Nominations Now Open for Safe-in-Sound Award for Excellence and Innovation in Hearing Loss Prevention

Hearing loss is a major problem in the United States. One way to address this problem is to reward companies that have excellent programs for preventing hearing loss and learn from their experience.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA), has created an award to be given each year to organizations and businesses with the best hearing loss prevention program. This award is called Safe-in-Sound™ and will be presented at the 35th NHCA Conference in February 2010 in Orlando.

One award will be given in the manufacturing sector, one in the service sector and one in construction. An additional award will be given for an innovation in hearing loss prevention, which could be anything from a new product, training program, software program or other new and effective idea. NIOSH is looking for submissions from both fire departments and fire service manufacturers. Since there is a specific award for the Service sector, fire departments with hearing protection programs can apply. Companies that have designed specific products for firefighters' hearing protection can apply to the Innovation award, which awards innovations in anything from new products for hearing loss prevention to new ideas and new programs. 

For more information on the award and how to submit nominations please see www.safeinsound.us. If you know of any companies with great hearing loss prevention programs, encourage them to apply. The deadline for nominations for the 2010 Awards is July 31, 2009.