Effect of Excessive Noise Exposure on Granite Factory Workers

Abstract

BACKGROUNDMany workers are exposed to noise in their work places, where its level exceeds the permissible level of 90dB (A). Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is an increase in threshold of hearing, which first appears in high frequencies, then expands to speech frequencies. Pure tone audiometry is done to assess for any auditory disorder. Factory workers are unaware that they are vulnerable to hearing loss, which has no obvious symptoms. It is necessary to provide information of the future risk to these workers. Hence this study is done to analyze the effect of noise exposure on granite factory workers in Kolar district.