Program wins award

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the National Hearing Conservation Association is giving its Safe-in-Sound Innovation in Hearing Loss Prevention Award to the hearing loss program at the University of Northern Colorado. UNC’s Dangerous Decibels program is a collaborative effort with Portland State University, Oregon Health and Science University, and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. The goal is teaching young people how to protect their hearing, which is often damaged through loud music played through ear buds, loud concerts or by noise at sporting events. Dangerous Decibels encourages youth to do three things to protect themselves from loud noise: walk away, turn it down and cover up. The program has students researching way people can protect their hearing.