[APPLAUSE] When the outer ear canal is blocked, there can be various reasons such as excessive earwax buildup, middle ear infections, bleeding, or sudden blockage caused by inserting objects too deeply into the ear canal. Therefore, damage to the outer ear canal or eardrum can lead to hearing loss, especially when exposed to sudden intense noise or conditions like eardrum perforation due to loud noises, ruptured eardrums caused by foreign objects, amplifying and damaging the eardrum, which acts as an amplifier, and when the eardrum, which plays a role as a drum, is damaged. In cases where the auditory nerve that receives signals to the brain is damaged, sensorineural hearing loss can occur. This type of hearing loss can result from problems with the cochlear nerve, which is responsible for transmitting signals to the brain. Additionally, temporary hearing loss, drug-induced hearing loss, or nerve damage may occur.

There may be cases where it needs to be discarded. It's not just about the face, but there are also cases where problems occur in the nerves here due to a skull fracture. There can be various types of hearing loss, but in general, we can divide it into two: conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss is mainly related to sensorineural hearing loss, so we will focus on that area. For conditions like otitis media, if the eardrum is blocked, you just need to make a hole in it. If the eardrum is perforated, it can usually be repaired completely. Therefore, it can be treated by either repairing the eardrum or conducting surgery depending on the specific case, as this is a neurological condition and may require a different approach.

I will explain it again at the back. Now, let's look at the dialogue of exclusion. What is considered a pleasant sound and what is noise can be ambiguous, but in any case, if you think about it, unwanted sounds are all considered noise. So, whether it's the sound of a piano or beautiful music, it may sound very beautiful to the person listening to it, but to the person living downstairs, it can be very loud, irritating, and the problem lies in that noise. Anyway, towards the dictionary side, in terms of health, sounds that can be harmful to the ears, that can have a very negative impact on hearing, are defined as noise. So, when you look at the degree of exclusion, it may be a bit small and hard to see clearly, but if you look here, everyday conversation noise is usually around 30 to 10 decibels. Also, around 60 to 10 decibels is considered a normal conversation, and whispering is around 30 to 10 decibels.

It will be around this level. The sound of a hairdryer, a helicopter, and sirens will be up to 80 to 90 decibels. The sound of sirens is very loud, like a hundred pigs grunting, over 110 decibels. When exposed to sounds exceeding 80 to 90 decibels for a long time, it can affect hearing. So, there are different types of noise. The reason for categorizing them is that they have slightly different effects on the ears, so I'm explaining them separately. Industrial noise is the most common for those working in places like factories. It includes continuous sounds like the sound of a machine running.

There will be sound. When the small hammer hits the black yarn, there is a sound of kkwang when the emotion is bigger than I expected, and a little later, there is a sound of kkwang again. This noise from here and now the sound of impact usually occurs when there is a very loud explosion sound. Therefore, among the noises that are heard only twice, in the case of explosion sounds, suddenly, people can be exposed to loud noises on the scene. Next, the sound of sirens will probably be included in the 10 sounds. There are various types of noises in those kinds of noises. So, in the results of studying the noises that people are exposed to, there are a few that stand out. Among them, the most symbolically expressed one is the sound of sirens at the time of departure, and the sound of car engines. The noise that can't be ignored, such as the sound of air coming out of the compressor in a car engine, and the noise of a fire occurring at the scene of a fire, also includes the noises generated during the extinguishing process.

It is a state where there is a possibility of continuous exposure to noise, so what are the legal standards? The reason why we have legal standards for noise-induced hearing loss is to use them as criteria for diagnosing and compensating for occupational diseases. If you look, for a daily 8-hour work, the standard is set for tasks where noise levels exceed 85 decibels. It means that you have to continuously work for more than 8 hours a day with noise levels exceeding 85 decibels. Secondly, for intense noises, they are classified for higher levels of noise. So, for 115 decibels, every time it increases by 10, for example, from 115 to 125, you need to reduce the exposure time by half. This is because it is said that for every 5 decibels increase, the sound doubles. Therefore, if it exceeds 115 decibels, it should not be exposed for more than 15 minutes. Why 121? Well, for 121 decibels, it is said that continuous exposure should never happen.

So, the standard for not hearing even one explosion in explosive work, as I mentioned earlier, is usually 120 decibels, 130 decibels, or 140 decibels. So, legally, the reason for reporting like this is very conservative. Therefore, even in dangerous situations, explosions exceeding 140 decibels or more than 100 times are considered. If it does not exceed this level of exposure, it will not be recognized as noise. This is a discussion about industrial safety and health standards. This is because the legal standards are set up like this, so if you do not meet the legal standards for noise and noise in your work, you may not be recognized for industrial accidents, and you may not be eligible for workers' compensation. That's why there is a suggestion that what you are working on does not meet the legal standards for noise and noise, so it is always.

That was the part. From a medical perspective, doctors think differently. Even exposure to noise levels lower than this, around 75 decibels, can provide enough nutrition. However, exposure to explosive loud noises from bears can cause permanent disabilities. Therefore, this is a conservative standard for approving industrial accidents, not an absolute truth. Instead, we should understand that legally, strict criteria are being applied for approval. So, if you consider 85 to 11 in terms of legal standards, in noisy workplaces, the standard is 85 decibels. If exposed to 85 decibels or more for more than 8 hours a day, typically when exposed daily for more than 8 hours, this is when industrial accidents are usually recognized. In cases where exposure to noise levels exceeding 85 decibels for over 8 hours a day, for more than 3 years in workplaces without such noise, is recognized as an industrial accident.

I will only consider it when it reaches 1 above that standard. So, the criteria are like that. Therefore, it is very conservative. Medically speaking, even at a low noise level of 80 dB or 75 dB, it is believed that such diseases can occur. And now, noise affects hearing. Anyway, this comes as sound pressure and gives me the shock on its own, shocks the auditory nerve, gives nerves to the body. Therefore, you can think that this one picture explains everything. Headache, dizziness, anxiety, tension, irritability, palpitations, high blood pressure, heart palpitations, chest tightness, indigestion, and most of these unpleasant symptoms can occur. But if you look at this, it is not easy for it to develop to the extent that it becomes a problem. So, if your hands are often exposed, we are very sensitive to people. What about 2 liters of bras?

Yes, that's right. I get easily annoyed, have a headache, feel pain here and there, about 2% of my nerves are involved, and I'm not in a good mood. It's not a disease, right? They say there's nothing wrong in July if you go to the hospital. That's why these difficult symptoms that are in a very ambiguous middle point can also be caused by noise-related issues. So, you should consider that. And now, what kind of impact does it have on hearing? As I mentioned earlier, there are parts that can continue to cause noise-induced hearing loss. And there's another big problem, tinnitus. There are two types of tinnitus, 2 types. It's called 2nd tinnitus. Among the serious conditions that noise can cause, one is tinnitus. Most people with hearing loss also have both types, so many people suffer from both, and these things can be temporary or permanent damage.

I will now talk about the decline in business due to noise. First of all, as I mentioned earlier, there is temporary noise pollution, temporary recovery, and permanent subscribers. In the case of temporary decline in power, most of the time, when exposed to sudden loud noises, such as explosions, the ears are exposed to classes that are suddenly closed and cannot be heard. So, in general, noise is not heard immediately, but suddenly, after 2 hours. It can be seen as a tired state. When we enter the bathroom and smell a bad smell, at first, it feels very strong and unpleasant, but after a while, it's okay. When we are exposed to a large amount of stimuli, our sensory nerves become paralyzed, so we can no longer feel the stimuli. The same goes for hearing.

If you look at the situation, in most cases, it will recover within 24 hours. Recently, it became a news story. Have you seen it? Why did he stuff his ears with a big cotton swab like a loudspeaker to avoid military service, then took a hearing test, which turned out very bad, and then passed, and then when he tried to enlist, he couldn't pass the hearing test at all. There are cases where people use various methods, but in fact, even if it happens once or twice, if you repeatedly use such methods, it can progress to permanent disability. So, in the case of being exposed to explosive sounds again, there may be temporary hearing loss, but there are parts that can recover after a day. Therefore, if even after a day the recovery does not happen, it may be a situation where almost complete recovery is not possible. That's why, if by today the recovery has not occurred, it may be a situation where you need to go to the ENT department quickly for examination and see the additional situation. It may lead to permanent hearing loss due to repeated exposure to high levels of sound.

As I mentioned earlier, if you are continuously exposed to excessive noise, it could happen. The intensity is high, the exposure time is long, and the frequency is high, so it greatly affects our hearing. Therefore, it worsens, and the characteristic is that if the noise exposure is stopped, if the cause is removed, it will not get worse anymore. That's why removing the cause, solving the cause is the most important thing. That's the point. It is also important to note that there are individual differences in susceptibility. Just as some people get drunk when they drink alcohol and some do not, the same goes for noise exposure. Not everyone experiences hearing loss due to exposure to the same noise; some are affected, while others are not. Therefore, due to these individual differences in susceptibility, we need to pay attention to the possibilities in the work environment early on.

People who need to take action are sometimes assigned to departments without noise, and such measures are also taken. Now, as I mentioned earlier, let's discuss the stories of two people together. Normally, most people perceive the sounds produced within their bodies, such as the sounds in their ears or heads, without external stimuli. Those who feel this throughout their lives are unlikely to think of it as a problem. When two people are studying quietly, especially when they come to study together, if one hears a ringing sound in their ears and is distracted, they may have trouble studying and eventually stop studying. In a quiet environment, sounds are more noticeable. In most cases, this does not cause a problem at that moment and often disappears shortly after being felt. However, for patients like the two individuals, they hear sounds from behind all day long. They describe the sound as so loud that it feels like their ears are about to burst, causing them great distress.

And in the case of suddenness, such as this sudden hand like a spasm, there are cases where treatment with medication is possible. However, in adult cases, treatment is very difficult. Now, the reason I mentioned the first reason for parenting is that if you look it up on the internet, you will find a lot of information. Doctors who promote that they can treat two people or that they can fix two people, especially those who bring a lot of happiness, but in reality, it is not easy. So, it could be a real doctor or a fraudster, one of the two. The chances of being a real doctor are somewhat lower. Since there is still no medically proven part, in the case of suddenness, treatment is possible, so there is a lot of water like that, and because of that, if you have heard that it is difficult to treat because it is caught once or twice in the background, you need to understand that it is not easy to treat medically.

Oh, this toxic substance was mentioned earlier. The reason it is mentioned here is that even without exposure to noise, hearing loss can occur. Substances like arsenic, cobalt, cadmium, manganese, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon disulfide can impair hearing. It can be difficult to prove that hearing loss is caused by exposure to toxic substances, as legal standards focus mainly on noise-induced hearing loss. This poses challenges in recognizing occupational diseases. However, what concerns the workers is the presence of substances such as arsenic here.

In a fire scene, there is a type called exposure that can be exposed a lot, so it is exposed to noise, and it is also exposed to toxic substances. Then, there is a part that can dramatically worsen the synergistic effect more than others. However, the problem is evidence. We operate a workplace, so people working in factories or companies like this conduct annual workplace environment measurements. So when you say where you worked and what you did, if you look at the records, it shows which harmful substances were present in the workplace in which year. Therefore, since the records remain, saying what work I did serves as evidence. However, firefighters go out to the scene each time, and the situations and exposures are different each time, so when I go out to the scene and put out a fire, it proves that I was exposed to certain substances.

Now it's difficult because measurement cannot be done every time, and it can provide more prevalence than known materials, and another thing to bear is that a large amount can be rapidly disclosed in a short period of time, which can lead to high exposure and exceptions. We need to know this. So now, let's talk about noise-induced hearing loss. First of all, there are parts that look very difficult on the graph that will not be delved deeply into. As much as possible, we will focus on understanding hearing tests for hearing loss and the characteristics of hearing loss. First, we conduct a pure tone audiometry test to hear sounds. There are usually two types of tests. Typically, in general health check-ups, for people in their 40s and 50s.

When you hear the sound, raise your left or right hand. There is a simple test called the hearing test. When we talk about it here, when we listen to Sung-seong-man, we do a college entrance examination hearing test to measure noise-induced hearing loss. You go into a soundproof booth where you can listen to sounds by frequency, from 502 to 6000 Hz. You will hear sounds of various sizes, from a few to tens, and think about how many you can hear. So, even though the graph may look difficult, it plays sounds up to 6000 Hz. The higher the number, the higher the frequency sound, and the lower the number, it's just a dull sound. In our daily conversation area, it's usually from 1500 cats to 2 Chernobyls, and as it goes up, it's high-frequency. When you were young, you could hear high frequencies very well, but as you get older, your ability to hear high-frequency sounds decreases.

In some shows, they play sounds that only young children can hear, and ask the audience to raise their hands when they hear the sound. In those cases, only young children raised their hands. This is because as people age, their high-frequency hearing decreases, so there is a difference. That's why during a hearing test, they first play a 6,000 Hz sound, then a lower one like 5,000 Hz, and if you can't hear it or it seems impossible, they gradually decrease the frequency until you can hear it. For example, if you can hear a 6,000 Hz sound, you realize that you can hear from the 30s to the 40s. Next, when they play a 2,000 Hz sound, teenagers can hear it, and for those in their 20s, they need to hear a sound around 2,000 Hz plus a little more to be able to hear it. Based on this, they create a graph to understand how sounds are perceived differently by frequency. So, why do they classify it by frequency?

As mentioned earlier, we are conducting tests to identify the cause of Changnyeong's hearing loss. When sounds entering the ear are blocked, it can be due to earwax buildup or damage to the eardrum. In cases like acute otitis media, where there are issues in the process of sound transmission, it is referred to as conductive hearing loss. This means that both low and high frequencies cannot be heard, making it impossible to hear anything. However, in cases of sensorineural hearing loss, it starts affecting high frequencies first. High frequencies, starting from 4000 Hz, are the first to be affected, while the area with speech sounds ranges from 2000 Hz to 11000 Hz, making it possible to hear whispers clearly. When this pattern is observed, we refer to it as noise-induced hearing loss. Therefore, the characteristics of noise-induced hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss involve the nerves gradually deteriorating. Initially, it affects the nerves around the cochlea, which is the auditory nerve in the vicinity of the cochlea.

Symptoms occur, so we identify the cause of hearing loss and assess the severity. To do this, we conduct a hearing test. The normal standard is typically in the 30-10 range. When we talk about hearing whispers, you can consider it normal. For example, if it's around 3000, we set it as the standard for our 40-10 range. So, if it's around 34-10, you can consider it normal to hear sounds at that level. If you think about hearing whispers, it's related to sensorineural hearing loss. Imagine touching a nerve and stimulating its growth. Therefore, if you keep punching, stimulating the nerve, it eventually becomes numb.

In the end, the noise that the prostitute heard killed her nerves, causing her to lose her ability. So, initially, it's just about making noise. If you see it as an initial graph, it drops sharply. She can't feel it. Usually, after not feeling high-frequency sounds much, she can't hear voices, which is the main problem. The area of hearing speech is normal. That's why she can't feel that she has any hearing problems. If we test it, we are the subjects of the study. When we say that, they say, I don't have any problems with my ears, why do I need to be retested? That's the reason. So, if you think about it, as you progress, this deterioration gradually starts affecting the conversation area, and then it completely falls apart from there.

There is a condition where you start to lose the ability to hear high-pitched sounds, so you begin to feel like you can't really give up on daily life. Your voice gradually gets louder. Why can't I hear myself? Thinking that others can't hear either, you start speaking louder. Then people around you start saying, Are you losing your hearing? Don't speak so loudly, speak a little softer. If you can't hear what others are saying, you should consider that maybe your hearing is not good. The problem is that by the time it reaches that point, it is often too late. Therefore, according to the Health and Welfare Information Act, when conducting health check-ups for individuals, especially for those in their 40s and older, we need to pay special attention. We need to be cautious about their health conditions and start including fruits in their diet. Now, let's move on to the important part.

Do you see the treatment of Song Seong-man's tinnitus well? It's not a matter of mishandling the data. Realistically speaking, it's best to see that there is no treatment. It's true that it doesn't exist. Acute sudden deafness, suddenly exposed to a loud noise once, even if recovered within 24 hours as mentioned earlier, if not recovered within 24 hours, in such cases, high-dose steroid therapy or nowadays, what's called ultra-high-dose steroid therapy is available. So, there are treatments that provide medication for a short period of time and then return the nerve. In fact, this is not very effective. It's not impossible. This is now the part where acute sudden deafness can occur once, the most significant explosion, and if it occurs suddenly, there is no treatment for continuous noise-induced deafness. I think you see that there is no treatment for continuous noise-induced deafness. I've improved it here, but what's parallel is...

There are many attempts from stem cell therapy to various treatments, but we don't hear about any successful attempts. The problem lies in the fact that there is no way to fix cases of noise-induced hearing loss that have progressed. Once the damage is done, there is no way to reverse it, which is the most unfortunate part realistically. Therefore, since there is no treatment available, what we consider most important is early diagnosis. Early diagnosis is crucial because once it worsens, it cannot be fixed, so it's about catching it early. When diagnosing noise-induced hearing loss, there are various methods, such as audiometry. Therefore, it seems that sensorineural hearing loss caused by noise is the main issue, not hearing loss caused by infection or damage to the eardrum. There are criteria for this, and it is not a hearing loss caused by infection or eardrum damage, but by noise. Additionally, there is a law regarding this, like the Act on the Prevention of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss.

It comes out like this. What are you talking about according to the settings? Ah, as I mentioned earlier, in the case of noise-induced hearing loss characteristics, when it comes to the hearing loss of a couple, starting from the state where the conversation-based reverse youth process begins, let's say we are in our early 30s. I mentioned it as a whispering sound earlier, starting from not being able to hear even fixed sounds, from the part called Let's grab it now, the pain starts from here. Recently, I looked at the workplace where workers covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act are born. Ah, they will be managed after being diagnosed with noise-induced hearing loss. So, I want to talk about the target audience. Since your hearing is not good, you need to manage it well. When I say that, they keep saying they are fine and can work well, but keep saying they feel sick on holidays and can't work. The reason they say that is because, as I mentioned earlier, if it gets worse early on, it's because they can't hear already.

To prevent from getting worse, it is important to think that if there are no problems before the direct problem, it is fine to exceed the level where there are no problems in daily life and correct it right away. Because once you are left with a permanent disability, you cannot turn back, so how should you prevent it? In fact, there are only two ways. There are only four things you can do: wearing earplugs, earbuds, using hearing aids, and using earphones. Even in the terminal state, you can use earplugs up to earbuds. What changes when you use earplugs or earbuds? Normally, even if the eardrum is intact, there is a blocking effect of about 10 to 15 decibels. Theoretically, it is said to be around 30 decibels. In reality, it varies from 11 to 15 decibels. The same goes for earbuds and headphones, which are said to have a blocking effect of about 10 to 15 decibels. If you use both together, it will be even higher. So, as we mentioned earlier, 85...

As of the 11th, it was mentioned that the noise level was at 85 decibels on-site. Using ear protection is essential as the noise level drops below 160 to 170 decibels. This way, it will not significantly affect hearing. The goal is to reduce noise exposure to an appropriate level, so using ear protection is the simplest and most suitable method. However, there may be drawbacks to consider. Therefore, I will address this issue. First, let me talk about an example of a workplace. Business owners should provide personal protective equipment as a priority. However, the primary focus should be on eliminating the root cause. Improvements should be made to the work environment where noise exposure occurs. If the noise from the factory machines is too loud, measures should be taken to reduce it, such as placing them farther away or installing sound barriers. Therefore, minimizing the root cause of the noise is the top priority.

Here, now, there is a problem. As soon as you hear it, you will understand. It is impossible for the residents to minimize the noise. It's not that there are no measures, but there is no way to cancel out the noise from other places. You can't just go and ask them to be quiet. You have to raise the siren loudly and go out because if the siren is quiet, you can't hear it, so the siren cannot fulfill its role. This is the issue. Therefore, in workplaces, the Ministry of Labor deals with minimizing such noise. If we become an industrial accident or something like that, a labor inspector from the Ministry of Labor will come to the workplace, inspect the working environment, check if appropriate equipment is provided and worn correctly, and directly handle these matters. When we diagnose it like that, that's why it operates in such a system. Oh, Kim Hak-eui mentioned Christianity earlier. So, what is the problem for the back row members?

In cases where noise cannot be controlled today, that is the biggest issue. Another important point is when we ask our employees to do something, we talk to them. When we tell them to walk properly, they often just say they will do it but actually don't. Some say they can't do it because they have knee inflammation or pain. Many people complain of discomfort or inflammation in the ear when they wear earphones for a long time, even though they weren't asked to wear them. In such cases, as I showed earlier, wearing headphones properly can help. Also, when it gets hot, it becomes stuffy and uncomfortable.

Keep protecting your health. In fact, there is no way without protecting it. If not protected, disabilities may eventually remain, causing problems. Even if it's uncomfortable, we need to overcome it. We shouldn't just think about protecting our health in terms of convenience and inconvenience. So, even if it's somewhat uncomfortable, we need to find ways to protect our bodies effectively. However, the problem is that I want to multitask, I want to listen to music, and I want to protect my body well. But in construction sites, factories, or places like these, if you wear earplugs, you can't hear orders and finger-pointing. Because you don't hear the orders and instructions, you must listen to me well. I give orders and instructions well, but you insist on doing things your way, saying you will live alone. You lack flexibility. This is just continuing in a state of complete defenselessness.

Even in situations where you are exposed to danger, there are no gloomy solutions, right? Do you see this? Tank. Maybe some of you have served in the military and operated tanks. Tanks are equipped with a very good system. Among them, how about these people? It has a part that can be used like a cover for headphones or earplugs. This microphone is attached. We use a system like this that allows for communication and protection of hearing by attaching a communication device. Some scenes are already using this system in the field. In fact, I have never seen it in Korea. When looking for YE4G, you mostly have to look at foreign site photos. When you look at foreign site photos, they have ear covers that have the effect of earplugs, along with earphones and a microphone attached. It's not that there are no systems like this that allow you to communicate with people around you and protect your hearing. There are. What about the other workers, N1? Except for you, they don't use it, right?

In the underworld, even if it's 3mg, it won't cost more than 100 won, and you can do it in large quantities on the internet for three days. It's expensive, so we won't do it. It's not that there is no way, but that's the point. So, I, as a person, knew this part well from before. Then, how should firefighters deal with foreign dumplings? I looked it up, but I couldn't find any. Do you see this? With a microphone attached to headphones, I had some photos taken on-site, but the quality wasn't good, so I thought it was inserted into a song. At the same time, during the work of the child's voice, there are places where such equipment is used. So, currently, this method is the most realistic alternative because we can't control the noise.

So, there are aspects that protect my hearing and can also facilitate communication. In fact, it may not be perfect compared to listening with keen ears, and there may be some discomfort. However, protecting one's health is the top priority. Also, in workplaces, people sometimes talk about loop systems. They take off their earplugs, put them back on if it gets noisy, and so on. In the field, you never know when something unexpected might happen. So, it's an unavoidable aspect that you can't just ignore. Therefore, it would be nice to consider ways to open up to the youth that could be derived from these aspects. Recently, some people may have noise-canceling headphones or similar devices, especially those who are into music. If you look at them, they are doing really well these days.

I can't hear any external noise at all. When you wear it, it recognizes external noise through the microphone and sends the exact opposite frequency to block the sound. As this technology works more and more, it can be actively used as a method to block external noise. Therefore, there is a part that needs to consider introducing such technological equipment and conducting research. Now, let's talk about compensation. Then, there are some issues with the research facilities. Now, we need to talk about compensation. Do you think it's a standard for the Industrial Safety and Health Act? If you look at the standards, we usually start from the 10th day. Most of the time, it stays at the 10th day wage rate. Because even if it goes up to 6, it can't go up by more than 90 to 10, so it's almost a perfect thing.

Due to the level, you cannot work or live with pain, so people who receive this level of disability benefits are rare. This is different from general disability ratings. In the industrial safety information section, there is a grade that recognizes occupational diseases, so if you receive Grade 11, you will receive about 100 days of benefits. In a way, it's like receiving 201 times the average daily wage, so it's equivalent to about 7 to 8 months of pay. You may think there are many insurance benefits, but if your hearing loss is permanent and causes problems in your daily life or occupation, the compensation for hearing loss disability can be very insufficient. Therefore, after it deteriorates, receiving compensation is meaningless. Whether it's 10 million, 20 million, or 30 million won, it's meaningless if your hearing doesn't come back.

Since it is a part where we cannot be together more than now, you should know that the compensation of 2 is much less than the pain I receive. So, let's talk about the firefighter's hearing loss lastly. So, is there no research on noise exposure? There is enough research. Why isn't there much study? It's because there's no need to study more obvious parts. We measured the exposure, and it's written in English. It's a bit small, but it means we measured the exposure. So, we looked at how much exposure there is. When we measured the exposure, the siren sound was 110, the engine sound was 111, and the fire truck sound was 171. As I mentioned earlier, the legal limit is 85 decibels. Why don't they acknowledge this? They say it's not being exposed continuously for 8 hours a day for three years, and it's getting worse.

I was there all the time, but even if it's not that, it can still cause significant damage. Also, there is research that resin commonly found in hand tools can cause damage even when exposed to it for more than 10 days at 110 degrees. Moreover, there is research that occupational diseases are not just hearing loss but also the second most common disease in the workplace, and there is even research on firefighters. Furthermore, if we look at this, Professor Kim, who is with the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Corporation, has found that exposure to noise from sirens, engines, and fire hoses can be reduced to below 90 to 110 decibels, but in most cases, it exceeds 115 to 118 decibels, which is a high level of exposure. Through research, it was found that the characteristics of noise-induced hearing loss are much worse than in the general population, almost to the extent of being unbearable. However, while looking for articles, I discovered an even more surprising fact.

The fire truck siren is getting louder. It was mentioned that there was a problem because the sound was a bit short when it was lowered by 10 decibels according to the fire truck specifications. So, it was said that it would be further reduced by more than 120 decibels to 520 decibels. This could be a problem in the hometown. The effect can be significant externally when dispatched, but the problem for the firefighters inside can be significant. The risk can increase, and another thing, the last part now, on March 28th, there was a good news article. Have any of you seen it? It's an article about cars. So far, firefighters have been exposed to noise and suffering. Is there a case where occupational injury, in other words, noise-induced occupational injury, has been recognized here? Why not recognize it? As I mentioned earlier, there is no legal noise standard.

We applied the standards in the Industrial Safety and Health Act very strictly, even though it may not be an exaggeration, excessive noise that can have a significant impact on health can still be derived. Due to being overly conservative, so far, despite many firefighters and others coming out, there has never been a single properly recognized case. Therefore, the same goes for the two minutes, when the sirens and all the firefighting exposures occurred, even for two minutes, it was very tough. We are in charge of industrial safety and health, but since public officials manage it separately, the criteria for recognizing work-related injuries are somewhat different. So, when you see that it is somewhat different, please consider it differently. We applied for it, but as expected, we always receive rejections. Why is it so difficult to recognize noise-induced hearing loss?

I acknowledged that it's not that loud, but Japan disagreed and went through administrative litigation. However, they lost in the administrative litigation as well. They worked hard, but still couldn't get the acknowledgment. However, even in the retrial, the first acknowledgment was made just a few days ago on March 28th. It's the first time this has happened, which is quite unfortunate on one hand, but on the other hand, it gives a bit of hope. This is a significant achievement, as it has turned the tide and succeeded up to the second trial. Therefore, this will remain as an important precedent. In the future, if there is recognition for firefighters suffering from hearing loss, and once that recognition is granted, things will change. Once the first acknowledgment is made, there will be awareness of the fact that it exists.

I will think about ways to pour a lot of effort into prevention, how to reduce exposure to wishes, how to avoid it when the siren is raised significantly in the fire truck, or if there is a way to use appropriate protection, such as LG-grade in cases like this, and various causes are now being identified, adjusted, treated, and prevented. It is difficult to understand the essence of it, so I hope that research and development will progress a lot in the future. It is regrettable that it is just the beginning, but even at this late stage, I hope that more people will show interest. It may be a difficult and disease-related issue, but I am grateful for everyone's interest and attention to education.

소음성 난청의 치료와 산업재해

인천종합병원 나사렛국제병원 / 의학, 한의학 협진 종합병원
의학·한의학 협진으로 치료효과를 극대화하여 고객의 건강과 행복을 찾아드립니다.

VISION 2025
전문성을 갖춘 의료진으로부터 만족스러운 치료를 받을 수 있는 병원
치료를 넘어서 편안함과 사랑을 주는 병원
직원 모두가 서로를 존중하는 병원

인천광역시 연수구 동춘동에 위치


소음성 난청의 치료와 산업재해

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