Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (ONIHL) is one of the biggest healthcare problems we need to address. It’s been a problem for decades, and has been getting progressively worse in many cases. This puts a huge amount of pressure on health systems, people with hearing damage, and employers too. So, it is essential to look at ways to tackle it. That can include solutions like an air vent silencer, using quieter electric motors, hearing protection, and proper training about the risks.
To put into perspective how challenging the situation is, and the people it affects, we want to have a look at a study from last year. It was published in Frontiers in July 2025. The research looks at the global impact of ONIHL and gives a forecast of what we could expect by 2036. Let’s dive in.
Past trends
Crucially, the study looks at how we got to our current position. It uses Global Burden of Disease data from 2021. The key thing here is there was a massive rise in ONIHL globally between 1990 and 2021. YLDs (years living with disability) at the outset of the 90s were just over 3,838,000. However, in the following two decades it was up to well over 7,847,000.
Sadly the increase in YLDs likely means people were experiencing hearing damage earlier in life and suffering with it for longer. It increases the need for things like air vent silencer solutions and noise reduction.
Another key thing to look at is how ONIHL affected different genders. Men had a much higher number of YLDs in 1990 and 2021. This is generally owing to the fact that for a long time many of the loudest industries were male-dominated. That includes sectors like construction, mining, and manufacturing. However, as the number of women working in these industries has grown, so has the number of hearing damage sufferers. The growth was higher than men during the period. In fact, in many countries ONIHL among men was declining.
Where do we go from here?
When looking at the forecast for the future, the research predicted what we could see with YLDs. Interestingly, their prediction was that the rate with men would fall from 113.35 per 100,000 in 2021 to 103.45 by 2036. During the same period, the rate with women would increase from 69.87 to 74.19.
A key factor here is that occupational structures continue to shift. Most importantly, the number of women working in traditionally noisy industries like manufacturing is growing. As a result, more ONIHL cases are to be expected. At the same time, we’re seeing the impact of working in industries with higher levels of exposure to background noise. This includes things like catering, education, and healthcare.
Speak to us if you need to design an air vent silencer or other tools
Ventx understands the impact of hearing damage on different stakeholders. It harms workers, businesses, and puts pressure on healthcare systems. As a result, it is vital to address the risk in all kinds of industries. We can help, providing solutions for a variety of noise sources. This includes fans, generators, autoclaves, and more.
So, whether you need an air vent silencer or another type of model, speak to us. We design bespoke equipment, utilising acoustic modelling software to ensure accuracy and performance.
