In light of Tradies Awareness Month, which runs throughout August, optometry and audiology professionals are calling for local labourers and tradespeople to put their ear and eye health first.

Bathurst Specsavers audiology professional Amy Thompson said once damage is done to someone's sight or hearing it often can't be reversed, however there are ways to prevent this from happening.

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"We can't stress enough how important it is to look after your hearing and eyesight, once you lose it there is no getting it back," Ms Thompson said.

"There are preventative measures you can take and it's even more important for our tradies to be taking these precautions as their working environments make them more vulnerable to experiencing damage to their hearing and sight."

Research commissioned by Specsavers Australia found that around 50 per cent of the tradies surveyed do not wear protective equipment while at work.

In Bathurst alone, there are close to 6000 technicians, tradespeople, labourers, and machinery operators, and that's not including the 'weekend tradies' who carry out 'do it yourself' projects in their spare time.

Survey results showed that of the 73 per cent of Australians who do handy work around the house, 39 per cent admit to not wearing hearing and/or eye protection.

This includes anything from projects with power tools, to mowing the lawn or gardening.

"Taking small precautions like putting on a pair of glasses to protect your eyes from UV rays, or goggles to protect your eyes from dust, or even earmuffs when working on loud machinery to prevent damage to your ears," Ms Thompson said.

"These protective measures can make the world of difference and save you from experiencing a decline in your eyesight or hearing which as we know are pivotal to your quality of life."

This Tradies Awareness Month, health professionals across the country are encouraging all tradies to be aware of potential risks and the long-term effects caused by not wearing protective gear.

Ms Thompson said prevention is always better than a cure and reminds residents that regular health checks are the best way to keep on top of their hearing and sight.

Specsavers offers free 15-minute hearing checks and encourages anyone who works in a noisy environment to book by visiting www.specsavers.com.au/hearing.

Appointments with an optometrist can also be booked online via https://www.specsavers.com.au/stores.

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