Mass transit bad for your ears?

The latest news from the American Journal of Public Health is that mass transit, at least in New York, may create enough noise to be hazardous to your ears. With the world moving towards "greener" transportation, this is not good news, but it sounds like they have issued some recommendations that would reduce noise.--Dr. McDonald


Mass Transit Riding May Be Harmful To Your Ears

Washington — Riders of mass transit are exposed to noise at levels that may exceed recommended limits, and thus may experience noise-induced hearing loss given sufficient exposure duration times, reports a new study from researchers University of Washington and the Columbia University Department of Sociomedical Sciences to be published in the July issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

Researchers evaluated the noise levels of a representation of New York City mass transit systems (subways, buses, ferries, tramways and commuter railways) during June and July 2007. Subway cars and platforms had the highest associated equivalent continuous average and maximum noise levels, but all systems showed some potential for noise exposure.

The study concludes: "Mass transit noise exposure has the potential to exceed limits recommended by the World Health Organization and the US Environmental Protection Agency and thus cause noise-induced hearing loss among riders of all forms of mass transit given sufficient exposure durations. Environmental noise–control efforts in mass transit and, in cases in which controls are infeasible, the use of personal hearing protection would benefit the ridership’s hearing health."

The study's authors suggest, "Engineering noise-control efforts, including increased transit infrastructure maintenance and the use of quieter equipment, should be given priority over use of hearing protection, which requires rider motivation and knowledge of how and when to wear it."
http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/abstract/AJPH.2008.138297v1?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=subways&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT