Noise Sensitivity

Alerting devices can be used to notify a person who is deaf or hard of hearing to sounds in the environment. An individual can be alerted to sounds like a telephone ringing, a doorbell or an emergency alarm through vibration or a light signal. A transmitter detects certain sounds and then sends a signal to a receiver that vibrates or blinks a light.

Individuals who have difficulty communicating orally may be able to communicate effectively by typing, writing, or using sign language. In addition, individuals who have difficulty communicating in writing may be able to communicate effectively orally.

The following companies offer communication access technologies that are uniquely designed to be used by and with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. The software products and equipment offer such features as: Speech to Text, Speech to Video Sign Language, Speech to Computer Generated Voice, Text to Computer-generated Voice Or Video Sign Language, or face-to-face text communication solutions.

Fans come in all shapes and sizes for various types of environments. An industrial, desk, cubicle, ceiling, corner, oscillating, floor, table, or clip fan may be appropriate.

Hearing protection might be used as an accommodation for an individual who is hard of hearing, who needs to work in a noisy environment and still be able to communicate with co-workers. Active hearing protection and special purpose ear muffs that attenuate sound as the noise level rises, may enable effective performance in moderate noisy environments. Hearing aids may fit under certain muff style hearing protectors that have large, rectangular openings. An audiologist may be helpful in determining whether a particular individual can wear hearing aids under hearing protection and what product combination would best suit their needs.

Extraneous noises can be very distracting. Noise from radios, office equipment, traffic and employee conversations can make it difficult for someone who is hard of hearing to focus on important sounds in the environment. To block extraneous noise, sound control products such as carpeting, hanging baffles, wall panels or cubicles might be used. If possible, discontinue the use of personal stereos or provide the employee with a space free from extraneous sounds resulting from copy machines, faxes or printers.

Earbuds that reduce or cancel noise making it easier for workers to focus on the task-at-hand.

Noise canceling headsets and headphones designed for listening tasks use a combination of passive soundproofing and type of technology called active noise control to reduce exposure to unwanted background noise and improve the signal to noise ration when listening to music or another sound source through the headset.  Headphones and headsets of this type usually have a small battery door built into one of the ear cups. When purchasing a noise canceling headset, be sure that you are purchasing the correct type for the task at hand.  Some headsets that are advertised as having noise canceling microphones are intended for speaking rather than listening tasks.  These only have noise cancellation in the microphone portion of the headset and do not have a battery on the ear cup.

What are captions? Captions are defined by the National Captioning Institute as, "subtitles, translations of the spoken word to the written, which permit deaf and hard-of-hearing people to see what they cannot hear. There are two kinds of captioning--open and closed. Open captions always appear on the screen, while closed captions must be 'opened' to be seen. Closed captioning is the process whereby captions are converted to electronic codes and inserted in the regular television signal, specifically on Line 21, a portion of the picture normally not seen." As of July 1993, all televisions 13" or greater in size that are manufactured in the United States or imported for use in the United States must be equipped with built-in decoder circuitry to enable the viewing of closed captioned video and television programming.Why consider using captions as a work-site accommodation for someone who is deaf or hard of hearing? Employers often use videotapes as training tools for employees. When tapes are used that have not been captioned, the tapes are inaccessible to employees who are deaf or hard of hearing. Employers should make an effort to ensure that all employees can benefit from training tools. When purchasing training tapes, consider purchasing tapes that have either open or closed captions or contact captioning service providers that can add captions to training videos. Employers might also use captioning as a way to provide real-time communication access to meetings, special events and web casts. Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) offers word for word translation of audio information and is provided by a professional who is skilled and trained in using stenographic equipment. Many captioning providers offer remote CART and Internet captioning where the stenographer is not physically present at the event.

Most noise that is transmitted through a wall from one side to the other is airborne; this includes sounds made by TVs, stereos, voices and loud music, especially bass. This noise can be quite loud if the sound source is close to the wall. By soundproofing the party or common wall, the sound produced on your side will stay on your side and little or no noise from the other side will pass through. You can achieve wall soundproofing by installing our noise blocking products for walls. Another common noise problem is absorbing sound and reducing echo or reverberation within a room. You can achieve an acoustically enhanced room by installing our sound absorbing products for walls to improve acoustics.

Redesigning a worksite as an accommodation can include moving a workstation closer to a break room, restroom, office equipment, or employee parking lot; duplicating work materials in a workspace; teleconferencing into meetings; having others report to the employee physically; or communicating in an alternative way (instant messaging, pager, texting, or telephone). Modifying a workspace for an employee who experiences limitations in concentration can help limit or even eliminate both auditory and visual distractions. These modifications can include relocating employees to private area away from high traffic areas, reducing clutter in the employee’s work environment, redesigning an employee’s workspace to minimize visual distractions, and providing higher cubicle walls and/or cubicle doors.