Traffic police personnel are always exposed to high intensity noise but no efforts have been made to provide ear protection kits to them resulting in various ear related ailments
On August 5, when the deluge brought the entire city to a standstill and the roads were clogged with vehicles, traffic police personnel where seen rushing around from one junction to another determined to keep the traffic moving. But they were fighting a losing battle as the heavily waterlogged roads just wouldn’t allow any movement. Kept waiting for long in the traffic snarl and anxious to rush back home, motorists and two-wheeler riders were honking away in the hope their passage will clear.
It was an ear-splitting noisy chaos.
For the traffic personnel caught in the midst of it though, such honking or other traffic-generated noise is an everyday affair they have to live through.
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Sound is measured in units called decibels. Sounds at or below 70 A-weighted decibels (dBA) are generally safe. A single very loud noise or long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss. Normal conversations are usually from 60 to 70 dBA, lawnmowers are 80 to 100 dBA, motorcycles and modified bikes are 80 to 110 dBA, cars and heavy vehicles horns are mostly above 85 dBAs, music through headphones at maximum volume, sporting events, and concerts are 94 to 110 dBA, sirens from emergency vehicles are 110 to 129 dBA and fireworks displays are 140 to 160 dBA.
An army ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist talking to GPlus said, “Traffic police and even army personnel are exposed to high intensity noise which can cause various ear-related diseases,” adding that at it may not be detected at an early stage, but regular check-ups can help the personnel take precautions to protect the ears.
According to a research paper, “Noise exposure and hearing loss among the traffic policemen working at busy streets of Jalgaon urban centre” published in Science Direct journal, traffic police have a high risk of hearing loss due to road traffic noise exposure. The research finding said that traffic policemen working near heavy traffic are exposed to harmful noise for 8–12 hours per day. The mean equivalent continuous noise levels (Leq) at workplace environment of traffic police are of 87.5 dB(A) with the noise dose received in the range 96–998.6 per day; a noise dose above 100 is considered as high. More important, at the personal noise exposure level, hearing threshold shifts were found to be highly significant at low, mid and high.
Similar researches were also conducted in cities like Mumbai and a few other places in India. Most of these echoed the one done on Jalgaon - that traffic police personnel are vulnerable to hearing-related diseases and protection precautions should be taken.
Coming to Guwahati, a retired traffic constable told GPlus, “I have served in many police stations in Guwahati and traffic police personnel on duty in any place are exposed to high intensity noise every day,” adding that with the kind of work pressure, these personnel do not even have the time to spare a thought for their ears to see if they need protection. He said that since the past three years he is facing severe ear-related issues and now he is also suffering from hearing loss.
A young traffic police personnel deployed at Ulubari traffic junction talking to GPlus said, “Many senior traffic police personnel complain of diseases related to ear and hearing,” adding that even the young police personnel complain of headache and ear pain sometimes.
Similarly many traffic police personnel echoed that they do face ear-related issues.
A source in Composite Regional Centre for Skill Development, Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Guwahati talking to GPlus said, “In cities like Hyderabad and Mysore, the authorities provide ear protection kits to the traffic police personnel to protect their ears,” adding in Assam he has not seen any such precautionary measures. He also stressed that there is less awareness level among the traffic police personnel about the issue and therefore they do not use any protection. The source said that the social justice department of a state can collaborate with police and spread awareness, also provide protection kits to the traffic personnel under some or the other scheme.
A senior official of social justice department talking to GPlus said, “Till now there is no such scheme or policy under which such protection kits are provided to traffic police personnel,” adding, however, that very soon the department is planning to provide such protection kits to people of many sectors who are vulnerable to such diseases. He said that a “road map” is being prepared to identify the people of such sections and spread awareness regularly.
On enquiring of the DCP traffic of Guwahati, Jayanta Sarathi Bora, if there is any scheme under which protection kits are being provided to the traffic personnel, he said, “There is nothing as of now in Guwahati.” He was also unaware if there is any such proposal.
A senior official of Assam Police (Administration) department told GPlus that no such protection kits are being provided to traffic police personnel and till now there is no such proposal.
It is not there but experts feel that such precautionary measures should be taken and traffic police should undergo regular ear check-ups.
Head of the ENT department of GMCH, Kalpana Sharma, talking to GPlus said, “It is very true that traffic police personnel are vulnerable to ear-related diseases as they are exposed to high intensity sound every day,” adding that they should go for regular ear check-ups. She said that if they go for regular check-ups then it can be shown to them that they are acquiring ear-related diseases and accordingly thereafter they will start taking protective measures. She said that without knowing that they are falling prey to such diseases even if protective kits are provided, they will not use it. She said that definitely ear protective kits should be provided but before that regular ear check-ups should be made mandatory. She said that there might be some health check-ups organised by some NGOs, but ear check-ups for traffic personnel is vital.
Ear plugs, ear muff, foam or soft ear plugs, and helmet mounted ear muffs are some of the ear protective products which are not so expensive.
The Assam Police is trying to reform policing by acquiring smart policing techniques, but a very vital issue which is important for the traffic police seems to be neglected by the authorities.
THE CURSE OF NOISE (BOX)
Loud sounds can damage sensitive structures in inner ear, causing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and tinnitus (ringing, roaring, or buzzing in the ears). The louder the sound, the faster it can damage your hearing.
NIHL is a significant health problem across the world. According to experts, many traffic police features suggestive of NIHL in one or both ears.
Hearing damage can happen instantly. The sound of a gunshot at close range, for example, can cause immediate and permanent damage. Other types of very loud sounds can cause hearing loss in less than 15 minutes. Exposure to repetitive loud noise— from machinery at a worksite, for example, may result in hearing loss over time. Headache, migraine, vomiting are also some of the diseases related to high intensity noise exposure.