Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (TWU) Statistics

At a glance

  • View hearing loss statistics among Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (TWU) workers.
  • Approximately 10% of all Transportation workers, 14% of all Warehousing workers, and 13% of all Utilities workers have hearing difficulty.
  • About 7% of all Transportation and Warehousing workers and 12% of all Utilities workers have tinnitus.
  • 59% of noise-exposed Transportation and Warehousing workers and 38% of noise-exposed Utilities workers report not wearing hearing protection.
Large warehouse with boxes on shelves.

Noise, ototoxic chemicals, and hearing protection

  • About 22% of all workers in Transportation, 33% of all workers in Warehousing, and 21% of all workers in Utilities have been exposed to hazardous noise in the last year.1
  • Approximately 24% of all workers in Transportation, 22% of all workers in Warehousing, and 18% of all workers in Utilities have been exposed to ototoxic chemicals in the last year.1 These chemicals can cause damage to different parts of the ear.
  • About 14% of all workers in Transportation, 14% of all workers in Warehousing, and 12% of all workers in Utilities have been exposed to both hazardous noise and ototoxic chemicals in the last year.1
  • 59% of noise-exposed Transportation and Warehousing workers and 38% of noise-exposed Utilities workers report not wearing hearing protection.2

Hearing loss and tinnitus

  • Approximately 10% of all Transportation workers, 14% of all Warehousing workers, and 13% of all Utilities workers have hearing difficulty.1
  • About 7% of all Transportation and Warehousing workers and 12% of all Utilities workers have tinnitus, which is an annoying buzzing, rushing, or ringing noise in your ears or in your head.3
  • About 12% of noise-exposed tested TWU workers and 25% of noise-exposed tested Utilities workers have a material hearing impairment4. Hearing impairment is hearing loss that impacts day-to-day activities. Material hearing impairment is hearing loss severe enough that a person has difficulty understanding speech.
  • 8% of noise-exposed tested TWU workers have hearing impairment in both ears.5

Trends

Trends among noise-exposed tested TWU workers (1981-2010)6

  • The prevalence for TWU decreased 6% over 30 years (1981-2010) as compared with a less than 1% reduction for all industries.
  • The incidence for TWU decreased 4% over 25 years (1986-2010) as compared with a 2% reduction for all industries.
  • The adjusted risk for TWU decreased 52% over 25 years (1986-2010) as compared with a 46% reduction for all industries.
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Graph showing the prevalence of hearing loss by time period and industry sector, 1981-2010, for 1,816,812 workers
Adapted from Figure 1, Masterson et al. 2015
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Graph showing incidence of hearing loss by time period and industry sector, 1986-2010, for 560,320 workers
Adapted from Figure 2, Masterson et al. 2015
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Graph showing risk of incident hearing loss compared to the 1986-1990 time period, by industry sector, for 560,320 workers
Adapted from Figure 3, Masterson et al. 2015

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Content Source:
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
  1. Masterson EA, Morata TC, Themann CL [2025]. Prevalence of ototoxic chemical exposure, noise exposure and hearing difficulty among workers in the United States, 2023. J Occup Environ Med, 67(10):785-797.
  2. Green DR, Masterson EA, Themann CL [2021]. Prevalence of hearing protection device non-use among noise-exposed U.S. workers in 2007 and 2014. Am J Ind Med, 64(12):1002-1017.
  3. Masterson EA, Themann CL, Luckhaupt SE, Li J, Calvert GM [2016]. Hearing difficulty and tinnitus among U.S. workers and non-workers in 2007. Am J Ind Med, 59:290-300.
  4. Masterson, EA, Themann, CL [2024]. Prevalence of hearing loss among noise-exposed U.S. workers within the Utilities sector, 2010-2019. J Occup Environ Med, 66(8):648-653.
  5. Masterson EA, Bushnell PT, Themann CL, Morata TC [2016]. Hearing impairment among noise-exposed workers — United States, 2003–2012. MMWR, 65(15):389-394.
  6. Masterson EA, Deddens JA, Themann CL, Bertke S, Calvert GM [2015]. Trends in worker hearing loss by industry sector, 1981-2010. Am J Ind Med, 58:392-401.