a. “Noise induced occupational hearing loss” means a permanent bilateral loss of hearing acuity of the sensorineural type due to prolonged, habitual exposure to hazardous noise in employment. For purposes of this supplementary act, sudden hearing loss resulting from a single, short noise exposure, such as an explosion, shall not be considered an occupational disease but shall be considered as an injury by accident. Exceptional cases of sensorineural hearing loss can be considered occupational hearing loss provided it can be established that the cause was short term exposures to high intensity noise levels.

b. “Sensorineural hearing loss” means a loss of hearing acuity due to damage to the inner ear which can result from numerous causes, as distinguished from conductive hearing loss which results from disease or injury involving the middle ear or outer ear or both and which is not caused by prolonged exposure to noise.

c. “Prolonged exposure” means exposure to hazardous noise in employment for a period of at least 1 year.

d. “Habitual exposure” means exposure to noise exceeding the allowable daily dose, at least 3 days each week, for at least 40 weeks each year.

e. “Hazardous noise” mean noise which exceeds the permissible daily exposure to the corresponding noise level as shown in the following table:

Noise Level (dBA) Permissible Daily Exposure

90 8 hours

95 4 hours

100 2 hours

105 1 hour

110 30 minutes

115 15 minutes

f. “Hearing threshold level” means the lowest decibel sound which may be heard on the audiometer 50% of the times presented during audiometric testing.

L.1979, c. 285, s. 2.