Noise-induced hearing loss.

Noise-induced hearing loss is a major hazard in many workplaces and in society. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health estimates that more than 30 million workers (almost 1 in 10) are exposed to unsafe noise levels on the job. Helicopter emergency medical services crews work in an environment in which exposure to aviation noise makes the issue of hearing loss and prevention strategies salient.

Burn centers should be involved in prevention of occupational electrical injuries.

Electrical injuries are uncommon, comprising 10% of our regional burn center admissions during a 9-year period. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence, type, and location of occupation-related electrical injuries in an attempt to focus our injury prevention and outreach efforts. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with electrical injuries admitted to our burn center from January 1992 through March 2000, with focused analysis on those patients admitted with occupation-related electrical injuries.