--- title: Your teen’s job could put their hearing at risk. Here’s what parents should know. description: Ensure your teen's safety at work by understanding their rights and the essential training they need to prevent hazards, including hearing risks. image: https://engage.wsps.ca/hubfs/Noise%20-%20900x444.png --- [![FirstJob\_SafeJob\_reverse (1)](https://engage.wsps.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/First%20Job%2c%20Safe%20Job%20Blog/FirstJob_SafeJob_reverse%20(1).png?width=1614&height=626&name=FirstJob_SafeJob_reverse%20(1).png "FirstJob_SafeJob_reverse (1)")](https://engage.wsps.ca/first-job-safe-job) [![FirstJob\_SafeJob (1)](https://engage.wsps.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/First%20Job%2c%20Safe%20Job%20Blog/FirstJob_SafeJob%20(1).png?width=1614&height=626&name=FirstJob_SafeJob%20(1).png "FirstJob_SafeJob (1)")](https://engage.wsps.ca/first-job-safe-job) - About Us Show submenu for About Us - [About First Job Safe Job](https://engage.wsps.ca/first-job-safe-job/about) - [Contributors](https://engage.wsps.ca/first-job-safe-job/contributors) - [Blog Homepage](https://engage.wsps.ca/first-job-safe-job) - [Français](https://engage.wsps.ca/premier-emploi) Close - About Us Show submenu for About Us - [About First Job Safe Job](https://engage.wsps.ca/first-job-safe-job/about) - [Contributors](https://engage.wsps.ca/first-job-safe-job/contributors) - [Blog Homepage](https://engage.wsps.ca/first-job-safe-job) - [Français](https://engage.wsps.ca/premier-emploi) # Your teen’s job could put their hearing at risk. Here’s what parents should know. By Katharine Reid    |    Oct 13, 2026 --- ![blog-post-featured-image](https://engage.wsps.ca/hubfs/Noise%20-%20900x444.png) My son is 10, but somehow, he already has his career mapped out. His plans include going to Oxford, becoming a paleontologist and doing something with dinosaur bones. But first, when he’s old enough to get a job in a few short years, he wants to work at one of his favourite places: a theme park. My immediate thought, as someone who loves quiet and is especially sensitive to sensory overload, was, “What about your ears?!” His response? “What do you mean?” It hadn't even occurred to him that the theme park was loud. The roller coasters, screaming passengers and constant background music barely register as noise. And that's what concerns me. Just because something doesn't seem loud doesn't mean it isn't affecting your hearing. When my son enters the workforce in a few years, he'll have plenty to learn about workplace safety. As his parent, I want to understand those hazards first. So I spoke with Jessica Major, an occupational hygienist with Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS), about the dangers of workplace noise, how employers can prevent hearing damage and what parents should know before their teenagers take on their first jobs. Hearing damage can happen before you realize there's a problem One of the challenges with noise-induced hearing loss is that the damage isn't always immediately apparent. Exposure to excessive noise can cause temporary hearing problems, but it can also result in permanent damage. “Certainly, depending on the level of noise, the type of noise, there can be permanent damage for sure. It could happen immediately, depending on the type of noise, or it could just be something that develops,” says Jessica. “It can go unnoticed for many years.” For parents, there are several warning signs to watch for when teenagers return home from work. Ringing or buzzing in the ears, muffled hearing, difficulty following conversations, and even throbbing or pain can all indicate exposure to excessive noise. Some symptoms may disappear after a day or two. Others may signal damage that won't fully recover. People also respond differently to noise exposure. Someone who is particularly sensitive to loud sounds may find an environment uncomfortable, while another person barely notices it. But that doesn't necessarily mean the second person's hearing is protected. This is especially relevant for young workers, who may spend hours around loud machinery, music or equipment without recognizing the potential consequences. What about jobs at theme parks? For teenagers like my son will soon be, working at a theme park sounds like an ideal first job. But it's also an interesting example of how noise hazards can be more complicated than they initially appear. Theme park workers could be exposed to noise from roller coasters, machinery, music and large crowds. The actual exposure would depend on their duties, location and time spent in different areas. When noise cannot be adequately reduced through other controls, properly selected hearing protection may be necessary. But there's another challenge: workers still need to hear what's happening around them. “Now, the selection of hearing protection, that's something to be strongly considered, especially when you're around, let's say, roller coasters, moving parts. You have to communicate with other people,” says Jessica. Hearing protection can sometimes reduce sound too much, making it difficult for workers to hear warnings, signals or approaching equipment.“You may not be able to hear very much at all, and you may not be able to hear other people talking to you, hearing those warnings, those signals,” notes Jessica. It's an important distinction. Hearing protection isn't simply a matter of blocking as much noise as possible. It needs to reduce hazardous exposure while allowing workers to remain aware of their surroundings. In some situations, administrative measures may also help. For example, rotating employees between noisier attractions and quieter areas could reduce the amount of time they spend exposed to excessive noise. Theme parks provide a useful example of why employers need to evaluate the specific conditions of each workplace rather than assume that all noise exposure is the same. Employers can't put the responsibility entirely on workers While hearing protection plays an important role, preventing occupational hearing loss starts with the employer. In Ontario, the occupational noise exposure limit is 85 decibels averaged over an eight-hour workday. Employers must assess noise hazards and take appropriate steps to protect workers. An occupational noise assessment can involve workers wearing small monitoring devices throughout their shift. These measure exposure during different activities and calculate an average for the workday. Occupational hygienists may also take measurements near specific machines, tools or processes to identify particularly noisy activities. When hazardous exposures are identified, employers should consider ways to eliminate or reduce the noise before relying on personal protective equipment. For example, replacing noisy equipment, installing quieter components, maintaining machinery or enclosing a noise source can help reduce exposure. Other measures may include limiting the amount of time workers spend in noisy areas, rotating tasks, providing training and posting warning signs. “The employer has to have considered the other controls, those engineering and administrative controls,” explains Jessica. “They have to consider that before just doling out the hearing protection.” This matters for young workers, who may not have the experience or confidence to recognize hazards or question unsafe conditions. If a workplace is clearly noisy but has never assessed its noise levels, that should raise concerns. “If they don't have it, and it's perceived to be noisy, they should probably be doing a noise exposure assessment of the workplace,” says Jessica. Employers also need to ensure that any hearing protection provided is appropriate for the noise workers encounter and that workers know how to use it properly. Your teenager's earbuds aren't necessarily hearing protection Many teenagers already own headphones or earbuds, including models with active noise cancellation. But these devices shouldn't automatically be considered adequate protection in a noisy workplace. Ordinary consumer headphones and earbuds generally aren't tested or rated in the same way as occupational hearing protection. “They're not tested in a lab environment to provide a consistent level of noise reduction, right? Which a lot of earplugs and earmuffs are,” says Jessica. Proper hearing protectors carry ratings that indicate how much noise they're designed to reduce. Some specialized electronic hearing protectors may be appropriate for particular working environments, but employers need to establish that they're suitable for the hazards involved. Just because a pair of headphones makes a workplace sound quieter doesn't mean it provides sufficient protection against damaging noise. What parents can do before their teenager starts working Parents may not be able to control every hazard their teenager encounters at work, but they can help them recognize when something isn't right. A good place to start is understanding the industry your teenager is entering. Construction, manufacturing, agriculture and some service-sector workplaces may involve significant noise exposure. The specific hazards depend on the tasks and equipment involved. Before accepting a job, parents can encourage their teenagers to ask whether the workplace has assessed its noise levels, what controls are in place and whether hearing protection or training is required. It's also worth discussing what to do if something seems unsafe. If a teenager has to shout to communicate with a co-worker standing nearby, regularly experiences ringing in their ears or comes home with muffled hearing, those are reasons to raise concerns about workplace noise. Hearing testing is another consideration. Although routine audiometric testing isn't generally mandated under Ontario's occupational noise regulation, the CSA noise standard recommends it for workers exposed above an eight-hour average of 85 decibels. These tests can help identify changes in hearing that might otherwise go unnoticed. Another challenge parents should consider: getting teenagers to take hearing protection seriously. Young workers may be reluctant to wear it, particularly if they don't believe the noise around them is harmful. Hearing from people who have experienced noise-related hearing loss may help young people appreciate the consequences. “Having those conversations with those who have been affected by noise, and perhaps it might include the older generation who have to wear hearing aids, for example, it can have a pretty significant impact on your quality of life,” says Jessica. The message shouldn't be that teenagers are responsible for protecting themselves from hazards their employers haven't controlled. But understanding those hazards can help them recognize concerns, ask questions and speak up. A first job shouldn't come with lifelong hearing damage My son still has a few years before he'll be applying for his first job. And his plans may change considerably between now and then. Maybe he'll end up working at a theme park. Maybe he'll find another summer job. Or maybe he'll skip straight to digging up dinosaur bones. Whatever he chooses, I want him to understand something I hadn't given much thought to when I was his age: workplace noise can cause lasting harm, even when it doesn't seem particularly loud. While parents can help prepare their teenagers to recognize noise hazards, employers have the responsibility to assess and control those hazards. 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