A survey of twelve Christchurch entreprises known to have noisy working conditions involved interviews with health nurses or management responsible for occupationalsafety, as well as a sample of employees in each enterprise. The survey assessed the level of knowledge in both groups of various aspects of noise-induced hearing loss ("industrial deafness"), and looked at how well preventative measures taken in each enterprise met the known requirements of a hearing conservation programme. The presence of an occupational health nurse, the level of employee knowledge and the reported usage of hearing protectors were all statistically related to a range of variables considered a priori to have explanatory significance.Reasons for the current level of awareness and practical preventative interest were discussed, and suggestions for more effective prevention made.