A report released by researchers at the University of Montreal and the Robert Sauve Health and Safety Research Institute, claim that workers exposed to certain chemicals may develop hearing problems.
The fumes of common substances used in the industry like styrene, toluene and trichloroethylene, as well as some metals like lead, cause long-term hearing difficulties.
These substances are called oxtotoxic, which means they damage the auditory system when they are transported by the blood to the brain. They believe that three other chemicals including ethylbenzene, n-hexane and xylene, have the same effect on hearing.
It is therefore recommended that workers exposed to these fumes have regular auditory tests to minimize the damage.
Researchers analyzed 180 studies published between 1970 and 2005 in deriving these conclusions.