The effects of industrial noise of higher spectrum on workers’ auditory perception abilities
Abstract
Background/Aim. Results of previous studies gave support to the idea that machines in power plants produce noise of different levels of loudness and frequency, and that it could cause deterioration of the hearing ability of workers. As a matter of fact, noise-induced hearing loss is the most widespread occupational disease nowadays. As noise is a complex acoustic phenomenon, more factors have to be considered when studying it, such as frequency, intensity and the period of exposure. The aim of this study was to find if there are differences in the absolute threshold of hearing between workers in the factory production lines that are constantly exposed to the industrial noise of higher spectrum and those exposed to the noise of standard spectrum at different frequencies of sound. Methods. In the research plan, there were 308 workers employed in the production line of the Factory “Knjaz Miloš”, Aranđelovac. A total of 205 of them were working in the conditions of higher spectrum noise (4,000 Hz – 8,000 Hz) and 103 workers were exposed to standard noise spectrum (31.5 Hz – 2,000.0 Hz). The objective measures of noise (frequency and amplitude) were acquired by phonometer, and measures of absolute threshold of hearing for both ears were obtained by audiometer by exposure to nine sound frequency levels. Data were statistically analyzed by establishing the significance of differences between absolute thresholds of hearing for both groups and for all nine frequency levels. Results. It was found that the absolute threshold of hearing is significantly higher for the group exposed to high-frequency noise at the 4,000 Hz and 8,000 Hz levels of frequency. Conclusion. Reduction of hearing sensitivity is evident for those exposed to higher spectrum noise, which is particularly evident at the higher frequency levels. Employees are often unaware of its effects because they are the results of prolonged exposure. Therefore, working in those conditions requires preventive measures and regular testing of the hearing ability.
References
Bell PA, Greene TG, Fisher JD, Baum A. Environmental psy-chology. 5th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth; 2001.
Bonetti L, Jambrošić K. Haring loss as consequence of noise pol-lution: Multidsciplinary view of the problem and prevention options. 8th International Scientific Conference, Book of ab-stracts; Zagreb; 2012 September 27- 29. Zagreb: Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Zagreb; 2012. p. 115−8. (Croatian)
Aluclu I, Dalgic A, Toprak ZF. A fuzzy logic-based model for noise control at industrial workplaces. Appl Ergon 2008; 39(3): 368−78.
Picard M, Girard SA, Simard M, Larocque R, Leroux T, Turcotte F. Association of work-related accidents with noise exposure in the workplace and noise-induced hearing loss based on the experience of some 240,000 person-years of observation. Accid Anal Prev 2008; 40(5): 1644−52.
Mihailović D, Ristić S. Noise: Psychophysiological effects. Sme-derevo: Newpress; 2011. (Serbian).
Ognjenović P. Psychology of perception. Belgrade: Zavod za udžbenike i nastavna sredstva; 2002. (Serbian)
Kryter K. The handbook of hearing and the effects of noise. New York: Academic Press; 1994.
Alberti PW. Noise-induced hearing loss: Could be easily pre-vented. Br Med J 1992: 304(6826): 522.
Rachiotis G, Alexopoulos C, Drivas S. Occupational exposure to noise, and hearing function among electro production work-ers. Auris Nasus Larynx 2006; 33(4): 381−5.
Glass DC, Reim B, Singer JE. Behavioral consequences of adap-tation to controllable and uncontrollable noise. J Exp Soc Psy-chol 1971; 7: 244−57.
Belojevic G, Slepcevic V, Jakovljevic B. Mental performance in noise: The role of introversion. J Environ Psychol 2001; 2: 209−13.
Aranđelović M, Jovanović J. Occupational Medicine. Niš: Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš; 2009. (Serbian)
Walden R. Work Environments. In: Spielberger CD, editor. En-cyclopedia of Applied Psychology. Tampa: Elsevier Academic Press; 2004. p. 699−708.
Chiovenda P, Pasqualetti P, Zappasodi F, Ercolani M, Milazzo D, Tomei G, et al. Environmental noise-exposed workers: event-related potentials, neuropsychological and mood assessment. Int J Psychophysiol 2007; 65(3): 228−37.
Tafalla RJ, Evans GW. Noise, physiology, and human perfor-mance: The potential role of effort. J Occup Health Psychol 1997; 2(2): 148−55.
Sundstrom E, Town JP, Rice RW, Osborn DP, Brill M. Office Noise, Satisfaction, and Performance. Environ Behav 1994; 26(2): 195−222.
Leather P, Beale D, Sullivan L. Noise, psychosocial stress and their interaction in the workplace. J Environ Psychol 2003; 23(2): 213−22.
Becker AB, Warm JS, Dember WN, Hancock PA. Effects of jet engine noise and performance feedback on perceived work-load in a monitoring task. Int J Aviat Psychol 1995; 5(1): 49−62.
Brattico E, Kujala T, Tervaniemi M, Alku P, Ambrosi L, Monitillo V. Long-term exposure to occupational noise alters the cortical organization of sound processing. Clin Neurophysiol 2005; 116(1): 190−203.
Fernandez MD, Quintana S, Chavarria N, Ballesteros JA. Noise exposure of workers of the construction sector. Appl Acoust 2009; 70: 753−60.
Pražić M. Professional hearing function damage in conditions of industrial noise: Work Medicine. Belgrade, Zagreb: Medi-cinska knjiga; 1986. p. 702−4. (Serbian)
Rabinowitz PM. Noise-induced hearing loss. Am Fam Physician 2000; 61(9): 2749−56.
Eleftheriou PC. Industrial noise and its effects on human hear-ing. Appl Acoust 2002; 63(1): 35−42.
Benton S, Leventhall HG. Experiments into the impact of low level, low frequency noise upon human behavior. J Low Freq Noise Vibr 1986; 5(4): 143−62.
Bengtsson J, Waye PK, Kjellberg A. Evaluations of effects due to low-frequency noise in a low demanding work situation. J Sound Vibr 2004; 278(1−2): 83−99.
McReynolds MC. Noise-induced hearing loss. Air Med J 2005; 24(2): 73−8.
Mihailović D. Analysis of detrimental influence of noise on workers in production plants. Aranđelovac, Bukovička Banja: Academy for Technology; 1977. (Serbian)
Gopinath B, Thiagalingam A, Teber E, Mitchell P. Exposure to workplace noise and the risk of cardiovascular disease events and mortality among older adults. Prev Med 2011; 53(6): 390−4.
Ljungberga JK, Neelya G. Stress, subjective experience and cogni-tive performance during exposure to noise and vibration. J Environ Psychol 2007; 27: 44−54.
Rylander R. Physiological aspects of noise-induced stress and annoyance. J Sound Vibr 2004; 277: 471−8.