Hearing loss among construction workers in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Hearing acuity among electricians, plumbers and pipefitters, and boilermake rs with greater than or equal to 20 years of union membership was compared with that of telephone workers. Automated pure tone audiometry was performe d and a questionnaire was administered. Most construction workers were expo sed to occupational noise and wore hearing-protection, Median thresholds fo r electricians and telephone workers were comparable. Thresholds of plumber s and pipefitters were higher but comparable to expected values. Boilermake rs had high levels of hearing loss. Thresholds at 4000 Hz among older worke rs were similar for all groups and were above expected values, suggesting a cohort effect. Audiometric screening seems to be warranted for some constr uction workers.