Noise in the Workforce...in unexpected places

We've all been there - in bars or restaurants or perhaps even the gym when the noise is just outrageous. It's so loud that conversations are difficult to have.  Yes, we've all been there. But, have we ever really thought about that noise?  What about the people working there?

We all know that factories are held accountable for the levels of noise their employees are exposed to. OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is responsible for monitoring workplace noise.  They're the ones that mandate those loud factories to administer annual hearing checks on their employees and provide them with hearing protection.

BUT, did you know that some restaurants and other public places can be just as dangerously loud?  An article was published in The New York Times in July 2012 that sites at least one restaurant in New York City to often have noise levels averaging 96dB!  That's as loud as a power lawn mower and can cause hearing damage in as little as 30 minutes.

(Read the article here: Working or Playing Indoors, New Yorkers Face and Unabated Roar)