and the Chinese, Zhejiang Provincial Centers for Disease Control
are now - to take note of our successes and continuing challenges -
researchers have conducted a series of investigations with Chinese
as we move forward with our important work in a new and hopefully
workers who have a history of noise exposure in a stable occupation-
less challenging year. We will examine the numbers, including how
al setting. The findings from these investigations confirm the animal
many workers have lost their hearing, how many continue to be at
research, the risk of occupational hearing loss increases with an
risk, which workers are most in need of attention, and any progress
increased kurtosis of the noise exposure. This paper will examine the
in prevention. The sources of these numbers and the critical need for
potential for a new noise exposure standard that incorporates both
continued surveillance will also be discussed.
level and kurtosis.
The Need for a Re-Examination The Association Between Hearing Loss
of ISO 1999 and Hearing Protector Attenuation
Presenter: Alice Suter, PhD Among Miners
Co-Presenters: Wei Qiu, Barry Lempert
Presenter: Richard Neitzel, PhD, MS, CIH, FAIHA
There are two major reasons to re-examine ISO 1999 and its U.S. Co-Presenters: Elon Ullman, Lauren Smith,
counterpart, ANSI S3.44. The first is that the formulas to predict Sandar Bregg, Marjorie McCullagh
noise-induced hearing loss do not reflect the data on which these
standards were originally based. Evidence from a recent study of the This study used data collected under a larger study on noise expo-
data and formula will be presented. The second reason is that the use sure and injury rates among miners to investigate risk factors for poor
of the equal energy rule (or 3-dB exchange rate) is not sufficiently earplug fit, with a focus on the association between hearing loss and
protective for noises other than continuous or Gaussian noise. The personal attenuation ratings. Earplug fit was assessed by obtaining
earliest attempts at formulating criteria were based mainly on expo- Personal Attenuation Ratings (PARs) using a Real Ear at Threshold
sure to continuous noise, and, until recently, there has been a lack of (REAT) system. Hearing loss was assessed using the unoccluded
attention paid to the temporal pattern of noise exposure. However, hearing levels measured during the REAT testing and the results
new developments using the kurtosis metric indicate that complex, of a speech-in-noise test. We found high HPD usage (HPD worn
non-Gaussian noise, which is common in many industrial conditions, on average 73.9% of the time) in a high noise environment (mean
is more damaging than Gaussian noise of equivalent energy. ISO Time-Weighted Average exposure 85.5 dBA, range 65-103 dBA)
1999 and ANSI S3.44 provide the basis by which agencies or orga- among 207 participating workers from 11 aboveground mine sites.
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
nizations develop damage-risk criteria for the protection of workers' One quarter (26.7%) of workers had hearing loss, and 42% reported
hearing, and thus it is important that their predictions accurately symptoms of tinnitus. PARs were highly variable (mean 25.4 dB,
reflect the effect on hearing. range 1.8 - 43.2 dB), and HPD use time was positively associated with
noise exposure level. The results of adjusted linear regression models
suggest that workers with a hearing loss achieved significantly lower
PARs than those with normal hearing. Workers with hearing loss or a
standard threshold shift should be prioritized for fit testing, as their
hearing impairment may associated with poor HPD fit.
19LIVE SESSIONS
2021 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hear- Gasaway Lecture:
ing Loss Prevention Awards™ This Sound’s Important
In this 12th round of Safe-in-Sound Awards the National Institute for Presenter: Donald Finan, PhD
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Hearing
Sound is all around us, and we all have our favorite sounds. But what
Conservation Association (NHCA) will recognize organizations that
sounds are important to you? What sounds are important to others?
document measurable achievements in hearing loss prevention.
This talk will explore the importance of sound to you and to others.
The submissions are evaluated against key performance indicators
Understanding what sounds are important and why they are import-
in a rigorous review process designed to capture and evaluate the
ant can help you to connect with those you interact with profession-
successes. The attendees will get to hear about the innovative strat-
ally. So, what sounds are important?
egies and the success stories from the winners themselves firsthand;
information which will be shared later to a broader community. Join
us for the remarkable presentations! #wewanttohear!
The Birth of a Word and Applications
and Implications of Big Data
Hearing Conservation Strategies for a Presenter: Deb Roy
Mobile Workplace Moderator: Elliott Berger
Presenter: Jeffrey Winget, CIH In this luncheon talk for a virtual conference we will screen a TED talk
Managing a Hearing Conservation Program in a workplace that by MIT researcher Deb Roy who wanted to understand how his infant
rotates workers between jobs and shifts with highly varied sound pro- son learned language – so he wired up his house with videocameras
files presents unique challenges within the industry. KIA Motors Man- to catch every moment (with exceptions) of his son's life, then parsed
ufacturing, Georgia faces this situation in several production areas. 90,000 hours of home video to watch "gaaaa" slowly turn into "water."
The keys to insuring compliance with OSHA and protecting employee He then goes on to apply his methodology to examining communica-
hearing is constantly reviewing these areas, managing changes to tions, public media, and the interactions that arise. His talk contains
the operation process, enrolling employees in the hearing conserva- astonishing, data-rich research with deep implications for how we
tion program, and reducing sound level exposures through the use learn and potential questions about how that may affect society. Fol-
of engineering controls and personal protective equipment. These lowing the video, there will be a moderated live audience discussion.
strategies are further discussed in this presentation.
Turning Angst into Action During
COVID-19 Challenges!
Presenter: Vivianne Wersel, AuD
Not happy with present Audiology laws and regulations? Want to
become an effective advocate to change laws, regulations and
legislation that impacts your practice and patients? As a stakeholder,
you have the power and passion to turn your angst into action to help
make a difference! This advocacy workshop will help you effectively
communicate with your elected officials, who have jurisdiction over
your issue, from nuts to bolts! In this workshop, you will learn how to:
• Identify and make appointments with staffers and or your elected
officials • Learn virtual or face-to face pre-and post-meeting protocol
• Articulate your legislative issue/passion succinctly.
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
20ON-DEMAND SESSIONS
Audiovisual Training Rapidly Reduces Virtual Health - Audiology & Hearing
Hazardous Perceptual Errors Caused Readiness
by Earplugs Presenter: Georgina Blasco, AuD
Presenter: David Audet Co-Presenters: Theresa Galan,
Our ears capture sound from all directions but do not encode direc- Lauren Benitze
tional information explicitly. Associations between subtle acoustic Hearing loss and tinnitus are the most prevalent permanent injuries
features and the source locations that produce them must be learned in the military, accounting for a substantial number of medical
through experience. Surprisingly, aspects of this mapping process boarding actions. Hearing-related trauma can be attributed to
remain highly plastic throughout adulthood: Adult human listeners hazardous noise exposure in active duty service members who,
can accommodate acutely modified acoustic inputs ('new ears') over despite efforts from hearing conservation programs, continue to
a period of a few weeks to recover near-normal sound localization experience hearing-related issues warranting referral for audiolog-
ability, and this process can be accelerated with explicit training. ical services. The increasing numbers of patients reporting such
Here we sought to leverage this intrinsic plasticity in an applied injuries are experiencing difficulties accessing audiological hearing
setting to ameliorate disruptions of sound source localization caused readiness services within the Military Health System (MHS) due to its
by earplugs – presently a constraint on their usability. Sound source lack of specialty services in remote areas. As a result, some patients
localization accuracy and the incidence of hazardous perceptual have delayed care and/or been referred out of the TRICARE network.
errors known as front-back confusions were measured across a se- However, current audiology virtual health (VH) services within MHS
ries of brief training sessions. Provision of feedback via simple paired have demonstrated the feasibility to expand the accessibility of
auditory-visual stimuli led to a rapid decrease in front-back confu- these specialized services and expedite its provision to patients in
sions, even with only once-weekly exposure to the altered acoustic underserved areas. In addition to optimizing access to quality patient
inputs. Moreover, training effects generalized to untrained sound care for audiology and hearing readiness, VH has demonstrated
source locations. Data yield insight on the nature and time course ample potential to decrease expenses related to the number of travel
of perceptual learning for spatial hearing, and demonstrate that reimbursement requests, patients' time spent away from duty station,
perceptual errors caused by earplugs can be substantially decreased and potentially eliminating purchased care cost. The success of this
with training, offering a practical means to increase their usability. initiative at select location has provided the opportunity for consider-
ation of a larger-scale introduction into the MHS.
Managing Auditory Sensitivities in
Autism: The Potential of Smart Hearing Crossing Barriers to Reduce
Protection Occupational Hearing Loss
Presenter: Danielle Benesch, BSc Presenter: Ursula "Asha" Brogan
Co-Presenters: Rachel Bouserhal, Co-Presenter: Jason Booms, Bryan Beamer
Stefanie Blain-Moraes, Jérémie Voix Each year about 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous
For many students on the autism spectrum, certain classroom sounds noise and about 12% of the U.S. working population has difficulty
can hinder learning and even cause distress. While conventional hearing. While many simple intervention strategies are well known by
hearing protection may relieve sound-induced distress, passive hear- researchers, it can be difficult to implement them in the workplace.
ing protectors attenuate all ambient sounds and do not distinguish Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
between sounds causing distress and those conveying information. Health (NIOSH) are conducting a four-year project to help prevent
Passive hearing protection used to block out distressing noises may occupational hearing loss. Along with the help of The Hannon Group
therefore attenuate too much sound for the wearer, which can prevent LLC, a public relations and market research firm, we have examined
classroom engagement. An electronic 'passthrough' hearing protector current attitudes on hazardous noise and hearing loss in the work-
could potentially overcome this limitation by attenuating undesired place and the beginnings of what an effective intervention campaign
sounds while transmitting those that are useful for the wearer to hear. would look like. The Hannon Group designed, fielded, and analyzed
in-person focus groups as well as telephone in-depth interviews (IDIs)
NHCA Spectrum Vol. 38, Suppl. 1, 2021
This project envisions a smart hearing protection device that can
selectively filter out the noises each individual wearer is sensitive to, with construction industry members to gather data on both workers
learning these sounds in real-time using biosignals captured from and leadership in the construction industry. The research revealed
within the ear as indicators of distress. An initial effort to adapt an ex- that, after a need for awareness and awareness goals are reached,
isting in-ear technology to manage auditory sensitivities is described. cultivating a strong multilingual social media presence will be an
Multiple methods of real-time audio filtering are considered, including optimal method to reach intended target populations and motivate
those based on machine learning methods as well as classical signal construction industry employees to take action by wearing appro-
processing techniques. Preliminary findings are presented along with priate PPE and/or taking other measures, such as engineering out
their implications for meeting the needs of the target population. elevated noise levels or purchasing quieter tools and equipment.
21You can also read
