Hearing threshold levels of Australian coal mine workers: a retrospective cross-sectional study of 64196 audiograms

Liebenberg, Adelle; Brichta, Alan M.; Nie, Valerie M; Ahmadi, Sima; James, Carole

doi:10.1080/14992027.2021.1884908

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…The Safe Work Australia (2010) study targeted 5 industry groups associated with high noise exposure: (i) manufacturing, (ii) construction, (iii) transport and storage, (iv) hospitality and entertainment, and (v) agriculture, forestry, and fishing. No data were collected for mining, an industry renowned for high noise exposure ( Bauer and Kohler 2000 ) and hearing loss, ( Liebenberg et al 2021 ), hence the focus for this study on mining specifically.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A current affair: worker perceptions of noise exposure and occupational hearing loss in Australian coal mines

Liebenberg,

Oosthuizen,

Reed

2023

Annals of Work Exposures and Health

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Background The objective of the online survey was to determine worker attitudes towards, perceptions on hearing loss, and management of workplace noise; and to identify barriers within current strategies that prevent effective management of hearing health in Australian mines. Design This cross-sectional study utilized a modified survey design, initially designed for use by Safe Work Australia for a broader study published in 2010. Study Sample The survey questionnaire was made available online to volunteer participants, recruited with the assistance of State and National Health and Safety, and mining organizations. Volunteer participants were required to be proficient in English, be employed by an Australian underground or open cut mine, including coal processing plants; or work as a contractor on one of the specified mine sites. All mining employees, regardless of occupation, job title, and occupational hearing loss classification or status, were invited to complete the questionnaire. Results Almost 60% of respondents indicated that they had high noise exposure for than 10 yr or more, and have some trouble hearing, mostly associated with infrequent tinnitus. Nearly 71% of these workers believe that the noise control strategies in their workplaces are effective, but this mostly refers to the use of hearing protection devices. Conclusion The results indicate that general knowledge on the cause and effect of noise exposure in the workplace is well understood. However, due to the long latency associated with the development of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), there is an issue urgency in terms of risk management. It is surprising that most of the respondents recommended more inspections and administrative controls, especially since most respondents were health, safety, and environment (HSE) professionals. HSE professionals should be advocating for higher order, more permanent solutions, and not purely administrative controls and personal protective equipment. These findings raise the question of whether there is a multifaceted working-culture issue that needs to be addressed, in combination with higher order control implementation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A current affair: worker perceptions of noise exposure and occupational hearing loss in Australian coal mines

Liebenberg,

Oosthuizen,

Reed

2023

Annals of Work Exposures and Health

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“…Sin embargo, 4 de los 13 artículos no precisan los rangos de edad de sus muestras (20,26,29,32) . Durante la búsqueda de la evidencia publicada se encuentran 2 artículos con población mayor de 15 y 16 años (39,40) que a pesar de su pertinencia temática y correcta evidencia documental son excluidos por coherencia con los criterios de inclusión. Se decide por consenso entre las autoras relegar ambos a las discusiones de esta revisión.…”

Section: Características De Las Poblaciones Y Muestrasunclassified

“…Únicamente, Gyamfi et al evalúa específicamente la presencia de la cuña de Carhart, una disminución de la audición entorno a los 4000 Hz, característica de los audiogramas de sorderas profesionales (23) . Liebenberg et al describe que la presencia de la cuña de Carhart es diferente entre expuestos y no expuestos a ruido (40) . La conveniencia de recoger este dato reside en que respalda que la exposición a ruido sea laboral y que la pérdida auditiva esté vinculada a ella.…”

Section: Definición Y Cuantificación Del Desenlaceunclassified

Pérdida auditiva y exposición laboral a ruido en minería: una revisión sistemática

et al. 2022

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Objetivo: Revisar y analizar la pérdida auditiva derivada de la exposición laboral a ruido en los trabajadores del sector de la minería. Método: Análisis crítico de los trabajos recuperados mediante revisión sistemática en MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, MEDES y TESEO hasta noviembre de 2021. La ecuación de búsqueda se formuló́ mediante los descriptores «Mining», «Occupational noise» y «Occupational Hearing Loss», utilizando también los DeCs, Entry Terms, términos del Diccionario Embase relacionados y los filtros: «2006» y «English», «Spanish», «French» y «Portuguese». La calidad de los artículos se evaluó mediante el cuestionario STROBE y el nivel de evidencia y grado de recomendación mediante los criterios SIGN. Resultados: De las 703 referencias recuperadas (todas digitalmente) tras aplicar los criterios de inclusión y exclusión, se seleccionaron 13 artículos. La evaluación mediante STROBE dio una media de 14.90 y según los criterios SIGN se obtuvo un grado de evidencia 3 y recomendación D. La obsolescencia de las publicaciones fue moderada (semiperiodo de Burton-Kebler: 6.00; índice de Price: 23,08%). Conclusiones: Los trabajos revisados presentaron un índice de obsolescencia adecuado sin embargo, su grado de evidencia y recomendación impidieron asegurar por completo la validez y fiabilidad de las observaciones realizadas. Los resultados mostraron asociación entre la exposición laboral a ruido y la périda auditiva entre los trabajadores del sector minero.

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“…Hence, periodic hearing screening is vital for detecting subclinical changes (EU-OSHA 2005 ; Lie et al 2016 ; Silva et al 2022 ; Verbeek et al 2014 ). Previous studies have demonstrated accelerated hearing deterioration among noise-exposed workers aged 50 and above, due to additional factors such as presbycusis (age-related hearing loss; Lie et al 2016 ; Liebenberg et al 2021 ). In addition, there is evidence in the literature for accelerated occupational NIHL in first years of occupational noise exposure, ranging from the first 3 to 15 years of exposure (Cantley et al 2019 ; Mirza et al 2018 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…NIHL is characterized by more prominent reduction at 3–6 kHz “noise sensitive area” compared to the surrounding frequencies (i.e., 2 or 8 kHz), with a typical antecedent, 4 kHz notch (Lie et al 2016 ; Liebenberg et al 2021 ; Mirza et al 2018 ). In the early phases, noise affects high frequencies which are indiscernible in daily communication (Liebenberg et al 2021 ; Mirza et al 2018 ; Tikka et al 2017 ). Hence, periodic hearing screening is vital for detecting subclinical changes (EU-OSHA 2005 ; Lie et al 2016 ; Silva et al 2022 ; Verbeek et al 2014 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The rate of occupational noise-induced hearing loss among male workers in Israel and implication on hearing surveillance frequency

Makaruse

Paltiel

Klebanov

et al. 2023

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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Objectives To investigate the annual rate of NIHL in Israel, a modern economy with relatively low industrial hazardous noise exposure. To review international protocols of hearing surveillance. To recommend an effective, efficient, hearing screening frequency protocol. Methods A historical cohort study was conducted. Audiometric surveillance data from the Jerusalem occupational medicine registry of male employees in various industries from 2006 to 2017 were used. Mean individual annual threshold shifts simulating 1–8 checkup interval years were calculated. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to assess the interval in which the slope of the calculated ATS variability moderates significantly. Results A total of 263 noise-exposed workers and 93 workers in the comparison group produced 1913 audiograms for analysis. Among the noise-exposed workers, using the 1–4 kHz average, threshold shifts stabilized from 3 years onwards at around 1 dB per year in all age groups and 0.83 dB in the stratum younger than 50 years. No enhanced decline was detected in the first years of exposure. Conclusion Although most countries conduct annual hearing surveillance, hearing threshold shifts of noise-exposed workers become more accurate and show less variability when calculated at 3-year checkup intervals onwards than shorter intervals. Since margins of errors of the test method are much larger than the annual shift found, screening schedule that enables each subsequent test to identify a real deterioration in hearing is necessary. Triennial audiometric screening would be a better surveillance frequency for noise-exposed workers younger than 50 years of age in the category of 85–95 dBL Aeq,8 h without other known risk factors. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00420-023-01975-8.

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Hearing threshold levels of Australian coal mine workers: a retrospective cross-sectional study of 64196 audiograms

Cited by 4 publications

References 43 publications

A current affair: worker perceptions of noise exposure and occupational hearing loss in Australian coal mines

A current affair: worker perceptions of noise exposure and occupational hearing loss in Australian coal mines

Pérdida auditiva y exposición laboral a ruido en minería: una revisión sistemática

The rate of occupational noise-induced hearing loss among male workers in Israel and implication on hearing surveillance frequency

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