Safety Knights

Pipe Cleaners - Training for Hearing Loss - Tip

About 12 years ago my then boss sent me to a three-day seminar on Hearing Protection, sponsored by 3M in Chicago. I protested because I thought it would be boring and uninteresting, after all how much is there to know about ear plugs? However, I was a loyal employee and generally did what I was ordered to do. It turned out there is much to know about Hearing Protection and 3M presented the best seminar I ever attended! Every speaker was excellent. As I recall, except for hotel and other expenses the seminar was free. If you ever get the chance to attend a similar 3M Seminar, I highly endorse the idea.

The first speaker was an Occupational DO and she spoke on how hearing loss occurs in the workplace. She told us about the tiny bundles of “stereocilia” (hair) in the cochlea. These are specialized primary cilia of hair cells, termed “kinocilia”, found in all mammalian auditory systems. She demonstrated how they work by holding out a hand full of what my generation calls pipe cleaners. Someone suddenly played an audio tape of Deep Purple’s “Smoke Over Water!”, while the doctor shook the pipe cleaners in her hand. When she stopped the pipe cleaners had fallen over. She told us that over time, especially when we are exposed to load noise, that is what happens to the kinocilia in our ears. Once the hair falls over she said, "No power in the universe has yet devised a way to raise them back up again!" The same is true for all mammals.

To this day I still use this training technique to demonstrate hearing loss in my Safety Classes, especially OSHA Outreach. The exception is that I play my favorite music, “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress” by the Hollies, or “Stairway to Heaven” (the fast part) by Led Zeppelin. I also use two different colored pipe cleaners, green and white, my Alma Marta’s Colors (Michigan State). You can use what music you like, and the colors you like, just do not use Corn (Maize) and Blue, that is too ugly (for you Michigan fans)!

Ps When you go to Walmart or Hobby Lobby if you use the term “Pipe Cleaners” to anyone other than a Baby Boomer or older, they will have no clue what you are talking about! I looked all over the tobacco section for 20 minutes, when I asked a couple young clerks for assistance, they had no clue what I was talking about. They sent me to an older clerk, a lady about my age, she smiled and took me right to the Hobby Section! Who Knew?