According to OSHA, every year, 22 million workers risk losing their hearing from workplace noise hazards. Hearing loss disability costs businesses an estimated $242 million annually in workers’ compensation. To help inspire creative ideas and raise awareness for workplace safety innovation, they have kicked off the “Hear and Now – Noise Safety Challenge”
The Department of Labor is challenging inventors and entrepreneurs to help develop a technological solution to workplace noise exposure and related hearing loss. The challenge ends September 30. Ten finalists will be invited to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges on October 27 in Washington D.C. Winning ideas will get noticed by NIOSH Research to Practice (r2p) and interact with U.S. Patent and Trademark office representatives.
The competition is open to all ideas related to occupational hearing protection. Suggested topics include:
- Technology that will enhance employer training and improve the effective use of hearing protection.
- Technology that alerts workers when hearing protection is not blocking enough noise to prevent hearing loss.
- Technology that allows workers to hear important alerts or human voices while remaining protected from harmful noise.
What a great opportunity to showcase your Innovation and Ingenuity! For information on this challenge, click here.
