NHCA 2021 Virtual Conference

Co-Presenters/Co-Authors:
Ravinder Thaper, Auburn University
Sri Krishnamurti, Auburn University
Ed Youngblood, Auburn University
Jonghwa Oh, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Noise is ubiquitous in today’s workplaces and homes. While its presence is obvious, its effects are often unnoticed and underappreciated. Hearing loss can happen at work, at home, or at play. A major problem is that the ability to accurately measure noise has traditionally been restricted to a comparative few: those with relatively expensive sound level meters. The process of measuring noise is limited by the expense and perceived complication. Even when noise is recognized as a potential problem, feasible, cost-effective abatements are usually not readily apparent. This team of students and faculty with diverse backgrounds (engineering, industrial hygiene, audiology, and communications) has been working to solve these problems. They have been researching inexpensive means for consistently measuring noise (i.e., smartphone apps) and working to provide a portal to distribute this information along with potential noise abatements for many common noise sources. They have just launched NoiseHelp.Auburn.edu as website to disseminate this information and to aggregate best practices and effective solutions to common noise problems. They are actively seeking input to grow the site and this conference represents the ideal audience to both build and advertise this website.

Learning Objectives:
As a result of this Continuing Education Activity, readers will be able to:
1) Identify free/inexpensive smartphone apps for reliable measurments at home and in workplace.
2) Demonstrate effectiveness of noise abatement technologies in industry.
3) Apply web-based resource to enhance training and education for Hearing Conservation Programs.