Paper Mill and Pulp Industry Hearing Loss in Wisconsin

Why Paper Mill and Pulp Industry Jobs Can Be So Loud

Noise is something that you just have to deal with at paper mills and pulp mills. The machines that chop up wood and turn it into pulp are really loud. Then you have the tanks that break down the wood and the machines that squeeze out the water. These machines are always running. The paper machines are huge. They move so fast that they make noise all the time. You also have machines that wind up the paper cut it and move it around. They all make a lot of noise. The ventilation systems and other equipment are loud too. It gets so loud that it can hurt your hearing if you are not careful.

Sometimes people who work at paper mills and pulp mills do not even realize that their hearing is being damaged until they retire. This is because the damage happens over time. If you worked at a paper mill or pulp mill in Wisconsin you should know what your rights are. You might be able to do something about the damage that has been done to your hearing.

Paper mills and pulp mills are some of the places to work. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health says that sounds over 85 decibels can be bad for you if you are around them for eight hours a day. There are a lot of machines at paper mills and pulp mills that’re much louder than that. They can be as loud as 95 to 105 decibels.

At some jobs the loud noises only happen sometimes. At a paper mill the noise is always there. The paper machines run all the time every day. They do not stop, so the people who work there are always surrounded by noises. This means that paper mill workers are, at risk of damaging their hearing every time they go to work.

Workers in pulp and paper production may be exposed to hazardous noise from:

• Wood chippers, grinders, and debarkers at the wood yard
• Pulp digesters, refiners, and bleachers
• High-speed paper-making machines and forming section
• Press section, dryer cans, and calendar stacks
• Winders, rewinders, and rolls handling machinery
• Conveyor systems, pumps, and hydraulic systems in the entire factory
• Fans, steam turbines, and compressors
• Machinery repairs and maintenance in the factory
• Paper finishing equipment, such as slitting, trimming, and wrapping lines

The sources of noise are different in each job. For example this can be a problem in maintenance, the woodyard, the machine room and the finishing departments.. One thing that stays the same is time. If you work in a paper mill you will probably be loud noises, for many years.

Is Your Job Still Affecting Your Hearing Years Later?

How Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Develops

Hearing impairment from noise is a problem. It happens when the small hair cells in the cochlea get damaged. The cochlea is a thing in the inner ear. These hair cells help turn sound into signals that the brain can understand. When they get damaged they do not grow back.

This damage happens slowly when you work in a place like a mill. At first you might not even notice that your hearing is getting worse. It can take years before you start to notice any difference.. As your hearing gets worse you might start to have some problems. You might have trouble hearing what people are saying when there is a lot of noise like at a dinner party. You might ask people to repeat themselves or turn up the volume, on the television. The high sounds are usually the first to go. Some people also get something called tinnitus when they have hearing problems. Tinnitus is when you hear ringing, humming or rushing sounds in your ears. It can be constant. It can come and go. A lot of people who work in paper mills say they have these kinds of sensations.

Common signs of work-related hearing loss include:

• Problems with speech recognition in noisy environments
• Difficulty hearing others unless they speak loudly or repeat
• Increasing the volume on the TV, radio, or telephone
• Hearing problems with high-pitched sounds
• Ringing, buzzing, roaring, or hissing in the ears
• Feeling that others are mumbling when they talk normally
• Avoiding social interactions because listening is too tiring

Family members often notice the change before the worker does. If someone close to you has mentioned that your hearing seems different, it may be worth taking that observation seriously.

Why Hearing Loss Is Often Discovered Years Later

Hearing loss from work does not just happen overnight. It happens over a time like years or even decades. For instance people who work in paper mills probably will not notice they have a hearing problem while they are still working.. The problem might show up later after they have stopped working in these industries and are no longer doing their job.

In a situation like this a person who used to work in a paper mill might wonder if it took long to find out they have hearing loss and if they can still get compensation. They might also wonder if their hearing loss is because of their job or just because they are getting older. These are things to worry about but many things can help figure out what is going on.

For example what a person did for work is very important. The jobs they had in mills how long they worked there what department they were, in what kind of equipment they used and what they did to protect their hearing can all help figure out if their hearing loss is because of their job. In Wisconsin the work history of a person can still be helpful if they are trying to get workers compensation even if they did not find out they had hearing loss until a time after they stopped working for their employer.

The Role of Hearing Tests and Audiology Reports

Professional testing of the hearing is normally considered to be one of the most significant items of evidence supporting a claim of hearing impairment due to noise exposure. Audiologists have the ability to assess the type and degree of hearing loss and find out the pattern typical for prolonged exposure to loud noises, as opposed to other factors that might be at play.

An audiogram may contain information about which frequencies were affected, whether it involves one ear or both, and the degree of understanding of speech delivered clearly. Such issues are crucial when considering the impact of years spent in a paper mill or pulp plant on the hearing loss observed now.

Hearing test data obtained in the past might be relevant as well. Baselines established during health examinations performed at workplaces, unions, plants, or during medical appointments will provide a point of reference. Previous audiograms performed to fit a hearing aid are also likely to be helpful.

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Can Hearing Protection Prevent Every Claim?

Hearing protection programs have been part of safety rules in paper mills for a time.. Just having these programs does not mean a workers compensation claim can be denied.

The way hearing protection equipment is used in life is not great. Workers often take out their earplugs or earmuffs to talk to coworkers hear warning signals get instructions from bosses or because they are uncomfortable after wearing them for a while. If the equipment does not fit right it does not protect much as it should. Also some areas in a plant can be too loud for regular earplugs.

Then there is the issue of hearing protection equipment. Years ago when a worker was younger the technology and rules were different. They might not have been offered any hearing protection all during their early years working at a Wisconsin paper mill.

So when you think about all these things it makes sense that just because a workplace provided hearing protection it does not mean that the noise, at work had nothing to do with a workers hearing loss.

Workers’ Compensation for Hearing Loss in Wisconsin

Wisconsin workers’ compensation law may provide benefits for workers whose hearing loss was caused or contributed to by noisy employment. Paper mill and pulp industry workers are among those who may be eligible, particularly those who spent extended careers in facilities where high noise levels were a routine part of the job.

Depending on the circumstances, benefits may help cover hearing aids, related medical costs, and compensation for the permanent nature of the hearing loss. The specifics of any claim depend on a worker’s employment history, the results of hearing testing, the medical evidence available, and other factors particular to that individual’s situation.

For paper mill workers, the central question is typically whether long-term noise exposure on the job contributed to the hearing loss that is now present. That may include time spent on the paper machine floor, in the woodyard, in maintenance, or in any other part of the facility where hazardous noise levels were present.

Do I Qualify?

What Workers Can Do Next

If you once worked at a Wisconsin paper mill or pulp mill or similar wood fiber production facility and are now suffering from hearing loss or tinnitus, you might want to consider these steps:

• Get your hearing evaluated by an audiologist
• List the mills and other work sites where you worked and the dates of those employments
• Be aware of which departments or machinery you worked around that made a lot of noise
• Gather copies of all previous hearing tests that you took either through work, unions or your doctor
• Mention whether you have tinnitus and when it started
• Ask questions because it is not too late to file a claim

There are actual repercussions that hearing impairment may have besides having problems with communication. It could affect the dynamics within the family setting, lead to exhaustion, be a safety risk, and decrease the quality of life once one retires from their work. Getting a hearing assessment would be the start for most ex-mill workers towards learning more.

Sources:

• CDC/NIOSH: Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
• CDC/NIOSH: Paper and Allied Products Industry — Noise and Hearing Loss Data
• CDC/NIOSH: Manufacturing Sector Hearing Loss Statistics
• Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development: Workers’ Compensation Occupational Disease Provisions