Our senses can be damaged as a result of exposure to certain hazards. Some of these hazards could be found in our day-to-day workplace. By taking the right precautions while working, you can protect your senses. Below, we have listed several ways in which our senses can be damaged by work.
By Team Savant
Image: Daria Pimkina
Hearing
If you work in an environment in which there are very loud noises, you could be putting yourself at risk of developing hearing loss. Prolonged exposure to sounds over 85 decibels can cause damage to occur. A few examples of dangerously loud work environments include construction sites, music venues and airports.
Wearing ear protection may be able to help reduce any damage. This could include ear plugs over over-ear protection. If you’ve noticed that your hearing is fading, you can always pursue hearing loss treatment. The likes of hearing aids can help to restore normal hearing quality.
Vision
Our eyes can be damaged by all kinds of substances. Some of the biggest health hazards include chemicals, sparks and dust from tasks like sanding and heavy drilling. Bright lights and lasers can also cause damage.
An employer should provide protective goggles in jobs where these dangers are abundant. Specialised tinted goggles should be used when working with very bright lights or sparks. If you have any pain in your eyes or are experiencing sudden reduced vision (particularly black spots) you should see a doctor immediately. Visual health problems can sometimes be corrected with surgery if caught early. In other cases, you may simply be able to correct your vision with glasses or contact lenses.
Touch
We have nerve endings all over our body that can help us to feel touch. The nerves in our hands are some of the most important and can be some of the most easily damaged. Chefs are most likely to suffer nerve damage in their hands from burning themselves on hot objects. If you work with other hot objects, acids or freezing liquids you could also be at risk.
Where possible, you should wear gloves when handling very hot objects, very cold objects and chemicals. In some cases, wearing a whole protective suit may be necessary. Nerve damage can be temporary, but with severe burns it can often be permanent and there may only be limited nerve repair treatment available.
Smell & Taste
Our sense of smell and taste are strongly linked. They are most commonly damaged at work by exposure to chemical fumes (particularly specific metals). Heavy smoking can also damage our sense of smell and taste.
To protect these senses, always wear a mask when handling fumes from chemicals, such as cadmium, formaldehyde, nickel or chromium. If you smoke a lot at work, you may also want to take steps to break this habit — don’t let smoking breaks become a coping mechanism for work-related stress. Loss of smell and taste generally cannot be treated, although damage may not always be permanent.