Effectiveness of a Novel Index System in Preventing Early Hearing Loss among Furniture Industry Skills Training Students in Malaysia

Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) is the most reported occupational disease in Malaysia. ONIHL is aggravated by the presence of early hearing loss amongst the youth prior to entering a real working environment. At technical and vocational education training (TVET) institutions, students may develop early ONIHL because training workshops are designed imitating the industrial working environment to produce skilled workers. The exceeding noise level at workshops and recent risk of non-occupational noise can cause early ONIHL among these students. Therefore, ONIHL must be addressed at the early stage of producing skilled workers. Octa hearing conservation index (OHCI) system is developed as a management and monitoring tool for hearing conservation program (HCP) in TVET institutions. Six existing and two new HCP components were used to build the index system. A pilot test on the effectiveness of the OHCI system was conducted in a selected TVET institution for six months. The post-HCP shows a 52.6% improvement compared to the pre-HCP. The implementation of HCP has shown improved awareness on the hazards of loud noise exposure and active use of hearing protection devices among participants. The OHCI system has a great potential as a tool to improve HCP implementation in TVET institutions, and eventually, industry.