Hearing Conservation was released in September 2011 by Vishakha Rawool, Professor of Audiology at West Virginia University. The book is intended for audiologists, researchers and graduate level students, as well as other professionals working in the fields of hearing conservation and noise-induced hearing loss. One chapter on noise control in non-occupational settings also offers some practical advice appropriate for the concerned lay audience.
The book provides an overview of hazards to hearing (covering noise exposure and ototoxic agents), a brief introduction to mechanisms of damage, a good explanation of regulatory aspects, and thorough coverage of hearing conservation programmes and the factors that influence their success. It is relatively up-to-date, giving a solid account of the literature up to around 2010, but be aware, research in this topic area is now at its most active to date, so it may require an update relatively soon to remain current. Nevertheless, at present it offers the reader excellent value for money.
Overall the book is written to a very high standard, in clear concise language. The author has done an excellent job in pulling together work from very diverse sources. It is effective in engaging an audience interested in the field, and acts as a good starting point for further reading into any particular topic area.
At points I felt that a little too much detail had been omitted, for example, the reasoning behind different trading ratios in noise regulations, which may be pertinent to the reader deciding which to favour. Additionally, some references are not exploited fully, and some are presented in a simplified manner that can occasionally affect clarity. Finally, some inconsistencies in the quality of figures and the accuracy of quoted statistics detract slightly from the book’s presentation. These criticisms do not affect its quality substantially.
Hearing Conservation offers a wealth of content that is comprehensive in breadth and of a suitable depth for many readers.
