Relationship between risk perception toward hearing conservation and using hearing protection devices among offset printing workers in Tehran province, Iran.

The way workers perceive noise exposure can play an important role in the adoption of safety behaviors. Therefore, the determination of the relationship among risk awareness, behavior, and exposure can be an extremely important issue in controlling noise exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between risk perception and practice of workers. Workers from 16 printing houses in Tehran province participated in present study. A questionnaire was used for determining the level of risk perception and practice about hearing conservation. The results revealed a significant relationship between risk perception and safety behavior adoption (P < 0.001). A positive and significant correlation was found between these two variables (P < 0.001; rs = 0.912). Also, the results showed that workers with hearing impairment had a better practice. In addition, attention should be paid to preventive principles and encouragement of hearing protection devices usage among employees.