Noise Exposure of Workers and the Use of Hearing Protection Equipment in New Zealand

Abstract

Hearing loss from occupational noise exposure is a significant occupational health problem, requiring effective health and safety strategies. Essential to this is an understanding of the noise exposure of workers and the use of hearing protection equipment (HPE). This study reports on data collected in New Zealand. Visits were made to companies in each economic sector. Personal dosimetry was used to assess individual noise exposure of 529 workers. Workers were also interviewed about their use of HPE. Overall, 40.4% of production workers had a daily noise exposure greater than 1 Pa(2)h, exceeding the New Zealand National Standard for occupational noise exposure without HPE. Of these, 88.5% reported to use HPE when working in noise; however, some observations suggested that workers do not consistently use the devices. These data add to the overall picture of noise exposure of workers in New Zealand and are especially useful in areas where data did not previously exist or were difficult to access.

Noise risk assessment practices of four South African manufacturing and utilities companies

“…The reviewed records attest that participating companies were conducting noise risk assessments for regulatory compliance purposes (HSE, 2006 ; Russ, 2010 ), and for satisfying internal voluntary standards. The noise risk assessment records were also indicative that companies had prior knowledge of the existence of and the potential threat posed by prevailing occupational health hazards (John et al, 2014 ; Kates, 1977 ), especially occupational noise, inherent of machinery and equipment operated in industrial processes (John et al, 2014 ; Reinhold et al, 2009 ). The noise risk assessments also allowed the participating companies to identify at-risk employees to the prevailing hazards and risks (HSE, 1995 ), and gathered information required to determine the probability of risk occurrence and its subsequent consequence (Ostrom & Wilhemsen, 2012 ).…”

Towards a Holistic Model Explaining Hearing Protection Device Use among Workers

“…Table 2 presents known incompatibilities between HPD characteristics and those of the two other triad components and which were mainly gathered from a reference book [1] (see chapter 11) but also from the grey literature [66], research papers focusing on specific issues associated with HPD use [67][68][69] and a general survey on HPD use [70]. These incompatibilities can generate discomforts and thus lead to preferences for a given type of HPD, or in the worst case to the non-use of the HPD.…”

“…Earplugs are preferred by individuals favoring discrete hearing protectors and/or concerned with their hairstyle [1] Earmuffs can be difficult to wear in hot environments [1,67,68] Over-attenuating HPDs can block important environmental sounds such as alarm signals, machine sound and colleagues' speech [1] Earmuffs reduce the localization of the noise sources more than earplugs [69] HPD/Work environment Earplug insertion and removal can be time consuming and incompatible with work tasks when many removals are required during the work shift (and thus, earmuff are preferred in this case [1,70]) Earmuffs can interfere with movements when work is carried out in a tight space [1] Compared to earmuffs, earplug efficiency is more dependent on user training, skill and motivation [1] HPD requiring a periodic re-positioning is not adapted to work tasks based on a fast pace of repetitive movements [71] 1.…”

Acoustic Environment and Noise Exposure in Fitness Halls

“…For instructors, the gym hall is characterized as an occupational environment, whereas for users, it is a leisure environment. Although the main purpose of fitness gyms is to improve the users' physical fitness and quality of life, such an environment with excessive exposure to loud music can be harmful to both instructors' and users' hearing [10][11][12][13]. Assessments of noise exposure in sports instructors have shown very high continuous equivalent sound pressure levels [14].…”