Hearing conservation: implementing and evaluating a program.

1. More than eight million workers in the United States are affected by some noise-induced hearing loss. Noise pollution is a significant health hazard in the workplace today. 2. Occupational health nurses are in a key position to make tremendous contributions to the effectiveness of a hearing conservation program. 3. Cooperative efforts between management and labor are needed to prevent noise-induced hearing loss. 4. A hearing conservation program is an effective instrument for preventing noise-induced occupational hearing loss, complying with governmental regulation, and controlling a company's compensation cost.