Imagine that you’re a supervisor at a construction site, in a state where marijuana is legal. As you begin the day, you notice that one of your employees, Mike, doesn’t look like himself. His eyes are red, and he’s moving more slowly than usual. You think he might be under the influence of marijuana. Mike operates heavy machinery, and you’re worried about his and others’ safety. To play it safe, you follow company policy, have Mike get a urine test, and send him home until the test comes back three days later.

Free downloads! See our most popular white papers and e-books for 2019.

When we think of workplace injuries, we often think of accidents—unexpected events where someone gets hurt. The danger of workplace hearing loss is that it can be so gradual that we don’t even know it’s happening. While it’s natural to be startled at an abrupt, loud noise, we can learn to ignore more consistent exposure, like a loud work area. Certain solvents and chemicals can also cause or lead to hearing loss. Impaired hearing can lead to reduced awareness, concentration, and fatigue, all of which can lead to greater risk of injury.