Hearing Awareness Social Profile | Brenton

Formula 1 Driver

Hearing Awareness Week 2023 Story

Original story appeared via InDaily

Adelaide racing car driver and business owner Brenton Griguol first noticed his tinnitus six years ago. Tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of an external sound source.

“If you’re in a quiet environment, [the ringing] tends to get louder. When you’re in a loud environment, it tends to get less.”

Griguol believes his hearing damage stems, not from motor racing, but from growing up around panel repair shops where engine noise and loud banging were constants.

“It’s just from walking around workshops all the time from when I was a young boy,” he said.

“[Motor racing] is highly protected – you’ve got to wear the correct apparel, especially if you’re a driver.

“The only noise you’ll hear is your race engineer through the intercom.”

Griguol said his tinnitus has made him acutely aware of occupational noise induced hearing loss and spurred him to ensure the work environments within his own motor industry businesses are safe.

“People have got to wear ear muffs in a workshop environment. And I mean, not just the [cheap] specials, they’ve got to be proper ear muffs.

“I supply that. If I supply it, I know I’m buying the right product and it’s not a matter of cost of the product.”

That said, he still gets some pushback from employees. “You can make it mandatory that they wear [hearing protection], but sometimes some staff just will wear them for a day and then not worry about it again.” 

- continue reading via InDaily

This editorial was created as part of our Hearing Awareness Campaign. Read more here