Summary Background The biological effects of noise depend on its physical parameters, combination with other hazards, the content of acoustic signals. This article aimed to analyze the difference in biological effects caused by the selection of nonverbal and verbal signals in conditions of a high level of work intensity. Methods Work conditions, physical characteristics of noise, levels of work intensity were studied among 75 telephone operators and 96 geophone operators. Levels of permanent hearing thresholds, evaluated by pure-tone audiometry, and results of self-estimation of operators’ health were compared. The contribution of the content of acoustic signals in the shifting of hearing thresholds was evaluated by the one-way analysis of variance. Results Selection of acoustic signals in the noise background (< 65 dB), in conditions of high work intensity, causes a significant increase of permanent hearing thresholds in both studied groups comparing to the non-noise exposed population. A combination of the high level of work intensity and distinguishing of nonverbal acoustic messages leads to significant deterioration of health resulting in decreasing of hearing sensitivity and a number of complaints on the state of health (p < 0.05). The content of acoustic signals significantly contributes to the biological effects of the nose. Conclusion Obtained results testify necessity to revise safe criteria of noise levels for workers, engaged in selection, recognition and distinguishing of acoustic messages in the noise background combined with a high level of work intensity. In case when the energy of the acoustic field cannot be reduced, occupational safety measures should focus on decreasing of work intensity.

Introduction. Infrasonic and low frequency noise (LFN) are environmental and occupational hazards, whose proportion continually increases. Commonly accepted hygienic standards and requirements to their measurements are absent and vary from country to country. The purposes of the article are to conduct a literature review concerning current legislation of occupational exposure to LFN and infrasound; compare levels of LFN using frequency analysis in 1/3-octave bands in the ranges from 2 to 250 Hz at the workplaces and living settlements; analyze subjective complaints of people working/living in the areas of conducted measurements; propose an approach to the hygienic evaluation of LFN and infrasound. Materials and methods. Analytical review of scientific publications was carried out using scientometric databases, periodicals and regulations. Sanitary and hygienic measurements of infrasound and LFN were conducted by the Octave 110A sound level meter in octave and 1/3 octave bands with geometric mean frequencies in the range of 2-250 Hz at office premises, Academic Vernadskyi Antarctic Station,on the territory and premises of the residential area «Nova Darnytsia», on maritime transport of the DAT «Chernomorneftgaz» in accordance with current Ukrainian sanitary norms. A survey concerning subjective complaints about the parameters of physical factors (microclimate, artificial lighting, noise) was carried among 30 office workers of State Institution «Kundiiev IOH AMS of Ukraine». Results. Most of the published articles, dedicated to the impact of LFN and infrasound, consider results of measurements using A-weighting characteristics, which essentially reduces information about LFN. Our results show that LFN in the range 2-250Hz is widespread in the industrial environment, in transport, residential areas, living premises. Despite the fact that noise levels measured using correction «A» do not exceed sanitary norms, up to (44.0 ± 3.7) % of respondents complain about noise at the workplaces. The spread of noise increases with a prevalence of low frequency bands in its spectrum. So, an absorption of acoustic oscillations by building structures is 8 dB at frequency of 31.5 Hz and 14-16 dB at frequency of 250 Hz. Acoustic oscillations in the range of 2-8 Hz at marine vessels are spread approximately by 1,000 times better than the sound perceived by the human ear. Conclusions. Existing approaches to the problem of the assessment of occupational and habitual exposure to the infrasonic and LFN don't enable to substantiate generally accepted hygienic standards for these physical factors. National standards vary from country to country and differ from each other by established limits and measuring methods. Most of the published articles consider results of measurements using A-, C-and G-weighting characteristics, which do not provide objective information about spectral characteristics of the exposure hazard level. The authors suggest that the further identification of the problem should start from a common approach. The authors pro...

Aims:The functional state of the auditory analyzer of several operators groups was study. The objective of this study was to determine some characteristics of hearing impairment in relation with features of acoustic stimuli and informative significance of noise.Materials and Methods:236 employees (middle age 35.4 ± 0.74 years) were divided into four groups according to features of noise perception at the workplaces. The levels of permanent shifts of acoustic thresholds were estimated using audiometric method.Statistical Analysis Used:Common statistical methods were used in research. Mean quantity and mean absolute errors were calculated. Statistical significance between operators' groups was calculated with 0.05 confidential intervals.Results:The peculiarities of hearing impairment in observed groups were different. Operators differentiating acoustic signals had peak of hearing impairment in the field of language frequencies, while the employees who work with noise background at the workplaces had maximal hearing threshold on the 4000 Hz frequency (P ≤ 0.05).Conclusions:Hearing impairment depends both on energy and human interaction with acoustic irritant. The distinctions in hearing impairment may be related with the necessity of recognizing of acoustic signals and their frequency characteristics.

The objective of the research was to compare Ukrainian statistics in occupational morbidity with data of other countries, to analyze the trend of the occupational hearing loss formation in Ukraine over a six-year period (2011 -2016), to consider a modern state of sensorineural hearing loss detection and prophylaxis. Materials and methods. A comparative analysis of occupational morbidity in Ukraine and other counties within 2011-2016 years was based on the data obtained from the reports of the Social Insurance Fund of Ukraine, Statistical Collector, Eurostat, the International Labour Office, the Bureau of Labor Statistic, etc. Results. The difference in Ukrainian and international statistics in occupational morbidity can be explained by the diversity in the surveillance systems. The sharp decline in occupational morbidity in Ukraine within 2014-2016 is connected neither with the improvement of prophylactic measures nor with creating better work conditions. Sensorineural hearing loss has been ranked fourth in occupational morbidity accounting for 2.5%-4% of professional pathology and is underestimated. Conclusions. The underestimation of occupational hearing loss in Ukraine is determined by economic and organizational reasons, scarce diagnostics during medical examinations, peculiarities of the national surveillance system. A possible solution to this problem includes but is not limited to the reduction in countless pathologies caused by a high level of unreported employment, the establishment of unified sensorineural hearing loss classification, the increase in an accuracy of noise zone determination (noise-map construction), the performance of pure-tone audiometry in extended range (9 -16 kHz).