Keywords: deafness, industrialist workers, noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL)

Abstract: The audiometric evaluation was conducted in 7.925 workers of fourty-four industrialist companies. The hearing loss prevalence was 45.9%. The noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) prevalence was 35.7%. For each blanch, the prevalence was: 58.7% in the graphic, 51.7% in the mechanic, 45.9% in the drink's industry, 42.3% in the chemical/petrochemical, 35.8% in the metallurgy, 33.5% in the metallurgy of iron and steel, 29.3% in the transports companies, 28.0% in the alimentation industry and 23.4% in the textile industry. The no bilateral NIHL prevalence was very important - 18% of examined workers. These results reveal a serious situation and the authors recommend to implement Hearing Conservation Programs in industrialist firms.